UNA’s Department of Physics and Earth Science is starting a donation program this semester to raise funds for two projects beneficial to students.

The donation program will earn money for the department’s new Stargazing and Scholarship Fund, which will be used to offer an endowed scholarship and replace aging, uncomfortable chairs in the university’s observatory.

“The current chairs are not proper in any way,” said Dr. Mel Blake, assistant professor of physics. “They offer no shoulder or neck support for the students, and are just uncomfortable.”

According to Blake, it will cost around $300 to replace each of the 60 chairs located in the observatory, leading to a cost of around $18,000 that will have to come from donations.

The money collected will also be used to provide an endowed scholarship specifically for physics majors, geology minors and secondary education majors in physics and general sciences, according to Brenda Webb, department chair.

As the scholarship will provide financial help to the students who receive it, Webb said it will also provide the department the opportunity to bring more students into their program and help the department grow.

Donations of any amount are welcome and anyone who donates will be recognized in the observatory.

Donations of $700, which will be enough to buy a chair and add money to the scholarship fund, will get the donor’s name added to the chair on a plaque.

Contact the Department of Physics and Earth Science at 256-765-4334 to learn about the fund.