Stackpole-Hall, Conrad to Receive
Presidential Medal of Distinction
The Stackpole-Hall Foundation in St. Marys and Dr. William C. Conrad, its executive director, whose significant financial support to the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has resulted in enhanced educational opportunities and advanced classroom technology, will receive the Presidential Medal of Distinction.
The presidential medal, which is the university’s highest honor, will be presented during commencement exercises on Sunday, April 26, in the KOA Arena of the Sport and Fitness Center.
“We are grateful and profoundly appreciative of Dr. Conrad’s generosity and that of The Stackpole-Hall Foundation,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “The grants, which the foundation has awarded to Pitt-Bradford over the last 18 years, have allowed us to significantly enhance the educational programs we provide to our students, particularly those in Elk and Cameron counties. Without the support from the foundation and Dr. Conrad, Pitt-Bradford would not be able to continue this initiative.”
Conrad commented on his affiliation of more than three decades with the University of Pittsburgh.
“I have grown to admire all that Pitt-Bradford stands for,” Conrad said. “As a representative of the greater Pitt-Bradford community, especially the hundreds of Elk County students who have matriculated at Pitt-Bradford, I find it humbling to be honored with the Presidential Medal.”
The Stackpole-Hall Foundation was founded in 1951 by Lyle G. Hall Sr., J. Hall Stackpole and Harrison C. Stackpole to make grants available primarily to meet the needs of the residents of Elk County. The foundation’s first priority is to strengthen nonprofit organizations by providing grants to education, human service and community development organizations in ways that enhance the quality of life for people living in Elk County. Since its inception, the foundation has given more than $30 million in grants.
Since 1991, the foundation has awarded approximately $336,000 in grants to Pitt-Bradford, which has supported several academic projects.
Most recently, $70,000 in grants has been used to enhance onsite and distance education programming at the Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties in St. Marys by offering a baccalaureate degree completion program in nursing; revising the university’s associate of science in information systems program; building new labs for the programs on campus and in St. Marys; and purchasing the appropriate equipment so professors could offer additional onsite and distance education classes in both of those programs.
“Because of the support we’ve received from Dr. Conrad and the foundation, Pitt-Bradford is much better equipped to expand educational outreach efforts throughout our service region by developing viable and effective distance education courses,” Alexander said.
In 2000, 2002 and 2003 the foundation awarded three grants totaling $91,000 that enabled the university to make significant technological upgrades on campus, including providing support to the faculty to help them integrate technology into their classes and creating multimedia classrooms that featured projection units, Internet access, DVD/VCR players, and various types of educational software.
“We were most grateful for their continued commitment to advancing technology,” Alexander said. “These advances enabled us to make cutting-edge technology available to our students and helped ensure that we maintained a competitive advantage in our program offerings.”
Two grants totaling $113,000 made in 1995 and 1996 enabled the university to undertake a major curriculum overhaul aimed at retaining freshmen and learning across disciplines. Included in those changes was the institution of a senior capstone requirement.
In 1991, the foundation gave Pitt-Bradford’s nursing program nearly $50,000 and, in 1992, funded a minority student program for Native Americans.
Other past grants enabled the university to offer online courses in what was then the administration of justice program and funded part of a government outreach program for regional high school students.
Pitt-Bradford presents the Presidential Medal of Distinction to a person who has either volunteered his or her time for several years; supported the university either financially or with expertise or advice; served the university’s service region through community, government or business affiliation; or has made distinctive achievements in his or her field that have affected Pitt-Bradford.
This is the first time a group has been awarded a presidential medal.
Previous medal winners were Harry R. Halloran Jr. and Harvey L. Golubock, Madeline Miles, Judge John M. Cleland, Dr. Richard E. McDowell, Dennis Lowery, Edwin Clemens, Marilyn Horne, Howard Fesenmyer, Henry P. Pruch, Robert D. Galey, Lester Rice, William F. Higie, Samuel Gregg Jr., Dr. Robert C. Laing, Harriett B. Wick and Sarah B. Dorn, U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson, Virginia L. Miles and Dr. Robert B. Bromeley.
Conrad has served as executive director and trustee of the Stackpole-Hall Foundation since 1971. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, the St. Marys Area School Board, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and the St. Marys Area United Way, among others.
Conrad is actively involved at Pitt-Bradford. He has been a member of the university’s Advisory Board since 1990 and currently serves as chairman of the board’s Academic Affairs Council. He also serves on the boards of Elk Regional Health System and the Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties, among others.
He is the chairman of the board for Dickinson Mental Health Center and president of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association.
Conrad earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and holds both a master of arts degree and doctorate in history from the University of Pittsburgh.
Conrad also enjoys canoeing, skiing, tennis, sailing, fly fishing and reading. He and his wife, Veronica, live in St. Marys.
However, Conrad’s is not the only foundation connection to Pitt-Bradford. R. Dauer Stackpole, a member of the foundation’s board of trustees and son of Harrison C. Stackpole, one of the foundation’s founders, is an alumnus of Pitt-Bradford. Stackpole attended Pitt-Bradford from 1965-66 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Pitt.
The presidential medal, which is the university’s highest honor, will be presented during commencement exercises on Sunday, April 26, in the KOA Arena of the Sport and Fitness Center.
“We are grateful and profoundly appreciative of Dr. Conrad’s generosity and that of The Stackpole-Hall Foundation,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “The grants, which the foundation has awarded to Pitt-Bradford over the last 18 years, have allowed us to significantly enhance the educational programs we provide to our students, particularly those in Elk and Cameron counties. Without the support from the foundation and Dr. Conrad, Pitt-Bradford would not be able to continue this initiative.”
Conrad commented on his affiliation of more than three decades with the University of Pittsburgh.
“I have grown to admire all that Pitt-Bradford stands for,” Conrad said. “As a representative of the greater Pitt-Bradford community, especially the hundreds of Elk County students who have matriculated at Pitt-Bradford, I find it humbling to be honored with the Presidential Medal.”The Stackpole-Hall Foundation was founded in 1951 by Lyle G. Hall Sr., J. Hall Stackpole and Harrison C. Stackpole to make grants available primarily to meet the needs of the residents of Elk County. The foundation’s first priority is to strengthen nonprofit organizations by providing grants to education, human service and community development organizations in ways that enhance the quality of life for people living in Elk County. Since its inception, the foundation has given more than $30 million in grants.
Since 1991, the foundation has awarded approximately $336,000 in grants to Pitt-Bradford, which has supported several academic projects.
Most recently, $70,000 in grants has been used to enhance onsite and distance education programming at the Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties in St. Marys by offering a baccalaureate degree completion program in nursing; revising the university’s associate of science in information systems program; building new labs for the programs on campus and in St. Marys; and purchasing the appropriate equipment so professors could offer additional onsite and distance education classes in both of those programs.
“Because of the support we’ve received from Dr. Conrad and the foundation, Pitt-Bradford is much better equipped to expand educational outreach efforts throughout our service region by developing viable and effective distance education courses,” Alexander said.
In 2000, 2002 and 2003 the foundation awarded three grants totaling $91,000 that enabled the university to make significant technological upgrades on campus, including providing support to the faculty to help them integrate technology into their classes and creating multimedia classrooms that featured projection units, Internet access, DVD/VCR players, and various types of educational software.
“We were most grateful for their continued commitment to advancing technology,” Alexander said. “These advances enabled us to make cutting-edge technology available to our students and helped ensure that we maintained a competitive advantage in our program offerings.”
Two grants totaling $113,000 made in 1995 and 1996 enabled the university to undertake a major curriculum overhaul aimed at retaining freshmen and learning across disciplines. Included in those changes was the institution of a senior capstone requirement.
In 1991, the foundation gave Pitt-Bradford’s nursing program nearly $50,000 and, in 1992, funded a minority student program for Native Americans.
Other past grants enabled the university to offer online courses in what was then the administration of justice program and funded part of a government outreach program for regional high school students.
Pitt-Bradford presents the Presidential Medal of Distinction to a person who has either volunteered his or her time for several years; supported the university either financially or with expertise or advice; served the university’s service region through community, government or business affiliation; or has made distinctive achievements in his or her field that have affected Pitt-Bradford.
This is the first time a group has been awarded a presidential medal.
Previous medal winners were Harry R. Halloran Jr. and Harvey L. Golubock, Madeline Miles, Judge John M. Cleland, Dr. Richard E. McDowell, Dennis Lowery, Edwin Clemens, Marilyn Horne, Howard Fesenmyer, Henry P. Pruch, Robert D. Galey, Lester Rice, William F. Higie, Samuel Gregg Jr., Dr. Robert C. Laing, Harriett B. Wick and Sarah B. Dorn, U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson, Virginia L. Miles and Dr. Robert B. Bromeley.
Conrad has served as executive director and trustee of the Stackpole-Hall Foundation since 1971. In the past, he has served on the boards of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, the St. Marys Area School Board, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania and the St. Marys Area United Way, among others.
Conrad is actively involved at Pitt-Bradford. He has been a member of the university’s Advisory Board since 1990 and currently serves as chairman of the board’s Academic Affairs Council. He also serves on the boards of Elk Regional Health System and the Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties, among others.
He is the chairman of the board for Dickinson Mental Health Center and president of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association.
Conrad earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami and holds both a master of arts degree and doctorate in history from the University of Pittsburgh.
Conrad also enjoys canoeing, skiing, tennis, sailing, fly fishing and reading. He and his wife, Veronica, live in St. Marys.
However, Conrad’s is not the only foundation connection to Pitt-Bradford. R. Dauer Stackpole, a member of the foundation’s board of trustees and son of Harrison C. Stackpole, one of the foundation’s founders, is an alumnus of Pitt-Bradford. Stackpole attended Pitt-Bradford from 1965-66 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Pitt.
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