ISSUED: 15 March 2018
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University recently received three grants from the Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation and one grant from the Jefferson County Historical Society.
Dr. Keith Alexander, assistant professor of history, received a $4,400 grant from the Community Foundation’s Helen Parker Willard Fund to help restore Civil War-era monuments in historic cemeteries in Jefferson County. Alexander said the grant will allow the Department of History to purchase a tripod hoist and pea gravel and sand for use by students in the Introduction to Historic Preservation class. Each year the class does a service-learning project that involves restoring historic cemeteries. Alexander said the new equipment and supplies will allow the class to expand what it does.
“We’ve been working on documenting graves, light cemetery cleaning, and some simple restoration work,” Alexander said. “We’ll be able to hoist some pretty heavy gravestones and be able to excavate around and reset them properly using sand and gravel as a base so that the stones are firmly in place, are vertical again, and aren’t going to snap off at the base.”
Alexander also received a $3,000 grant from the Jefferson County Historical Society to be used for window restoration on the Entler-Weltzheimer House on Shepherd’s campus. The funds come from the Society’s community grant program, which is intended to promote and preserve Jefferson County’s rich local history
Shepherd’s Martinsburg Center received a Community Foundation grant of $1,750 to help pay for books and tuition for Berkeley County residents in Shepherd’s early-to-college program.
“We are excited to expand the course offerings at the Martinsburg Center to add an element of university delivered classes in a location conducive to residents of Berkeley County,” said Jim Klein, Martinsburg Center director.
Shepherd’s Appalachian Studies Speak Story Series received a $1,000 Community Foundation Youth Grant. Speak, which was created by adjunct professor Adam Booth, offers storytelling concerts from March through November. The grant will make it possible for some storytellers to visit local schools.
“Without the grant we will not be able to go into the schools and bring this service to the students of various Eastern Panhandle counties,” said Dr. Sylvia Shurbutt, coordinator of Shepherd’s Appalachian Studies program.
Listen to the interview HERE.
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