(Posted October 24, 2005)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Students from Juniata College, as part of an assignment in College Writing Seminar, Juniata's freshman writing course, will be hand-delivering surveys to homes in Huntingdon and Smithfield Township from Saturday Oct. 22 through Monday, Oct. 24.

"This assignment centers on finding out how local consumers make purchasing decisions," says David Lehmann, associate professor of geology, who also teaches a section of the writing course.

The survey, sponsored by the Juniata College Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, will gather information for enhancing local businesses and job opportunities, Lehmann explains. In particular, the survey will ask local residents about out-of-town shopping habits in order to assess business opportunities related to tourism and various retirement communities in the area.

Information from this survey will be evaluated by the students and presented to the Huntingdon County Planning Commission in November. The findings from this project, along with the raw data from the survey, will be available through the planning commission.

"The students will be knocking on doors and putting the surveys in mailboxes, and asking residents if they are willing to fill out the survey," Lehmann says. "They can fill it out and return it by mail at Juniata's expense."

The deadline for replying to the survey is Oct. 31. All residents who agree to fill out the survey will receive an addressed, stamped envelope attached to the questionnaire. Funding for mailing expenses is being provided by the Juniata College Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (JCEL), the coordinator for the Huntingdon County Enterprise Zone.

Questions regarding the Enterprise Zone may be directed to: Janet Chambers, JCEL Acting Assistant Director, (814) 641-3735, chambej@juniata.edu. Questions regarding this particular project can be directed to: David Lehmann, Juniata College, (814) 641-3602, lehman@juniata.edu.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.