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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Mellas and MCC awarded $35,000 GLISTEN grant


Ernie Mellas (MCC Professor of Biology) along with RIT and SUNY Brockport colleagues Karl Korfmacher and Jim Haynes have been awarded a $35,000 grant to implement year two of the GLISTEN program the team began last year.  MCC, RIT and Brockport form the Lake Ontario “cluster” of the Great Lakes Innovated Stewardship Through Education Network (GLISTEN), funded by the Learn and Serve America Higher Education program.   The mission of the project is to enhance community education and promote stewardship of the Great Lakes natural resources.  The monetary award will be used to hire three Undergraduate Student Liaisons from each college to work on a Lake Ontario-focused summer project sponsored by a GLISTEN community partner (Monroe County Soil and Water, High Acres Nature Area, Seneca Park Zoo, Wayne County Soil and Water, and the Indian River Conservancy Association).   Students hired through the GLISTEN program will return to MCC in the fall and work with Professor Mellas to share their summer work experiences and projects with students enrolled in selective environmental science and biology courses. Grant funds will also be used to send participating students to the 2011 SENCER national conference in Indianapolis (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities).  The 2010 GLISTEN grant provided funding for one Undergraduate Student Liaison from each campus and MCC student participant Tracy Wilcox was awarded a position and was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Buffalo.  The 18 MCC students who applied for the 2011 GLISTEN project begin interviews with community partners next week and the three students selected will begin 10 weeks of summer employment June 13th.

Ernest Mellas
Biology
05/20/2011