SUNY Fredonia will reopen the Willard F. Stanley Museum during its homecoming weekend. The university has announced a grand reopening for Saturday at 5:00 PM at its new location on the second floor of Houghton Hall.
Fredonia officials say the project was a true scientific community effort involving students, faculty and alumni volunteers. Since the closing of Jewett Hall on campus for renovation into the new Student Success Center, and the relocation of the sciences departments to the Science Center, the community has been working hard to bring the museum back to life in its new home.
Among the alumni volunteers were Don Zelazny, Jim Walsh, Renée Bush and Gary Keoppel, all undergraduate biology majors of the Class of 1974; and 1974 Master's degree in biology graduate Joe Falcone, now a member of the Fredonia College Foundation Board of Directors.
Many of the specimens in the museum were collected by Dr. Stanley himself. He joined the SUNY Fredonia Department of Biology faculty in 1935, served as chair, and retired in 1971. Stanley was recognized as an authority on fauna and flora of the Niagara Frontier. He was internationally known for his work in bio-philately, as portrayed upon postage stamps around the world. Upon his retirement, Stanley became curator of the museum named in his honor.
Dr. Thomas Hegna, who is chair of the departments of Physics and Geology and Environmental Sciences, and SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor William Brown, who is chair of the departments of Biology and Chemistry and Biochemistry, led the effort in relocating the museum.
Alumni volunteers work with specimens in the relocated Stanley Museum. Photo by SUNY Fredonia
