THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University has received a challenge grant of $500,000 from the John Stauffer Charitable Trust to establish the John Stauffer summer research program in chemistry.

CLU is calling on alumni and friends to make the additional donations needed to match the trust’s contributions, bringing the endowment for the John Stauffer Research Fellows Program in Chemical Sciences to $1 million. An anonymous donor already has committed the first $200,000.

At full funding, the endowment would provide fellowships to about 10 students a year to conduct original research full time for eight weeks with mentoring from faculty. It would also cover travel costs for the students to present their research at professional conferences. Grady Hanrahan, the John Stauffer Endowed Professor of Analytical Chemistry, will direct the program.

The new endowment will provide opportunities for many more chemistry majors to conduct summer research. Currently, two or three chemistry students have been conducting summer projects through the Swenson Science Summer Research Fellowship program. CLU’s long-term goal is to allow all interested and qualified undergraduate chemistry students to participate in summer research.

The John Stauffer Charitable Trust is a private foundation in Pasadena created by the will of one of the principal officers and shareholders of the former Stauffer Chemical Co. The foundation supports universities and hospitals in California.

For information about donating to the endowment, contact Kristine Calara at 805-493-3837 or kcalara@callutheran.edu.