Category: First Two Years
December 16, 2019
TERRAIN update December 2-6, 2019
December 2-6, 2019 Like the rest of Flagship, the TERRAIN testbed is wrapping up for the term. Students are completing projects and final exams. They are also writing summative reflections about their learning experiences and providing feedback on an end-of-term survey designed by TERRAIN fellow Emily Goldthwaite. I look..Read more
December 16, 2019
TERRAIN update: December 9-13, 2019
December 9-13, 2019 Well, the TERRAIN testbed is complete! Congratulations to the students, staff, and instructional team who made this experience successful. Teaching fellow Emily Goldthwaite distributed a final anonymous survey to the TERRAIN students asking them to provide feedback on their experiences. In the coming weeks, we will..Read more
November 25, 2019
TERRAIN Update November 18-22, 2019
November 18-22, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team I am going to focus this week’s update on summarizing the experience of the second TERRAIN cohort’s trip up to Sky Lodge and use this as an opportunity to remind us of the broader..Read more
November 15, 2019
TERRAIN Update November 11-15, 2019
November 11-15, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team Cohort 1, led by Kate Coseo and Randy Colvin with support from TERRAIN Fellow Chelsea Becker, headed back up to Sky Lodge for the week. The group had a frenetic launch Monday morning, heading..Read more
November 11, 2019
TERRAIN update: November 1-8, 2019
November 1 – 8, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team For their final one-day excursion, students traveled to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. For those of you unfamiliar with the park, it is run by Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologists and..Read more
November 06, 2019
TERRAIN update: October 28 – November 1
October 28 – November 1, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team This week’s remarkably detailed In the Field update comes straight from TERRAIN cohort 2 team leader Aly McKnight … TERRAIN students have been diving deep into marine waterbirds lately, leading..Read more
November 06, 2019
TERRAIN update October 19-25
October 19-15, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team During this week’s excursion – right here on Quaker Hill Road in the Facilities building and the animal barn – TERRAIN students were introduced to three professionals who have followed different environmental career paths…Read more
October 21, 2019
TERRAIN update October 14-19
October 14-18, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team TERRAIN students returned to Peter Gray Hatchery in Machias to work with the Downeast Salmon Federation this week. They helped hatchery staff release thousands of parr (juvenile salmon) into the East Machias River. A..Read more
October 14, 2019
TERRAIN update: September 30-October 4
In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team This week the TERRAIN students used Wednesday (usually devoted to off-campus excursions) to share their Personal Place speeches. In addition to faculty member Josh Kercsmar and instructional fellow Emily Goldthwaite, who provide CCI instruction for TERRAIN students, other..Read more
October 14, 2019
TERRAIN update October 7-11
October 7-11, 2019 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team This week half of the students from each TERRAIN cohort visited the Peter Gray Fish Hatchery in East Machias. The students spent the entire day working alongside professional scientists, learning to clip fins on..Read more
October 02, 2019
TERRAIN update: September 23-27
In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team During Integrated Project time, students dove more deeply into the data that they collected during last week’s Scarborough Marsh excursion. They applied mathematics skills to extrapolate – based upon the bacteria they cultured from..Read more
October 02, 2019
This week’s TERRAIN update: 9.14-9.20
In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team This week, the instructional team really hit their stride during Integrated Project time! Earlier in the week, the groups went to Scarborough Marsh, where they canoed, hiked, and gathered data on water quality and bird..Read more
September 14, 2019
TERRAIN update: September 9-13
TERRAIN Update: September 9-13 In the Field: Update from the Wilderness & Place in Maine (TERRAIN testbed) Team This week TERRAIN students, faculty, and fellows spent their excursion time on Freedom Pond and Ellis Pond learning and practicing canoe skills (including exciting “T-rescues!”) with Adam Williams and Jes..Read more
September 03, 2019
TERRAIN update 8.26-8.30
The first week of fall term is always incredibly busy and exciting. Whether you are new to Unity College or have been here for a few years or many – the fall term brings new opportunities and challenges. This first week of fall term has been even busier and..Read more
August 27, 2019
TERRAIN update: August 18-23
Summer TERRAIN Update On this last Friday of “summer,” I offer a brief summary of what we’ve been up to with TERRAIN: Welcome TERRAIN testbed students! We are very excited to welcome 64 first-year students to the TERRAIN testbed this fall! Most of the students have settled..Read more
August 20, 2019
TERRAIN update: August 12-16, 2019
Summer TERRAIN Update Highlights from this week’s work on TERRAIN . . . Preparation for Recruitment of Fall 2020 Students Emily Valli and Alecia Sudmeyer continued to collaborate on the design of online and print materials to communicate to various audiences about TERRAIN. Portfolium Launch With help from IT, marketing,..Read more
August 14, 2019
TERRAIN update: August 5-9
Summer TERRAIN Update It’s been another very busy week working on TERRAIN implementation. Here are the highlights: Preparation for Recruitment of Fall 2020 Students Emily Valli and I started our week with an early Monday morning meeting about TERRAIN. I provided her with examples of Year 1 Expeditions..Read more
August 02, 2019
TERRAIN update August 2, 2019
Summer TERRAIN Update This is my first week back after medical leave and I’ve been enjoying the buzz of excitement surrounding TERRAIN. Many people have been working hard to get ready for the launch of our testbed TERRAIN experience this fall and to pave the way for a..Read more
July 29, 2019
TERRAIN Update 7.26.2019
Summer TERRAIN Update Ray Phinney is working on solidifying the TERRAIN schedule and booking external presenters. He is also developing RA floor activities for evening LLC programming and working with the Library on UE initiatives built into the TERRAIN offerings. Soliana will be joining the TERRAIN expeditions to..Read more
July 22, 2019
TERRAIN Update 7.19.2019
Summer TERRAIN Update At the senior leadership retreat this week we met to discuss the key flagship priorities for the coming year, including how to best position the 2020 full implementation of TERRAIN for success, and how the work of TERRAIN will support our degree major programs in the..Read more