Monday, June 03, 2002

WILMINGTON, NC - In conjunction with Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC), the University of North Carolina at Wilmington is hosting a lunch reception on Capitol Hill featuring farm-raised Summer Flounder produced at the UNCW Center for Marine Science mariculture facility.

The reception will be held from noon to 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, in Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-338. Invited guests include members of Congress, federal agency representatives, and media.

In addition to showcasing the mariculture program, supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, NOAA’s Sea Grant program, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, other focus areas include rural wellness, coastal ocean monitoring, technology in education, and a disaster resistant university initiative.

“Some $12 million in federal grants and appropriations came to UNC Wilmington this year,” Chancellor James R. Leutze said, “with outreach and research benefiting Southeastern North Carolina in economic development, rural health, coastal monitoring, fisheries, public schools, and violent crime abatement.

“We at UNCW feel it is important to thank our congressmen, senators, and agency staffers who have made these dollars possible and to show them how the federal investment in UNCW is yielding benefits to the citizens of our state and nation,” he said.

He also pointed out that no state or grant funds will be used to finance the trip or the reception. “This event was planned long before Gov. Easley froze travel and operating expenses. Based on past history, UNC Wilmington has seen a return of over $300 for every $1 we’ve spent on Washington, D.C.-related activities. We are convinced that our non-state, non-grant funds invested in this event will yield benefits far greater than the costs,” said Dr. Leutze.

For more information about federal projects being highlighted at the lunch reception, please go to www.uncwil.edu/news/releases/may02/federal.html. To contact Chancellor Leutze, please call 910/962-3030 or Mark Lanier, special assistant to the chancellor, at 910/962-3030. Bob Wicklund, UNCW’s director of federal programs, can be reached at 540/962-8629.