Waynesburg University recently received a $25,000 grant from the EQT Foundation to support youth programs in Greene County throughout the current academic year.
The project being funded – Greene County Youth: Create and Innovate – will provide fine arts and entrepreneurial activities for both Waynesburg University students and Greene County students, ages 12 to 18, through community arts activities and a “Something from Nothing” Innovation Challenge.
“We strive to identify opportunities that impact the students and communities we serve in meaningful ways,” said Ellen Rossi, EQT Foundation manager. “Education and arts enrichment have each been a long time focus of the EQT Foundation, and we are proud to bring otherwise never-before-seen possibilities for engagement to Greene County.”
The “Something from Nothing” Innovation Challenge will require students to transform an ordinary item into something of value. Interested students will work in a team of up to four people and receive the revealed item Thursday, Sept. 26. Teams will be given a week to complete the challenge, and the final innovations will be displayed and judged Thursday, Oct. 3.
To learn more about the Innovation Challenge, visit waynesburg.edu/ehive.
Scholarships will be provided to students in need to participate in the University’s Fine Arts Academy, which offers special art and music classes for students ages 12 and older.
Art classes include the following genres: drawing, watercolor and pottery. Available music ensembles include: chamber orchestra, jazz ensemble, concert choir and symphonic band. Private music lessons are also provided for woodwinds, brass, percussion, piano, strings, voice and bagpipes.
Registration for spring 2020 classes, ensembles or lessons will be available in the coming weeks. Visit waynesburg.edu/fineartsacademy.
The goal of the two programs is to inspire the love of creation in all participants by challenging each participant to explore their own creativity while developing important life skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, resourcefulness, motivation and persistence.
“EQT’s financial support will make these life-enriching opportunities possible for everyone by keeping participation costs affordable or free,” said Stacey Brodak, vice president for Institutional Advancement and University Relations at Waynesburg University.
Funding from the EQT Foundation also supported the February 2019 micro-course, “Seeding Societal Futures: Solutions for Food Insecurity for Rural and Small Communities,” with Waynesburg University and Carnegie Mellon University.
Participating students were tasked with developing innovative solutions to combat the challenges of food insecurity in specific areas of Greene County.
For more information about the programs offered through the EQT funding, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 724-852-3256.
About EQT Foundation
The EQT Foundation was established by EQT Corporation, one of the nation’s premier natural gas producers, and is committed to the social and economic vitality of our operating regions. The EQT Foundation believes in meaningful engagement with the communities it calls home and takes great pride in the role as both a responsible and responsive corporate citizen. The EQT Foundation has developed strong partnerships with a variety of nonprofit organizations to enrich the diversity and viability of our communities, sustain the principles of continuous learning, and focus on environmental protection efforts. Read more at: www.eqt.com/our-communities/eqt-foundation.
About Waynesburg University
Founded in 1849 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Waynesburg University is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with an additional site for graduate and professional studies in Southpointe. The University is one of only 22 Bonner Scholar schools in the country, offering local, regional and international opportunities to touch the lives of others through service.
