Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
by Dr. Renee M. Eggers, PA Center for EEThe Environmental Education Advocate - Spring 1998
The following information is provided to you as a service of the National
Environmental Education Advancement Project (NEEAP). We encourage you to use it and
please credit the National Environmental Education
Advancement Project where appropriate.
Pennsylvania’s commitment to environmental education took a giant step
forward on January 30, 1998 when a ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened the
Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education (PCEE). Housed at Slippery Rock
University, the Center has been operational since September of last year. The PCEE
was created in 1996 by Executive Order 1996-7 signed by Pennsylvania’s Governor
Thomas J. Ridge. It is a 10-year project that receives annual funding from the
state’s legislature.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was the grand finale of a day that also included an
open house, a presentation about the Center, and a luncheon. During the ceremony,
Abby Ruskey, Coordinator of the National Environmental Education Advancement Project
(NEEAP) spoke about the importance of the center as a model for other states. Other
speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony were President of Slippery Rock University,
Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Secretary of the
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation, representatives from the Pennsylvania Department
of Education, U.S Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Business Roundtable, and educators from a local
school district. Additionally, five state legislators, numerous representatives from
business and industry, and representatives from other agencies were on hand to show their
support of the unveiling of the PCEE.
Eleven prominent Pennsylvania entities serve as the partners that formed the PCEE,
which is administered by Dr. Paulette Johnson. Those partners, along with the
Center’s staff, are committed to serving the state capacity building and
environmental education needs of the citizenry of Pennsylvania. Currently, the PCEE
has four initiatives that guide the Center’s activities. Those initiatives are
Higher Education coordinated by Dr. Paulette Johnson, Information Dissemination
coordinated by Dr. Renee Eggers, Professional Development coordinated by Dr. Joyce
Meredith, and Business and Industry coordinated by Dr. Julian Agyeman.
For more information, contact the Center at 724-738-4555, pcee@sru.edu, or
www.pcee.state.pa.us.
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