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Achievements
Exploration TermParticipation, January 2016
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1015 total students enrolled during the Exploration Term
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993 students enrolled in 70 faculty-led projects
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22 students developed independent contracts
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7 faculty-led study-travel projects traveled with 120 students to Italy, England, Greece, Czech Republic,
Spain, France, Ecuador, Iceland, Uganda, and Ghana
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Students completed internships in a variety of fields, including accounting, business, education, pre-
health, history, and pre-law
Independently Designed Contracts of Note
Sponsored by Dr. Scot Duncan, Associate Professor of Biology, Hattie O’Hara (’17) and Gann Wright
(’16) traveled throughout the southern half of the United States visiting eight urban farms to learn about
sustainable agriculture’s cultural impact.
Sponsored by Dr. Rick Lester, Associate Professor of Management, Cole Dunn (’16) researched how the
Birmingham Barons profit during the offseason and how this impacts the city of Birmingham.
New Faculty-Led Exploration TermProjects of Note
Led by Pam Venz (Art) and Duane Pontius (Physics), students in
Focus on Iceland: A Photographic and Writing
Challenge on the Cusp of the Arctic Circle
researched the history and culture of Iceland at the same time they
studied camera mechanics and chronicled their experiences in photographs and prose during a two-week stay
in Reykjavik. Excursions consisted of journeys into the countryside, art, cultural, and historical museums, and
Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon.
Students enrolled in
The Walking Dead: A Question of Leadership
, led by Tynes Cowan (English) read essays
in leadership theory, applied those questions of leadership raised by the AMC’s
The Walking Dead
television
show, and developed interpretations based upon close readings of very specific moments in individual
episodes.
The Walking Dead
follows a cast of characters struggling to survive a zombie apocalypse. Besides
having to decide which weapon might provide the best defense against “walkers,” the characters struggle with
how best to work collectively to achieve the ultimate goal: survival.
The
Sociology of Therapy and Service Animals,
led by Meghan Mills (Sociology), introduced students to the
social treatment of health, particularly with regards to disability. In partnership with “Hand in Paw,” a local
non-profit organization focused on improving the health and wellbeing of children and adults through
animal-assisted therapy teams, the project emphasized a strong social science research component.