As I Walked Across Campus Harry Dangel, Associate Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology and Special Education, College of Education
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Intellectual, Creative and Social Engagement FALL • 2 014 As I Walked Across Campus Harry Dangel, Associate Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology and Special Education, College of Education t is hard to believe I observed my and more than 150 foreign countries, 45th first day of class at Georgia State including Azerbaijan, Macedonia, I this August. Although the campus has Madagascar, Myanmar, Cyprus and changed a lot, some things have stayed Palestine. Our campus is more richly the same. On the first day of classes, the diverse than ever. newbies could be seen clutching their The Collaborative University books, staring at maps trying to find Research and Visualization Environment their way and showing signs of stress, (CURVE) in the library is jaw dropping concern, and even panic — and that in its potential impact on students. Its was just the new faculty. But we’ve all high-definition screen allows one to see lived through that and survived. The details from anywhere in the world or students, on the other hand, seem the areas of canvas that show through much more at home on campus. Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Technology That first week an emeritus colleague for improved teaching is often more 25 Park Place—new home of the College noted the waves of students walking subtle — for example, an instructor- of Arts and Sciences through Woodruff Park. They look produced video that coaches students younger every year, especially for on how to read and understand a faculty parking lot, but a set from the those of us used to working with older, research article or a student getting upcoming movie “Fast and Furious 7.” non-traditional students who enrolled detailed verbal feedback from the As for physical changes, our in afternoon and evening classes and instructor by clicking small bubbles colleagues in the College of Arts and attended part-time. Our current student on a computer screen and hearing the Sciences are gradually moving into body of 32,842 is younger, more instructor’s detailed guidance. This is the 25-story former SunTrust tower qualified (3.4 high school grade-point much more helpful than when I simply overlooking Woodruff Park, and the average) and more likely to attend wrote “confusing” on student papers. second phase of the Petit Science Center full-time than in earlier classes. The Film crews have become a regular is under construction. Every year for at freshmen in the Honors College, which sight on campus. I saw a zombie get least the past five, new housing options has 1,464 students, have a record shot this summer as I was watching have opened for students. This year the average SAT of 1,300 and high school from the Student Recreation Center’s former Radisson hotel on John Wesley GPA of 3.8. second floor. In the parking deck across Dobbs Street (just off Courtland), which Many more students are proudly the street, a zombie was shot several was converted to student housing by wearing “All Blue, All In” T-shirts, and times until the crew filming AMC’s “The private developers in 2013, added a I’ve been told that for most of our Walking Dead” got it right. Last fall the 16-story tower to accommodate several current students, Georgia State was a auto crash debris in the picture below hundred more student residents. first choice rather than a fallback option. showed up in the parking lot behind the Our students come from all 50 states College of Education Building — not a 2 CHAIR’S COLUMN 2 DOWN UNDER 3 ENJOYING Missy Cody celebrates Dave Ewert and his wife OUTDOORS life and Georgia State tour Australia on an Sandra Owen shares University. exchange program. empowerment through America’s Great Outdoor initiate. R Down Under, Down Under FIND YOURSELF WHILE ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS Dave Ewert, Professor Emeritus of Finance, J. Mack Robinson College of Business Sandra Owen, Clinical Instructor Emerita of Kinesiology and Health, College of Education hoda and I joined a Friendship Rhoda has three second cousins in any of our cherished memories on Accessibility, National Center Force (FF) three-week cultural and near Melbourne she had never met. Mare of social interactions with for Health, Physical Activity and immersion exchange that Cousin Walter arrived at our hotel with family and friends as we shared Disability, and state, regional and included two homestays of a week his sister, Rosemarie, and their mum, a sunset on the beach, a hike national hiking associations. As a CHAIR’S each in Hobart and Murray Bridge (a Gerda, to take us to sister Erika’s farm, underneath a mountain waterfall, a member, I continue to appreciate the farming community of 20,000 60 miles where more than alpacas reside. At the field of wildflowers in a hidden cove, committee’s genuine dialogue and COLUMN southeast of Adelaide). Our host in farm, we all sat on the deck drinking a morning paddle down a pristine commitment to connecting those with Hobart, Australia, explained that “down coffee as alpacas grazed within reach. river or the excitement of whitewater a disability to the natural beauties of MISSY CODY, under, down under” is how Tasmanians After lunch, Erika and her daughter led kayaking. Being outdoors invigorates our country. My special interest is in Associate Professor Emerita, refer to their island. We had a few days us on a walk through her herd of alpacas. the mind, body and spirit. As promoting inclusive tubing, canoeing Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and in Sydney to adjust to jet lag and a few Their curiosity got the best of them, and naturalist John Muir said, “In every and kayaking by providing “route to Health Professions • [email protected] days in Melbourne between the home they followed us. Watching and walking walk with nature, one receives far water” accessibility at local, state and stays. with a newborn, only a more than he seeks.” nationally designated water trails. Jimmy Carter few hours old, and its Trail Assessment Committee Begun in 2011, the America’s Members of the committee: introduced the FF to mother highlighted our Great Outdoors Initiative empowers hope you are celebrating today. • Discuss improving access to the governors at a White day. communities to prioritize and view. In summer, a Forest Service We are almost at the end of outdoors and leisure activities House gathering March 1, To get to Murray Bridge conserve the outdoor places and volunteer (using a power chair) joined fall semester, and I can see • Identify resources and establish I 1977, and its headquarters our group took a long, activities they most value. This me in my manual chair to participate much to celebrate. Our campus collaborations among national, are in Atlanta. Today’s pleasant and relaxing initiative appeals to cities to creatively in field-based accessibility tests at is robust and vibrant with new regional and state groups exchange format has train trip over terrain connect youth to America’s unique both locations. That day we shared research tools for students such • Provide National Forest Service local FF chapters plan more arid than the rolling natural heritage through outdoor fellowship, healthy exercise, sun as the library’s new CURVE facility, equipment training for trail visits for 15-25 individuals green/brown hills of experiences. Yet the initiative fails to shining through the forest and cool athletic events, arts programs, accessibility measurement (slope with other chapters. The Tasmania. Again, we were empower communities to recreate breezes off the lake. I was finding special lectures and student and grade) San Francisco Bay Area paired with our home- leisure and recreational activities myself again in nature. concerts for extracurricular • Participate in the Southeast chapter arranged our stay hosts and off to a that include the 20 percent of the U.S. Most youth and adults with and co-curricular enhancement, Foot Trails Coalition Conference exchange, and the 16 welcoming dinner. Our population who have disabilities. disabilities live in urban areas that construction of the College of Law • Initiate dialogue with the on our February-March hosts and now friends, As a woman who strives each provide public transportation and building and many, many students Southeastern Office of the Parks exchange came from Jan and John, are retired day to commune with nature in medical services. Many are unable to wearing Georgia State sweatshirts. Service concerning “route England, South Africa, from dry-land farming spite of the barriers I face being travel outside of their communities I am sure you have your own to water” accessibility for the Canada, West Virginia, and early-childhood/ mobility-impaired, I was elated to enjoy the outdoors. Their only Georgia State celebration list. Chattahoochee River Park area Hawaii, the Bay Area and special-needs teaching. to receive an invitation from the experiences in nature come from Celebration and thanksgiving go and the Riverway Project Atlanta — a great cultural They grew cereal crops, Centers for Disease Control and visiting their local parks, many of together, and I thank the many experience in itself. ran merino sheep on Prevention to be a member of This past spring, several committee which are not inclusive. I appeal emeriti and others who have After four days about 17,000 acres and the Trails that Comply with Trail members approached the North to you as community benefactors, contributed to the development sightseeing in Sydney, an earned several awards Accessibility Guidelines committee. Georgia Chattahoochee-Oconee leaders and volunteers to empower of our university community over Dave and Rhoda in Australia FF welcoming committee for their productivity and The committee formed Aug. 16, 2013, Forest Service District and identified your community through its parks the past 100 years.