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A sense of place
By Rosa Fonseca
Whalesong Reporter
Sighs of excitement
and enthusiastic “awes” were heard from nearly everyone,
every time a humpback whale’s fluke appeared on the surface
of the water.
As part of the Freshman Seminar Program, most of the
Humanities 120 students went on a mandatory wildlife watching cruise
on Sunday, Sept. 15.
“The purpose is to give students a sense of place,”
said Vicki Orazem, vice-provost for student success. “The best
way to show students is to take them on the water, to see the wildlife,
see nature, so they can experience this place that we call Southeast
Alaska.”
Many students, even from Alaska, saw Little Island and
its sea lion tenants for the first time, Humanities teacher Judy
Andree commented.
This activity continues the introduction and orientation
work provided when students begin studying at UAS. It aims at “helping
students bond through the semester,” said Orazem. They also
had a chance to meet “people with power to help them,”
as Orazem described them. They were Humanities faculty, the Dean
of Students and Dean of Career Education, Dean of Education, Career
Advisor, and staff from Computing Services and Egan Library.
The cruise is the first intentional effort to connect
social and academic experiences together. The purpose is to marry
these two aspects of learning.
In the Humanities class students learn to figure out
who they are and what is their place in society, not only as professionals,
but also as people with civic and social responsibilities. It helps
them observe how they influence what happens in society. The seminar
is about attitude. The course focuses on a search for meaning of
life. It is intended to show that students have choices and students
can decide what attitude they want to have in order to face life.
When asked about the intention of providing incoming
students with an experience like this, Amanda Knerr, one of the
Humanities 120 teachers said, “It is to help students get to
know each other and give them an opportunity to see the beauties
of the place they are going to call home for the next four years.”
Marisela Velazquez, a freshman student, said, “The
cruise itself is beautiful; the environment, the green, the clear
blue, and the mammals are just nice. It makes me more open minded
about nature.”
Email Rosa Fonseca at jsrmf4@uas.alaska.edu
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