It is no secret that Alaska Pacific University students and faculty use the world as their class rooms. In the last few years students have chosen to do their senior projects, junior practicum, participate in block classes, Eco League exchanges and accompany professors on research projects all around the world. Students and faculty have recently studied business in China and Austria, assisted Professor Roman Dial with Tree Canopy Research in Borneo and Washington State, participated in sustainable farming practices in Honduras, researched dolphins in the waters surrounding Bimini, and much more.

During the course of their work, our students and faculty are attracting the attention of the local and national media: two of our students (graduates now) recently had articles published in the Anchorage Daily News. The following is a synopsis of their projects.

Megan Piersma decided to spend part of her senior project outside of Alaska, beginning in the Yukon Territories, Canada.. Megan spent close to a year planning her senior project with the guidance of advisor Assistant Professor Paul Twardock. She planned on paddling 1,000 miles of the Yukon River alone, with the exception of her dog, Arbor, a Jack Russell Terrier. As Megan progressed in her planning process, she decided that she liked the idea of getting her feet wet, so to speak, with company, and asked her brother and father to accompany her on the first 470 miles of the journey.

Megan's senior project was not just paddling the Yukon; it also included documenting her planning and trip, and then writing a senior project paper that turned out to be 130 pages long. She also pitched her story to the Anchorage Daily News; they loved it and suggested that Megan write about it herself. Megan published 3 full-page articles, including color photographs, about her incredible mostly solo journey.

Megan, her father and brother put in at Marsh Lake, 30 miles south of Whitehorse, Canada under crystal clear skies and calm waters. Their biggest concern during this part of the journey was making sure they used enough sunscreen. The first part of Megan's journey, accompanied by family was flawless. At Dawson City she continued the journey alone and the challenges began. Inclement weather in the form of high winds and lightening strikes forced her off the river for several days at a time, putting her well behind schedule. Megan paddled into Circle, Alaska still 250 miles short of her goal, but another front of bad weather forced her to decide to leave the river at Circle. A good decision since she still needed to complete the writing for her senior project and prepare for her presentation in front of her senior project committee, advisor, faculty and staff. One of the most obvious benefits of Megan's senior project is that her current employer saw her articles in the ADN, called Megan and offered her a job after graduation!

Click here to watch a video Megan shot while going down the Five Finger Rapids.

Tiffany Mann, who graduated in August 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in Counseling Psychology, also chose to spend her senior project outside of Alaska. Tiffany decided her senior project would focus on teaching art to Aids orphaned children in Meru, Kenya. Tiffany spent months before her scheduled trip, outlining her entire senior project, raising money, and buying art supplies to take to the children at the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children's Home.

In early May of 2006 Tiffany packed her mass of art supplies and headed to Kenya via Amsterdam. Once she arrived in Meru, Tiffany says she found her life's passion. The children, teachers at the school, her host family, and the entire community were so welcoming and grateful that she quickly decided 3 weeks in Meru was not enough. She began making plans to return to the Children's Home before she even left; she is scheduled to return in early 2007.

Tiffany is an adventurer by nature. After all, she chose to attend Alaska Pacific University which is a long way from her home in Long Island, New York. We suspect that Tiffany's adventurous nature will continue, and we fully expect her to be back in Kenya teaching art and spreading hope to the children of the Jerusha Mwiraria Hope Children's Home. (An article about Tiffany and her senior project was published in the August 25, 2006 Anchorage Daily News).

These APU alumna are just two examples of APU "Around the World." This upcoming spring alone, students will be studying in Malawi, Italy, Malaysia, and other exotic locales both near and far. You'll learn more about these and other adventures soon…!