Strong Foundations

New instrumentation funded by the Vermeer Charitable Foundation expands the research opportunities for Central students, like Lauren Knott ’27, left, and Hannah Reynolds ’26, right.

The Vermeer Charitable Foundation has completed a five-year, $500,000 commitment to strengthen STEM programs at Central College.

“We are grateful to the Vermeer Charitable Foundation for its generous commitment to Central students and to high-quality science education,” says Mary E.M. Strey, vice president for academic affairs. “This support has allowed us to modernize laboratory equipment, meet ACS accreditation standards and give students hands-on experience with techniques they may not encounter until graduate school. Those experiences are essential to how we prepare students to think critically, work confidently in the sciences and succeed beyond Central.”

Mark Putnam, Central president, says the investment reinforces the college’s leadership in undergraduate STEM education.

“We are grateful for the Vermeer Charitable Foundation’s support of both engineering and chemistry in recent years, which builds across many related disciplines to benefit both students and the broader workforce,” Putnam says.

The foundation’s support has enabled students to gain hands-on experience with advanced instrumentation typically found in graduate-level laboratories.

“The Nanodrop Spectrometer has been an essential tool in my genetics research and honors thesis, allowing me to accurately measure DNA concentration and assess contamination levels,” says Hannah Reynolds ’26. “Having access to this equipment has strengthened my problem-solving skills, improved the quality of my research and better prepared me for the level of analytical thinking required in medical school.”

“The MS equipment funded by the Vermeer Charitable Foundation has played a critical role in my educa­tion so far,” says Lauren Knott ’27. “Working with state-of-the-art instru­mentation has deepened my understanding of chemistry and strengthened my preparation for graduate school.”

Chemistry plays a key role in STEM education at Central. Over the past five years, 16% of Central graduates earned degrees in majors that require chemistry coursework, not including education students seeking science endorsements or students preparing for graduate study in health-related fields. During the past academic year, students enrolled in chemistry courses 351 times, underscoring the discipline’s broad impact across programs.

“Supporting this STEM program­ming aligns with our foundation’s dedication to innovation, education and community impact,” says Tricia Vermeer, executive director of the Vermeer Charitable Foundation. “By helping students develop critical skills and pathways to success, this initiative contributes to a stronger, more com­petitive workforce and a brighter future for our students.”