The Human Development & Family Science
Student Professional Development Endowment Fund
In 2007, the Department of Human Development & Family Science established the Human Development & Family Science Student Professional Development Endowment Fund. The Department has established the fund for the purpose of providing students with opportunities for professional growth and development. Ideally, small grants from this fund would enable students to attend professional conferences, become student members of their professional organizations, conduct research with faculty, co-present papers with faculty at research meetings, conduct surveys necessary for senior honors projects, and so much more. The possibilities are endless, but unfortunately, the funds for this type of activity are not readily available, and all too often students go without ever having had the opportunity to experience first-hand the benefits of networking with professionals in their field, the thrill of presenting their own work to a room full of practioners, or creating and conducting research that seeks to answer a self-created hypothesis.
We are excited about the potential of this fund and extend a personal invitation for you to support the professional development of Human Development and Family Science and Family and Consumer Sciences Education majors by making a financial contribution to the HDFS Department Professional Development Fund. This is the first time that donors are able to direct their gifts to a specific department within the College. Every dollar contributed goes directly into the Endowment, with interest earned each year being available to expend on student professional development activities.
You can contribute to the HDFS Department Student Professional Development Fund by making checks payable to “ Messiah College – HDFS Department Endowment” and sending them, together with the completed Donor Response Form, to the Development Office, Box 3013, Messiah College, Grantham, PA 17027.
In February 2008, the Department held its first annual Valentine Dinner at the Historic Dobbin House Tavern in Gettysburg, PA. All proceeds benefited the endowment fund. The event met with such success that we have decided to host it again next year so mark your calendars now for Sunday, February 15, 2009. Plan to enjoy a candle lit lunch or dinner and help a student advance in his or her professional growth and development at the same time. It's a win-win situation. If you are interested in being contacted when the details of this event are available, please email Tonya Baker with your request.
We talked to two of the three students who were able to attend the 2006 National Council on Family Relations conference how they felt they benefited from experiencing the conference first hand, and here is what they said:
Anna realized how her major is great preparation “for a wide variety of careers,… learned about new research in the field, … received information about graduate schools, and … gained a greater appreciation for how well-respected Messiah’s HDFS program is.” Sarah found a useful resource for her honor’s thesis research and is considering “the possibility of submitting [her] honors’ thesis for a poster presentation and/or a student paper award.
If you are interested in obtaining more information, please contact Dr. Raeann Hamon, Chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Relations at (717) 796-1800, ext. 2850 or via email at RHamon@messiah.edu.
Thank you for doing what you can to help our students make the most of their education while they are here at Messiah College.
Please know that every gift—regardless of the size—will make a difference in our students' lives.
