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������Ƶ has received a gift of $420,468 from the Volentine Charitable Remainder Unitrust, established by the late Myatt W. and Mary Genevieve Volentine of Santa Barbara.

The unitrust distribution will fund the Myatt and Mary Genevieve Volentine Endowed Scholarship at the college.

“We are so grateful for the Volentines’ steadfast giving and for their keen foresight in setting up this provision to benefit deserving students,” President Stan D. Gaede said. “Whenever someone provides student scholarships, they provide for the future.”

Three hundred and fifty fledgling writers will gather at ������Ƶ for the 30th Santa Barbara Writers' Conference from June 21-28.

Famed poet, playwright and mystery writer Ray Bradbury, who has been involved in every Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference, will again be the opening speaker for the weeklong event. Local authors Sue Grafton, Julia Child and Gayle Lynds, along with journalist Sander Vanocur and actress and writer Fannie Flagg, are among the more than 20 authors scheduled to speak at the conference.

Five ������Ƶ students received awards during the Student Research Symposium held April 16 on campus.

The students presented results of research conducted during the 2002-03 academic year in the humanities, social sciences, and natural and behavioral sciences. The winners were chosen based on the excellence of their research.

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, based in New York City, has awarded ������Ƶ a $30,000 matching grant to enhance the capabilities of its nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer, which will improve students’ ability to do first-rate research.

"The NMR spectrometer enables us to teach students how to apply high-field (300 MHz) NMR to a wide array of experimental situations using inquiry-based teaching throughout the curriculum,” Chemistry Professor Stanley Anderson said.

“About Face,” a juried theme show, will be on exhibit May 22 through June 27 in Reynolds Gallery. The opening reception and awards presentation will be 5-7 p.m. May 23 in the ������Ƶ Art Center and is free and open to the public.

Lisa Beamer, wife of 9-11 victim Todd Beamer and author of “Let’s Roll,” the heroic story of United Flight 93, will address ������Ƶ’s class of 2003 at commencement ceremonies 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 3 in Murchison Gymnasium.
Expected rain forced the services inside, and because of very limited seating, commencement is not open to the public this year.