Allegheny College is proud to announce that it has been awarded an $8,500 grant from the National Wildlife Federation’s 2025 Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Grant Program.
This funding will support two major campus sustainability and biodiversity initiatives: the installation of bird and bat boxes across campus and the creation of a native perennial pollinator garden in front of the Pelletier Library. The grant team includes:
- Hazel Ammons ‘25, ESS major
- Kelly Boulton, Director of Sustainability
- Rich Bowden, Professor of ESS
- Casey Bradshaw-Wilson, Associate Professor of ESS
- Jenn Houtz, Assistant Professor of Biology
- Dr. Kelly Pearce, Assistant Professor of ESS
“These projects exemplify Allegheny’s strong commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability education, and community-engaged learning,” said Boulton. “They also provide hands-on opportunities for students to directly support local biodiversity.”
The bird and bat boxes will serve as critical nesting and roosting habitats for native wildlife, including species that contribute to natural pest control and pollination. Meanwhile, the pollinator garden—designed with native perennial plants—will offer food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other essential pollinators, enhancing both the ecological and educational landscape of the campus.
This work builds on Allegheny’s nationally recognized sustainability efforts and adds to the campus’s role as a living laboratory for environmental research and conservation. The College was the first school in Pennsylvania and eighth in the nation to become carbon neutral.
About Allegheny College
Founded in 1815, Allegheny College is one of the nation’s most historic and forward-thinking four-year colleges. Allegheny students are uniquely required to complete both a major and minor in different academic disciplines, encouraging multidisciplinary learning and celebrating “unusual combinations” of interests. This approach fosters creative, independent thinkers prepared to succeed in dynamic careers, including those that may not yet exist.
Located in northwestern Pennsylvania—just 1.5 hours from Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Buffalo—Allegheny College is featured in Colleges That Change Lives and ranks among the top 100 national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. The College was also recently recognized by The Princeton Review as the #4 Best Private School for Making an Impact and recognized as a Best Value College.
