John Schreifels has nearly run around the world. Literally.
Having logged more than 23,000 miles since he began tracking it in the 1990s, Schreifels is close to reaching the 24,901 miles that equal the circumference of the Earth. He’s using the impending milestone to garner support from friends and colleagues, not only to cheer him on as he runs toward his goal, but for a worthy cause—supporting the John A. Schreifels Chemistry Scholarship in the College of Science at George Mason University, which he created in 2008 with funds received from a Teaching Excellence Award.
Some of Schreifels’s colleagues have pledged as much as a dime for every mile he runs. His ultimate goal is to grow the scholarship endowment to $50,000. Schreifels himself continues to support the fund through payroll deduction.
“That’s the thing about John, he’s such a giving person,” said Donna Fox, associate dean for student affairs at the College of Science. “He really wants to leave something behind to the students that will be meaningful.”
UPDATE: Professor Schreifels’ progress is the subject of an October 1 story in the Washington Post.
Read the full story on Mason’s News Desk.
August 25, 2015