Establishing the Levenia Adom Memorial Graduate Award in Meteorology

In January 2007, the Department of Meteorology lost a very special graduate student to colon cancer. Levenia Adom was quiet and reserved, but passionate about pursuing her M.S. degree in weather forecasting and communications. During the fall semester of 2006, she worked for Jon Nese as a teaching assistant for Meteorology 201. Levenia was just 25 years old and within a semester of graduating when she passed away. Through the efforts of many in the Meteorology Department, she was awarded her M.S. degree posthumously in May 2007.

Most of the Department had no idea that Levenia was waging a courageous battle with cancer in addition to focusing on her studies. Her passing came as quite a surprise and left everyone with a heavy heart - but it also left several people wondering how they could honor Levenia’s memory.

Among faculty and graduate students who were particularly fond of Levenia, a consensus evolved that the best way was to establish an endowment that would provide summer funding for a graduate student who shared Levenia’s passion for weather forecasting and communications. Graduate students with this research interest are somewhat rare and that makes this endowment particularly special. The endowment will bear Levenia’s name in perpetuity, and that also makes it special to her family and friends.

The department has a few donors who have already stepped up to the plate, but university guidelines have set a limit of a $20,000 pledge for this type of gift before the endowment can be established and start providing income.

We try not to put our hand out too often, but we do realize that there are some of our alumni who share Levenia’s passion and who also have the financial means to make this endowment a reality. Just a few donors who can make a significant contribution to reach the $20,000 level are needed. Of course any donations for this endowment are helpful no matter what their size, but significant gifts will bring us to the goal quickly.

If you’d like to contribute to The Levenia Adom Memorial Graduate Award, please contact David Willis, Earth and Mineral Sciences Development Officer (814-863-2289, drw15@psu.edu ) or Lynn Persing in the Department of Meteorology (814-863-8568, persing@ems.psu.edu) and specify The Levenia Adom Memorial Graduate Award as the purpose of your contribution. You may also write a check, made payable to The Pennsylvania State University, with a notation that it is for the Levenia Adom Graduate Memorial Award, and mail it to EMS Development Office, Attn: Mr. Dave Willis, The Pennsylvania State University, 116 Deike Building, University Park, PA 16802. Please also include a note (can be handwritten) that the gift is to be designated for the Levenia Adom Graduate Memorial Award.

A fund-raising “thermometer” will be displayed on the Department’s scholarship page (http://www.met.psu.edu/dept/scholarships/) if you’d like to track the progress of this initiative.

We really hope to hear from you.

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