Transitions Spring 2013

Transcription

Transitions Spring 2013
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Join the
1966 SOCIETY
Page 16 of The Charter Catalog of Prescott College, September 1966
Prescott College opened its
doors in the fall of 1966.
Cost to attend in the
inaugural year was $2,500,
including tuition, room and
board, and various fees.
When you give $2,500 or
more each year to the
Annual Fund for Academic
Excellence, you join the
1966 Society—philanthropic
leaders among Prescott College
alumni and friends who value
the institution and want to
commemorate our founding.
To give to the Annual Fund for Academic
Excellence, visit AF.kintera.org or mail to
Prescott College Advancement Office,
220 Grove Ave., Prescott AZ 86301
Connect with us
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Call us. We’d love
to hear your feedback
(928) 350-4506
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Membership in
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through June 30)
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Cover photo: Wilderness Orientation Fall 2007, by Matthew Hart ’11
Transitions Magazine
Prescott College
220 Grove Ave.
Prescott, AZ 86301
TransitionS
Publisher
Marjory J. Sente
Editor
Ashley Mains
Designer
Miriam Glade
Contributing Writers
Walt Anderson • Antony Brown • Danny Brown • Suzanne
Dhruv • Matt Kwain • Erin Lotz • Ashley Mains • Lorayne
Meltzer • Nathan Meltzer • James Moore • Kristine Preziosi
Brian Sajko • Yvette Schnoeker-Shorb • Marjory Sente
Terril Shorb • Marie Smith • Kristin Woolever
Staff Photographers
Robert Carnahan • Denise Elfenbein • Miriam Glade
Ashley Mains • Travis Patterson
Photo Contributors
Walt Anderson • Betsy Bolding • Anthony Brown • The
Daily Climate • Suzanne Dhruv • Anita Fernández
Christopher Glade • Jamie Horton • Chris Hout
Jay Hughes • Eric Lassahn • the family of Ruth Tankersley
James Moore • Sean Morgan • Rachel Peters • Nicky Phear
Kristin Preziosi • Tom Robinson • the family of Edward
Sunshine • Bill Timmerman • Kino Bay Photo Archive
Prescott College Photo Archive • Native West Press
The Natural History Institute • Tandy Rackerby
Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Marjory J. Sente
(928) 350-4509 • msente@prescott.edu
For Class Notes and address changes, contact
Marie Smith • msmith@prescott.edu
Send correspondence, reprint requests, and submissions to:
Ashley Mains
Prescott College
220 Grove Ave., Prescott, AZ 86301
(928) 350-4506 • amains@prescott.edu
Transitions, a publication for the Prescott College community, is
published two times a year by the Office of Institutional Advancement for alumni, parents, friends, students, faculty, and staff of the
College. Its purpose is to keep readers informed with news about
Prescott College faculty, staff, students, and fellow alumni. Transitions
is available online at www.prescott.edu.
©2013 Prescott College
Prescott College reserves the right to reprint materials from
Transitions in other publications and online at its discretion.
Prescott College is committed to equal opportunity for its
employees and applicants for employment, without discrimination
on the basis of race, color, creed, sex or sexual orientation, age,
disability, marital or parental status, status with respect to public
assistance, or veteran’s status. This policy applies to the
administration of its employment policies or any other programs
generally accorded or made available to employees.
Contact Admissions at
(877) 350-2100 • admissions@prescott.edu
For the Liberal Arts, the Environment, and Social Justice
WWW.PRESCOTT.EDU
Contents
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7
8
10
14
18
20
College News
Ratings and Rankings
Tucson’s 25th Anniversary
Fires and Fantasies
45 Years of Wilderness Orientation
Confluence: The Grand Canyon
Jamie Horton: Capturing the Decisive Moment
Departments
22
23
25
28
29
Alumni Briefs
Faculty & Staff Notes
Class Notes
In Memoriam
The Last Word
SAVE THE DATE
Alumni Reunion
Weekend
October 10-12, 2014
All alumni and their families are invited to
Reunion Weekend 2014
• Campus Tours • President and Faculty Mixer • Special
Presentations • Recognition Dinner • Outdoor Adventures
and more!
President’s Corner
“PEACE AND PLACE. I have always sensed that these two words
have a bit of the same ring to them in modern English, but had not
thought much about their semantic overlap until recently. I hadn’t
appreciated the simplest of facts: that anyone who feels secure,
grateful, and satisfied in a particular place is likely to feel at peace.”
—Gary Paul Nabhan ’73, “Listening to the Other,” Orion, May/June 2003
What causes a person to have a sense of place? What is it about an
environment or a community that speaks to the heart and makes someone
feel at home in ways that go beyond family origin or hometown? For
many who attend Prescott College, that sense of place—that spirit
of place—infuses the soul and creates an enduring connection to the
Southwest.
I recently had an email from a graduate who is having marvelous
adventures while traveling the world, yet he says he “misses Prescott
terribly.” Others have had similar reactions, longing to return to the
hauntingly beautiful land that is physical home to the College and
spiritual home to so many graduates. Many wanderers who have traveled
from urban areas in the East—or even in California—have found in the
Southwest the answer to what they have been searching for: a place to
belong, a place that holds them close while giving them the open spaces
so necessary for adventure and independence, a place resonating with
flutes, drums, and revered narratives of the Southwest tribes.
President Woolever speaks at Granite Mountain Hotshots Alligator Juniper Tree Dedication, 2013
At Prescott College, we like to say that the Southwest is our classroom.
And indeed, we subscribe to a form of place-based, experiential
education that makes this statement a reality. Our field courses, with
seemingly endless van trips to the Grand Canyon, Mogollon Rim, San
Juan River, San Francisco Peaks, and so many other locations in Arizona,
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Mexico, deepen the understanding of
this country, giving students hands-on experience with the land and its
people. Of course, Wilderness Orientation is the first phase of what often
becomes a love affair with the Southwest for undergraduates. Students
returning from this three-week immersion have already gained an
appreciation for and a “connectedness” to the environment they will
traverse and study during their ensuing years at the College.
This land with its mountains, deserts, rivers, and chaparral, as well as its
border with Mexico and its encompassing of Native American
reservations, is the perfect landscape for our tripartite focus on the liberal
arts, the environment, and social justice. Place-based education is often
hands-on and project-based, and is always related to something in the
real world. Where better to experience the complex social justice and
human rights issues of immigration, the unequal treatment of U.S.
citizens, and the continuing issues of environmental justice? Our emphasis
on environmental sustainability is challenged by water scarcity, desert heat,
and the need to carve green communities out of harsh conditions. Our
poets, writers, photographers, dancers, and other artists thrive in a
landscape that for Georgia O’Keeffe evoked the “wideness and wonder”
of the world, a landscape rife with stark contrasts that bring the natural
world into high relief.
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Transitions Fall 2013
Reaching beyond the Southwest, our limited-residency distance programs were developed in deference to the different “places” people find
themselves—in physical locations or in their lifetimes. Students and graduates in these programs carry the knowledge and experience gained
in their Prescott College studies to preserve and regenerate the good in their own environments, whether in the United States or around
the world. Like the best of place-based learning, a Prescott College education understands students’ local community as one of the primary
resources for learning and seeks to help communities through employing students and staff in solving community problems. Case in point:
The recent loss of 19 firefighters who died battling the Yarnell Hill Fire, which has brought the Prescott-area community close together in
grief and compassion.
Prescott College played a vital role in housing the families and extended families of the fallen as well as emergency personnel throughout the
week of memorials and funerals. Our hearts are still with those who lost brave men trying to contain such a natural disaster. Even so, living
in the Southwest brings a keen awareness of its dangers, and the College’s courses in fire ecology and other environmental studies will play
an extended part in managing the forests’ future and reclaiming the land so devastated by flames.
This tragedy points to another factor of a Prescott College education, one that again emphasizes the importance of preserving place:
regeneration. Change is inevitably part of any environment, whether via intention or accident. In students’ coursework at Prescott College,
a continuing theme is understanding socioeconomic
systems that integrate earth and community. This
whole systems approach teaches us to how to
manage change and develop the capability to
regenerate the good that may have been lost,
all while planting the seed for a positive future.
Doing so requires integrating diverse human
and natural needs and the dynamics of place into
a coherent, harmonious, and evolving whole. It
requires careful listening to the rhythms of place.
Prescott College, with its holistic, experiential, and
interdisciplinary approach to learning, is among the
finest institutions teaching such systems regeneration, not only in the Southwest, but also in other
places near to the hearts of our students.
Peace and place. In his article for Orion (quoted
above) alumnus Gary Paul Nabhan focuses on
the vital importance of place and the terrible
injustice when people lose that physical place.
Wars are fought, nations conquered and divided,
people outcast. Throughout history this scenario
has been repeated. Understanding place—spiritual,
physical, cultural—and the ability to feel secure in
that place, brings peace. At Prescott College, for the
liberal arts, the environment, and social justice, we’re
paying attention.
Best wishes,
Dr. Kristin R. Woolever
Alligator Juniper illustration by Doug Hulmes ’74
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College News
Reduced Tuition and Simplified Financial Aid: The Prescott Plan
Prescott College has launched a major initiative to deal with the spiraling upward cost of private
college education as well as the confusion that often accompanies complex financial aid packaging.
The Prescott Plan:Value, Honesty, and Simplicity will reduce tuition for Fall 2014 new on-campus
undergraduates to $24,960 (a $3,360, 11.86 percent decrease), and financial aid processes will be
simplified and streamlined with a focus on need-based aid. “It’s a practical way to address social
justice through structural changes in tuition and financial aid, demonstrating that Prescott College
continues in its groundbreaking tradition of exemplary practices in American higher education based
in the liberal arts, the environment, and social justice,” says Dean of Enrollment Management Brian
Sajko. “It’s deeply rooted in our desire to increase diversity and inclusion, making a Prescott College
education accessible to a broader and deeper community.”
Brian knows from experience that appropriate adjustments to housing fees and the increased number of attendees the reduced
“sticker price” will bring in should balance small changes in actual dollars received for tuition. Most of our students receive institutional aid (basically a tuition discount), so the actual total of dollars we take in is lower than our stated tuition costs. Basic, transparent
formulas will be displayed on the website and in print, clearly explaining the amounts of intuitional aid each student may receive,
with most discounting now focused on need. “Both merit and need-based aid have been reworked so that negotiating cost will be
a notion of the past,” Brian says, “And enhancing need-based aid should afford our private college education to more families.” No
current student will pay more than the new tuition price. Research into the possibility of tuition adjustments in other programs is
already under way.
Natural History Open House and Matching Gift
The Natural History Institute (NHI) opened its doors in April to give
the community a glimpse of its newly renovated gallery space, and to
debut the five John James Audubon prints that will be on permanent
display there. Many other pieces from the Josephine Michell Arader
Collection of historical natural history prints were also on preview,
and tours were given of the research and teaching spaces-in-progress.
Over the summer the Institute secured a commitment from a local
businessman to donate up to $40,000 to the Natural History Institute
through a dollar-for-dollar matching gift campaign to run through
November 10, 2013. While the Institute has already made some
enormous strides, the $80,000 resulting
from meeting this challenge will be a
game changer. Help NHI reach its goal!
You can donate online at
http://naturalhistory/kintera.org/ or
send gifts to the Advancement Office at
220 Grove Ave., Prescott, AZ 86301. For
questions or inquiries about NHI, please
contact naturalhistory@prescott.edu.
T-shirt Contest Winners Chosen
Congratulations to the Prescott College T-shirt Design Contest winners! All three are current students:
Reyn Lawson Jones ’14 won first place with his geometric painting of a tortoise carrying the College
icon on its back; Joseph Sean Thomas ’14 placed second with photographic representations of the icon superimposed behind an outline of the mark; and Sarah Peck
’16 won third place with a pointillist-inspired painting of the icon. The first place
concept will be used to produce Prescott College logo wear, and all three concepts
will be used to produce limited edition posters,
all of which will be available for sale in the Bookstore. Winners also received gift
certificates for the Bookstore.
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Student Housing Certified LEED™ Platinum
The Village has received LEED™ Platinum certification, the highest level in the standard
developed by the United States Green Building Council. This achievement places Prescott
College with the first ever LEED™ Platinum building in Yavapai County, and one of only
about eight such higher education student housing facilities in the nation. “We are tremendously proud of this achievement,” says President Kristin R. Woolever. “The Village is a model
of sustainability through experiential learning for our students, and a capstone achievement in
nearly a half-century of our commitment to environmental responsibility and social justice.”
Prescott College Helps Granite Mountain Hotshot Families
On June 30, 2013, 19 members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, part of the Prescott Fire
Department, lost their lives while battling a wildfire near Yarnell, south of Prescott. The College played
a useful role in the tragedy’s aftermath. Beginning July 4, 2013, our student housing, the Village, served
as safe and quiet housing for the families and extended families of the 19 fallen firefighters as well
as some of the honor guard and hotshots from around the country. The College extended the offer
because the Village is off the beaten path and would provide quiet space for families to be together
without media attention. Immense kudos to Resident Housing staff members Bill Barton and Shar
Jenniges for the outstanding logistical and physical work they and their crew did in accommodating
so many people.
Our Café provided food services not only for the families staying in the Village,
but also for the entire Incident Command. Several Disaster Relief Organizations took over the kitchen (with Chef Mark Montague’s blessing) and prepared food—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—for over 100 people daily from July
4 through 9. We also housed the food workers in our cottages. Students in our
Counseling Psychology Master of Arts program initiated a prayer flag project at
the memorial outside Prescott Fire Station #7, and were amazed at how many
people took advantage of the opportunity to create one. Last, but certainly
not least, staff members Sue Felan, Bob Kellerman, and Matt Lowry, as well
as faculty member Doug Hulmes ’74, used College vans to drive the families
and honor guard to and from funeral destinations. Special thanks to Dean of
Enrollment Management and head of Marketing and Communications Brian
Sajko for serving as point person for this operation, coordinating with the City
and federal emergency personnel.
UPDATE: Estero Santa Cruz Wins Ramsar Protection
The Kino Bay Center is thrilled to announce the designation of Estero Santa Cruz as a
wetland of international importance under the United Nations Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands. This designation provides the base for future funding and conservation efforts; Prescott
College faculty, fellows, students, and staff have contributed over 20 years in gathering the
scientific information, building community relationships, and working with the Mexican
government to apply for and receive it. The official announcement can be found at
www.ramsar.org under the 2013, July news section.
SB 1045 and Gender Neutral Bathrooms
Prescott College officially opposed Arizona Senate Bill 1045, the
so-called “Bathroom Bill.” Originally the bill sought to make it a Class
One Misdemeanor for transgender individuals to use a bathroom other than one that aligns with their
birth gender. After passing the State Senate, nationwide outrage led the Arizona lawmakers to make
adjustments to the bill. The new law legally protects businesses that choose to bar transgender individuals
from using a restroom aligned with their gender identity.
Prescott College still stands in opposition to Arizona’s SB 1045, and for the safety, inclusion, and just
treatment of all people. As part of our commitment to social justice, and in response to a strong call from
the student body, renovations have been made to one bathroom on campus that is now designated
“All Gender.” The formerly male bathroom in the Library has become gender neutral, marked as such and with an appropriate
icon. More bathrooms on campus may become gender neutral as this pilot facility and voiced needs dictate.
5
College News
Continued
Alligator Juniper Student Winners
Thanks to the generosity of former trustee and past parent Suzanne Tito, the Suzanne Tito
Student Prizes in Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry have recognized student artists at
Prescott College for the past decade. Fiction: 1st Place: Jeff Rome ’12, “A Sense of Placebo”;
2nd Place: Daniel Alexander Roca ’12, “The Candy Apple Night Club”; and 3rd Place: Audrey
Post ’13, “Of Past and Present Lives.” Creative Nonfiction: 1st Place: Erika DeLeo ’13, “The
Fairly Quiet Hour”; 2nd Place: Zoë Mason ’12, “Somewhere Off Sunset”; and 3rd Place: Iza
Bruen-Morningstar ’13, “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Poetry: 1st Place: Daniel Alexander Roca, “The
day I leave you, I slam the gate behind me”; 2nd Place: Chris Triantafillou ’13, “Arizona Sun”;
3rd Place: Daniel Alexander Roca, “The Boundary of the Wolf.” To purchase a copy of Alligator
Juniper, write a check for $10 to Prescott College/Alligator Juniper and mail to 220 Grove Ave.,
Prescott AZ 86301. Include a note with shipping address.
First Helios Program Grad Walks at Graduation
In 2010 Prescott College secured a four-year grant from the Helios Education Foundation to support the
Accessible Teacher Preparation for Rural Arizona Early Childhood Education Program. The funds provide
for scholarships and a dedicated faculty member experienced in culturally appropriate education needs for
Arizona’s reservation and rural communities. Aurellia Calamity ’12 was supposed to walk in the December
graduation, but a snowstorm prevented her from getting to Prescott. She was able to attend the May
ceremony, representing the first individual to benefit from and complete the Helios Program to date.
Sommer Fellowship Winner 2013–14
The Frederick & Frances Sommer Foundation and Prescott College are proud to announce Yarrow
Corymb ’14 has been awarded the 2013-14 fellowship. According to the Foundation Trustees, his
application showed a concise understanding and respect for the award and posed compelling questions
surrounding the labels and facts our society uses to define and confine the disabled. Throughout most of
the summer a selection from Yarrow’s “A Glimpse of Grace” series honoring human beings with special
needs was on display in the Library.
The Raven Review Transformed
In the words of Raven Review 2013 Editor Erika DeLeo ’13,
“The Raven Review has existed in newspaper form since 2000. Each
year as its staff transforms, so does The Raven. For the past two years
our content has been moving from hard news toward human-centered features. It is time our look and feel matched the singular stories
we tell.” While magazines have been diminishing in number along
with newspapers, they maintain a robust presence in the American media landscape. The students in the Newspaper Journalism
Practicum course chose to change the format of The Raven Review from a newspaper to a news magazine. Pick up the 2013
issue on campus to experience the latest evolution of Prescott College’s student
publication – in it you’ll find everything from an advice column, to the development
of the Edible Campus Gardens Club, to a touching farewell interview with
now-retired Crossroads Café originator Chef Molly Beverly.
Save the Date: The Art of Natural History
Join us November 8–10, 2013, to celebrate the grand opening of the Natural
History Institute and the unveiling of the Josephine Michell Arader collection of
natural history prints at the Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse (exhibition runs
November 8 through December 14). The weekend will include workshops, speakers,
and more! For more detailed information, please visit www.naturalhistoryinstitute.org
or contact Institute staff at naturalhistory@prescott.edu. A full schedule of weekend
events will also be posted at www.prescott.edu.
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Prescott College Rates Well
National media, ratings, and rankings list Prescott College among the best and greenest
The Princeton Review Best 378 Colleges
Prescott College is one of the country’s best institutions for undergraduate education, according to
the Princeton Review. The well-known education services company features the school in the 2014
edition of its annual college guide. The College is also one of the institutions the Princeton Review
recommends for the Western region. Schools on the list were evaluated based on institutional data
sets, campus visits, Princeton review staff input, college counselor recommendations, and students’
responses to an 80-question survey.
Guide to Green Colleges
The well-known education services company selected Prescott College for inclusion in the fourth annual edition of its free downloadable book, The Princeton
Review’s Guide to Green Colleges: 2014 Edition. The guide is, according to
Princeton Review sources, the only free, comprehensive guidebook profiling
institutions of higher education that demonstrate a notable commitment to
sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities, and
career preparation.
U.S. News and World Report
Prescott College is featured in the 2014 U.S. News and World Report guide to the best
colleges in the nation, and rated one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the West.
Sierra Magazine’s Cool Schools
The annual Sierra Magazine Cool Schools ranking pegged Prescott
College as one of the “cool” kids. We’ve been able to improve our
rating year over year with all the current investments in sustainability
through our campus housing, land and resource management, energy
and water conservation measures, and activities of sustainability
advocates across campus.
Colleges of Distinction
Prescott College was selected as a College of Distinction, and the only one in the state of Arizona!
Started ten years ago by concerned parents and education professionals, CollegesofDistinction.com
helps young people, their families, and their counselors find colleges that demonstrate commitment
to four principles: engagement, teaching, community, and outcomes.
Top 200 for Native American and Alaska Native
Prescott College is in the Top 200 Schools for Native
American and Alaska Native Students published in Winds of
Change, the magazine of the American Indian Science and
Engineering Society.
Military Friendly College
GI Jobs Magazine deemed Prescott College a military friendly school,
fit to be listed in its Guide to Military Friendly Schools, among the top
15 percent of all colleges, universities, and trade schools for veterans
nationwide.
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Celebrating 25 years of Community Connections
Prescott College, Tucson, 1988–2013
By Suzanne Dhruv M.A. ’05, Director of Prescott College, Tucson
E
verything has a story connecting our past, present, and
tion. To continue building this reputation, faculty and staff
future. The story of Prescott College, Tucson is crafted by
members formed advising teams to recruit adult students near the
passionate people who live, study, serve, and work in a
U.S./Mexico border in Nogales, Ariz., who were interested in the
spirited community steeped in cultural and environmental practices,
LRUP, specifically for bilingual teacher education.
and social justice interests. At the heart of this story is 25 years of
The first term following this targeted recruitment effort boasted
community connections with people, place, and the planet. For
an attendance of sixty teacher aides, all with an interest in pursuPrescott College, Tucson, these connections began to develop in the
ing a Bachelor of Arts in education. This success moved Prescott
1980s.
College to form a dedicated unit called the Center for Bilingual
Prescott College enjoyed a steady stream of students who were
Teacher Education (CIBTE). At this point it became clear that an
headed for the main campus in Prescott, Ariz. These students were
additional location in southern Arizona could be beneficial to the
mostly traditional-aged college newcomers, who would live, study,
large number of limited-residency students in the area, and also to
and serve in a community that was not necessarily their hometown.
provide a home base for continued recruiting there. Administrators
At this time, a new
and Board of Trustee members began exploring the idea of an
college program was
additional location in Tucson.
gaining momentum;
A new location in southern Arizona would allow the
something for the
College to diversify its student population, increase it comnon-traditionalmunity involvement, and expand its mission. In October of
aged student called
1986 the Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed the
the Adult Degree
opening of the Southwest Studies Center at Tucson (later
Program, or ADP
called Prescott College Tucson Center, and now simply
(now called LimitedPrescott College, Tucson). Initial Center activities included
Residency Understudent recruitment, advising, and instruction for the LRUP;
graduate Program,
acting as an informational clearinghouse on agencies, organior LRUP). LRUP
zations, and associations with an interest
was designed for
in the history, culture, and environment
students who wanted
Tucson
is
in the Tucson area and border area to the
Ironwood Tree youth at Prescott College, Tucson, 2013
to complete their
just a rich south; continuing education opportunities
bachelor’s degree while continuing to
for credit and non-credit; and serving as a
environment for the kind of
live and work in their home community.
meeting/instructional space for
While the main campus bustled with young people PC should be attracting … On-Campus Undergraduate Program
students, typically older “adult” students
students and faculty during field
in Tucson we have so many other excursions to U.S./Mexico borderlands
enjoyed their Prescott College educational
experience at home, with clear channels to
like organizations that can partner and places of cultural and ecological
stay connected with main campus faculty
significance in Sonora, Mexico.The doors
with Prescott College.
and staff.
to the Prescott College Tucson Center
By the mid-80s, the first director of
opened in 1988 in a donated suite at the
—Betsy Bolding, Trustee Emerita Foothills Mall, a new high-end developLRUP, Dr. Annabelle Nelson, had seen
research indicating that only a small
ment on the
percentage of teachers on Arizona tribal reservations were Native
northwest side of the city. This proved
American and that this was resulting in a loss of language, tradinot to be the best fit for the College’s
tion, and culture. She was moved to take action, so Prescott College
culture or target audience, so the Cenbegan intentionally serving adult students of Native American
ter moved downtown to the Temple of
descent. The College soon became the higher education institution
Music and Art for a brief period, and
of choice for students representing 17 different Native American
then moved again into its current locatribes. Subsequently, it became a leader in bilingual teacher education at 2233 East Speedway.
Tucson’s Cheerleader
Betsy Bolding makes her home and works in Tucson as Director for Consumer Affairs at Tucson Electric
Power. She first joined the Board of Trustees in 1984, and has donated to and served the College faithfully
since then. Her insight and influence played a role in the decision to open Prescott College, Tucson, and her
ongoing support and advocacy has ensured its success. In recognition of her long tenure, Betsy was named
Trustee Emerita at the May 2013 Board meeting. In this role she will remain part of the institution; she is no longer required to
actively serve on the Board but may attend meetings and contribute to any of its committees as she sees fit. Betsy is also one of
only three people to receive an honorary degree (a Master of Arts) from Prescott College.
8
S
ince opening, the Center and the Prescott College community in southern Arizona have expanded to include not only adult learners pursuing teacher certification, but students in the Limited-Residency Master of Arts and Ph.D. programs, as well as new credit and
non-credit courses and certificate offerings through the Lifelong Learning Center. The Tucson location also provides space and fiscal
agency to the Ironwood Tree Experience, empowering young people ages 12 to 19 through active, mindful, and educational EcoPrograms,
and to Arizona Serve, the AmeriCorps VISTA office serving the greater Tucson
It is great to have a satellite link to the
area. More recently, in response to social and political concerns in southern Arizona, the College has expanded its reach in Tucson to include classes and commu- Prescott College community…we are
nity experiences centered on social justice and human rights.
In 2012, a taskforce of passionate faculty, staff, and alumni developed strategies more easily able to remain connected
to continue strengthening the model of additional locations for Prescott College. to the institution.
The result was the Tucson Strategic Plan, anchored by the purpose to expand
—LoriAnne Barnett M.A. ’07
the College mission in southern Arizona, which is diverse in cultural and natural
resources and central to social, economic, and political opportunities, both current and further into the future.
True to its initial purposes, Prescott College, Tucson continues to be a hub for community connections focused on culture, inextricably
intertwined with its unique physical and cultural place in the world. With twenty-five years of history, Prescott College, Tucson has much to
celebrate!
Engaging Youth in Social Justice
Chican@ Literature After School Studies (CLASS) is a new program of Prescott College and is unique in
that the participants receive college credit while still in high school. Under the instruction of social justice
leaders, these Tucson youth study current social issues while conducting participatory action research in an
effort to make positive change in their community.
High school students in CLASS, 2013
Inspiring Service and Volunteerism
Now operating a second branch from Prescott College, Tucson, Arizona Serve believes our communities are safer, healthier, and more prosperous when we know each other, help each other, and work with
each other. Through service and volunteerism, Serve connects passionate people to opportunities to
make a difference in their community.
Learning Extended to the Community
The Lifelong Learning Center provides professional development, educational, and service opportunities
for learners interested in credit and non-credit courses. The Prescott College Certificate in
Coaching program is offered from the Tucson Center, and has been accepted as an Approved Coach
Specific Training Hours (ACSTH) program by the International Coach Federation (ICF).
SERVE staff, 2013
Connecting Youth and Nature
Since 2005, youth in southern Arizona have been exploring the Sonoran Desert Region with
Ironwood Tree Experience (ITE), a sponsored program of Prescott College. In response to a
national movement to improve youth wellness, advance ecological knowledge and understanding,
and include young people in environmental action, ITE connects youth with their community
through experiences in nature.
Youth restore wetlands in South AZ., 2013
Education for Social Justice in Tucson and Beyond
New to the Tucson location are undergraduate and graduate courses in social justice and human rights.
On-campus students spend a significant amount of time in Tucson, and along U.S./Mexico border areas, learning
from community organizers, contributing to solutions to enhance human rights for all, and raising awareness for
social justice education.
Cultural Immersion in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico
Students at U.S./Mexico Border, 2013
The Festival Internacional de Cine, Álamos Mágico (FICAM) is a nonprofit film festival created by double alumnus John Sheedy ’96, M.A.
’05, that promotes positive, educational documentaries from Sonora and the border regions as well as the work of filmmakers from all parts
of Latin America. Prescott College, Tucson is a sponsor of the film festival, promoting involvement in the Tucson area, with staff members
actively participating in festival activities.
There is nothing else like the Tucson Center … it is vital to Tucson in allowing so many creative,
out-of-the-box, and passionate individuals to pursue education in a structure that respects their
knowledge and experience. Our students have gone on to make our community a better place to live.
—Eric Magrane, Limited-Residency Programs mentor
9
Fires and Fantasies
Lessons to Learn When the Smoke Clears
Plane working Doce Fire, 2013
Photos and essay by faculty member Walt Anderson, M.S.
M
ost of the time, we are content to appreciate Mother Nature as the benign and beautiful scenery that
surrounds us. We watch the seasonal changes from winter
snows to spring zephyrs to summer
monsoons to cooling autumn nights
that bring strips of fall color in our
riparian areas, and we count ourselves lucky to have such scenery.
But then a hot early summer day ruptures this landscape’s
tranquility. A column of smoke rises
quickly into the azure skies, and all
hell breaks loose. Wildfire erupts
in the Dosie Pit area along Iron
Springs Road. Intense winds whip it
into a firestorm that grows exponentially until it is consuming brush
on Little Granite Mountain and
heading north at frightening speed.
Fire crews are deployed, helicopters
Burned chaparral, Doce
and tanker planes begin the aerial
Fire, 2013
bombardment, and evacuations in
critical areas begin. Gawkers converge toward Granite
Mountain, drawn like moths to a flame. People grieve that
their beloved mountain is being destroyed.
That afternoon, fire rolls over Granite Mountain and
descends quickly toward homes along Mint Wash in
Williamson Valley. Through good luck and heroic fire-fighting, the fire destroys no homes. Meanwhile, the elite Granite
Mountain Hotshots manage to save an ancient alligator juniper, one of the largest and oldest of its kind—a tree symbolizing persistence, hope, and beauty, values inherent in nature.
Faculty member Doug Hulmes bestows the Swedish term
Naturminneupptecknare—“the recorder of nature’s memory.”
Twelve days later, monsoon lightning around town ignites more
fires, some quickly extinguished by rain. However, the same squirrely
thunderstorm behavior—a sudden wind shift—unleashes tragedy on
the tiny mountain town of Yarnell south of Prescott. Flames trap and
kill 19 of the 20 hotshots deployed to help save residential property.
Even as we mourned, people responded with an outpouring of
generosity that continues today. Prescott College opened the doors
of the Village to offer housing for stricken families, provided food
10
services at the Café for those families and the entire incident command, transported family members and honor guard to funeral
destinations, and much more, as did many others throughout the
community.
Community—we immediately
think of extended connections
beyond our closest friends and
families. But there is much more to
community. The true grief we experience as fire dramatically alters the
face of Granite Mountain reveals
deep connection to this place. However, our general ignorance of how
nature works has brought unforeseen consequences we might have
avoided given sufficient ecological
literacy, something actively pursued
at Prescott College.
The maxim “Don’t mess with
Mother Nature” exemplifies our
tacit willingness to shift responsibility to
a “natural deity” rather than accepting an
obligation to live as informed citizens of
Planet Earth. Too often, our perception
of the landscape—the forest, the chaparral, the grasslands—reflects our common
myths. Bambi, Smokey the Bear, rain
follows the plow, grazing prevents
blazing, the decadence of old growth,
nature’s balance, on and on. Illusions,
fables, smoke and mirrors.
Not long after the chaparral blaze
on Granite Mountain, I went to see the
aftermath. People frequently resort to
Little Granite Mountain,
“moonscape” to describe fire-ravaged
Doce Fire, 2013
areas. At first this seems a reasonable
analogy: once-dense thickets of oaks, junipers, manzanitas, and
mountain mahogany have been reduced to charred skeletal remains
emerging from a powdered mix of ash and dirt, exposed nakedly to
wind and inevitable rain.
But moonscape goes too far. Signs everywhere testify that life
is knocked back but not vanquished. To an observant eye, this land
“The maxim ‘Don’t mess with Mother Nature’
exemplifies our tacit willingness to shift
responsibility to a ‘natural deity’ rather than
accepting an obligation to live as informed
citizens of Planet Earth. ”
To Do Mighty Things
— Walt Anderson
Rainbow, Dosie Pit area burn, 2013
11
has felt the hot kiss of fire before. Stubs arise in clusters from the
ground—scrub oaks burned off in the past that sprouted from their
underground nutrient warehouses, lignotubers. That cellular machinery is ready; even now, emerging sprouts lift brave stems and leaves
to start over. A five-foot scrub oak may look young, but check out
that lignotuber: it might be as old as the ancient juniper spared by
the fire. Root symbionts (actinomycetes called Frankia) in mountain mahogany, ceanothus, and purshia crank up their activity after
fire and start replacing the volatile nitrogen that escaped with the
flames.
3 to 10 years. Fuel loads were lighter then, so fires were much less
destructive. Logging, grazing, and active fire suppression all contribute to the current unnatural condition of our forest and scrublands.
Drought and warming have made the standing crop of plants all the
more vulnerable. The tinderbox awaited the spark, whether from
human foolishness or force of nature.
However, the fires of 2013 were in piñon-juniper woodlands,
which have centuries-long fire cycles, and interior chaparral, which
tends to re-burn every 35 to 40 years. This wide variation in fire
cycles across the Southwestern landscape is key to understanding
Iron Springs Road, postfire, 2013
See that elegant manzanita skeleton? Dead, yes, but all around,
in the soil, its seeds slumber until fire’s warmth or the caress of
chemicals, leached from the ash, wakes them. Sprouters may have a
head start, but re-seeders have their own evolutionary strategies for
a dramatic comeback. In the long run, both types thrive in systems
with fire. The balance of each reflects both chance placement and
fire frequency.
The old chaparral stand that stood here two weeks ago was
a nightmare to try to get through. Interlocking branches, spiny
or scratchy leaves—these will test the stiffest Carhartts of anyone
trying to force a way through. With the thickets gone, annual and
perennial seeds, dormant in shaded soils, can germinate among the
rapidly sprouting chaparral root crowns. A related succession of
animals will follow the gradual vegetation reoccupation. As they say,
nothing succeeds like succession.
Fire is a key process in the Southwest. Dr. Lisa Floyd-Hanna,
Dave Hanna, Paul Sneed, and others have shown through tree-ring
analyses that prior to Anglo settlement, the fire-return interval in
our local ponderosa pine forests may have been as short as every
12
fire effects and informing “best” management practices.
During my post-fire visit, I look west, up at the high ridge. Its
sensational views—southwest to Skull Valley, east to the Prescott
Basin, north to dramatic Granite Mountain—attracted folks to build
there. Imagine the scene one would have from that perch as this
fire raced by!
It should have been a sobering view. Perhaps the shocking fate
of many homes in the Yarnell chaparral should serve as a wake-up
call; chaparral creates a fuel load with the potential for a conflagration that no air tanker, no team of hotshots, could counteract. Those
houses near Granite Mountain were lucky—this time—but they
are sitting on a powder keg. Ask some of the ridge-top residents of
Oakland or San Diego in California what chaparral wildfire can do.
More and more homes are being built in the urban-wildland
interface, whether on a barrier island exposed to hurricanes, a
floodplain low on a large watershed, the slopes of a temporarily
sleeping volcano, a forest of dense pines, or a ridgeline in chaparral. Realtors praise the location to unwary buyers: Imagine walking
out your back door and into the national forest! Wildlife in your
yard! Natural landscaping—you don’t even have to mow the
lawn!
Smoke and mirrors.
Massive Alligator Juniper, saved by the Granite Mountain Hotshots, 2013
Where is that realtor when your house is gone, your
possessions melted into unrecognizable forms, your landscaping nothing but ash? To whom do you direct your anger
and anguish? Is it the Forest Service’s fault for allowing its
forest to be wild? Resources focused mainly on extinguishing fires to save houses are not available for conducting
prescribed burns, thinning forests, or reducing chaparral. We
treat symptoms with our battles against fires, not the causes.
The federal government just shifted the balance of
financial support toward more firefighting and away from
proactive habitat management, despite the fact that we are
experiencing more frequent, larger, and more severe fires. Is
it worth risking brave firefighters’ lives to save houses built
in sites highly vulnerable to fire?
Part of the problem is simple hubris: we act as if using
our technology to its fullest extent will empower us to
control the world. Such landscape lunacy comes from a
general lack of ecological literacy. Somehow we need to
restore not just stronger connections to nature but also an
in-depth understanding of how nature works. With such
understanding, we would discourage building in that volatile
urban–wildland interface; we would expect anyone who did
so to face the consequences, should an event like wildfire
occur. We need to take personal responsibility for our
actions.
A naturalist has the gift—or curse—of being able to
see through time, of knowing that the snapshot of the forest
or scrubland is no more than that; the landscape is dynamic,
subject to sudden and sometimes even irreversible change.
If we lack ecological literacy, the landscape can be a mirage—sickness disguised as scenery. Unless we return to our
natural history roots, we cannot make sensible (truly using
our senses) diagnoses and treatments.
Sprouting scrub oak after Doce Fire, 2013
13
Celebrating 45 years
of Wilderness Orientation
More than four decades of welcoming students to their new school—new place—each other
1
3
2
Beaver Creak, Fall Orientation, 1991
A cacophony of cicadae, skies filled
with puffy white clouds, and thunder
off in the distance: Arizona at its best.
All of these things are the signs of
approaching monsoons, the beginning of fall, and Prescott College
Orientation.
Contributions to this story by Director of First Year
Programs Kristine Preziosi ’97 and Adventure
Education faculty member Erin Lotz.
For the last 45 years Prescott College has been orienting
resident undergraduates to its ranks in a distinctive way. The
program originally took its cues from Outward Bound, and
students are still asked to challenge themselves personally and
work together as a group, all in a remote and demanding wilderness setting. Regardless of their age, area of study, fitness,
and experience levels, most students spend three and a half
weeks immersed in the wilderness in groups of ten. Though
the experience has morphed some over time, it is much the
same today as it was nearly half a century ago, with a course
progression that includes student leaders of the day, studenttaught classes, a solo experience, and creation of an academic
portfolio by each participant.
4
Fall Orientation, 2000
Since Roy Smith piloted the first Wilderness Orientation in 1969,
Prescott College has placed significant importance on the relationships students establish once they set foot on campus. The first
relationship they build is with Prescott College itself. Students learn
about the academic philosophies and practices here by spending a
month with an alumnus or alumna and/or student leaders and applying these practices in the completion of coursework. The alumni
and student mentors can usually offer insight into some of our lessconventional ways of doing things.
Grand Canyon,
The second relationship built is with the student’s new home. Historically, and still now, the typical Prescott College
Winter Orientation,
student is not from Arizona or even from the Southwest. Orientation is the ultimate place-based experience for them. 2011
Students are exposed to basic natural history and to ancient and recent cultural history; they are asked to ponder the
significance of their place, and sense of place, in the landscape they will soon be calling home.
14
Biophilic Orientation
Master of Arts student studies Wilderness Orientation
through tool developed by PC faculty-mentor
L
5
The last relationship new
students build is with one
another. A student essentially
has no choice but to build
relationship with this new
community on a three-week,
round-the-clock trip into the
wilderness. These small groups
of peers and their leaders often emerge from this visceral
experience as one another’s
safety net, support system, and social
circle for the next two to four years.
Paria Canyon,
Early Orientation, 1970’s
Superstition Mountains,
Winter Orientation, 2012
6
Orientation provides individuals the opportunity to
enter college in a deep and meaningful way. Navigating
their new home with a group of people they have just
met increases each one’s confidence in his or her ability
to navigate a unique academic career. Just as the water
they have been drinking for three weeks becomes a
part of their cell structure, the singular experiences
they’ve had stay with them, become a part of them,
and continue to strengthen them as they continue their
educational journey.
ast fall Adventure Education student Nate Meltzer M.A.
’14 conducted a research project with Prescott
College’s New Student Orientation program. The goal of
this research was to investigate effects of the 21-day program
on participants’ relationships with the natural world, as seen
through the lens of biophilia.
The theory of biophilia, developed by E.O. Wilson, is
defined as the “innate tendency to affiliate with life and lifelike
properties.” Stephen Kellert subsequently distilled the theory
of biophilia into nine forms of response, which cumulatively
describe the capacity of humans to adaptively respond to the
natural world: aesthetic, negativistic, humanistic, naturalistic,
scientific, symbolic, dominionistic, utilitarian, and moralistic.
Faculty member Terril Shorb Ph.D. ’09 and his colleague and
partner Yvette Schnoeker-Shorb M.A. ’02 (currently a mentor
in the Limited-Residency Undergrad Program) developed a
99-question survey that provides glimpses into relative expressiveness of each of the nine biophilic responses at a particular
moment in a person’s life, called the Kellert-Shorb Biophilic
Values Indicator (KSBVI).
Terril and Yvette share hopes for its usefulness: “The
Indicator has the potential to contribute to individual and
group awareness of complex, unconscious responses evoked by
aspects of the natural world. This awareness may help people
realize their capacity for a more balanced and harmonious
relationship with the natural world on which they depend.”
For Nate’s research project, participants in Wilderness
Orientation were surveyed with the KSBVI before and after
the program to detect shifts in their biophilic profiles. This
was the first application of the KSBVI to the field of Adventure
Education, and the first time it has been used in a pre-post-trip
format.
Preliminary results of the project indicate changes did
occur and, on average, participants’ negativistic, utilitarian, and
dominionistic biophilic response expressions decreased, while
their other six biophilic expressions increased. Further analysis
of the results may reveal relationships between these changes in
biophilic responses and demographic
factors at play. Nate is optimistic this
project will help adventure educators
better understand the effects of their
programming on participants.
Terril and Yvette are thrilled with
Nate’s work: “This is a large, new, and
important application of the KSBVI
in conservation education, and we
have high hopes that Nate’s meticulous research will illuminate additional ways the Indicator may become
a useful tool for outdoors educators.”
Contribution to this article by Nathan
Meltzer, Terril Shorb, and Yvette Schnoeker-Shorb.
(story continues on page 16)
15
7
The legacy of Wilderness Orientation lives on, and as we
continue to welcome students in this deep and meaningful way, we want to hear from you! Did you swim through
Beaver Creek, hike up and over the Mazatzals, and pile into
the back of a cattle truck to find yourself deposited on the
Verde River? Did you jump into Cherry Creek falls or
“solo” beneath a sycamore in West Clear Creek? Or maybe
it was winter and you hiked from Hance Creek to the rim
of Grand Canyon, knee deep in snow? Did you follow the
sound of an owl up Charlebois or admire the fingerprints
on the cliff dwellings in Angel Basin? We want to know.
Send us your stories and photos at transitions@prescott.edu.
Finding
Purpose
on a River
James Moore ’75, founder of Orion Expeditions, reflects on how the
seeds of a life’s work were planted by Prescott College Orientation.
Excerpted from his blog about river rafting.
Winter Orientation, 2011
....
16
Out of the blue, my father, a Presbyterian minister with
a nationwide audience through his weekly column in the
Presbytery’s national magazine, came to me with an alternative proposal. Perhaps he had noticed my lack of excitement.
Perhaps he saw something in me that I hadn’t plumbed.
Perhaps he played a hunch. Maybe he hoped to live through
me vicariously.
James Moore and Bob Ratcliffe ’78, Cataract Canyon, 1977
I
t was the early ’70s. I was in love with iconoclasm, progressive country, and environmentalism. I was out of step
with everyone who lived in north Texas. A high school
classmate reminded me the other day that I would recycle
my paper lunch sack until it was as limp as toilet tissue. I had
begun questioning the twin Texas sacred cows of competition and football. If old enough, I would have voted for a
Hispanic (a relative of Fidel Castro) for governor. My father
campaigned for him, a sacrilege in the Republican fortress
of Dallas.
The Vietnam War was winding down. Watergate was
heating up. And disco, thanks to the BeeGees and John Travolta, was catching on.
I did not have a single clue where I would go to college,
or what I would study when I got there. I wasn’t even certain college appealed to me. Even though I was a member of
the National Honor Society and a successful public school
student, I sensed an “emptiness” to my education.
In any case, he told me about a small liberal arts college in
northern Arizona called Prescott College. A reader of his from
Arkansas had mailed a letter and a National Geographic article
featuring Prescott and its unusual curriculum, educational style,
and freshman orientation. This reader told my dad that she thought
his youngest son, whom she had read so much about in his weekly
essays, might enjoy this sort of education. (I don’t know the name
of this “angel,” but in hindsight, I send a much-belated and deeply
heartfelt thank-you.) …
Those of you who know me well know I do not tend toward
excitability. So it won’t surprise you that my father was more excited about Prescott than I was, and what excited him the most was
the orientation program for all freshmen and transfer students.…
The incoming students were divided into several groups of ten and
then trucked to Baja to sea-kayak, to the Manti La Sal mountain
range to trudge about in the snow, to the Grand Canyon to hike,
or to the Green River in Utah to raft. Each group was joined by
several other students with outdoor recreation experience, and one
faculty member.
As it turns out, and quite by accident, I was shipped off to Moab,
Utah, for my very first experience whitewater rafting.
I was eighteen. I had never camped without running water. I
had certainly never camped without a physical structure over my
head. I had never been on a river with whitewater, and the concept of controlling a boat in cataracts (for we were rafting down
the Green River to and through the Colorado River’s Cataract
Canyon), was incomprehensible to me. I don’t remember physically
shaking in my boots. But I do remember being infinitely relieved
I wasn’t in a lecture hall with a couple of hundred other students
listening to a professor drone on about trigonometry equations and
the importance of slide rules.
....
It was during [my solo] I realized there was something about
being outdoors with a group of people that energized and
inspired me. I sat down in the mouth of Dark Canyon at the
beginning of those seventy-two hours knowing I valued family
and community, but I don’t think I understood or fully appreciated the extent I valued them because I had never been forced to
confront my values and to mull them over endlessly.
My time in slickrock country during the fall of 1974 did not
seal my career path. I did not receive an epiphany that said, “Go
forth and found an adventure travel company and you will be
forever satisfied with your existence.” The whitewater of Cataract
Canyon was sufficiently exhilarating, but it did not convert me
into a whitewater junkie. I did not pursue rafting or kayaking or
hiking or rock-climbing immediately after my wilderness
immersion.
What I learned in my wilderness sojourn with Prescott
College was the value of community and a method by which
communities can be formed, strengthened, reinvigorated, and
grown. Up until that time I had blithely wandered through
my life cherishing my friendships and my family, and viewing
from afar my father and mother growing church communities
throughout Texas, but not fully appreciating that I needed to
maintain
contact with the process of community-building or I would
wither away.
This wasn’t fully clear at the end of my wilderness orientation
either, but it was beginning to be a niggling irritant in the back
of my mind. The sort of irritant that might just blossom into a
pearl if given sufficient time.
To read more about James’s Orientation experience and his journey to
founding Orion, visit http://orionexp.blogspot.com/2009/01/
story-of-orion-river-rafting-in.html.
James Moore and family, Cataract Canyon, 1977
Orion River Rafting Staff, 2009
17
Confluence
Convergence of a pilgrim’s love story and activist’s plea to preserve the Grand Canyon
By Matt Kwain ’14 On-Campus Undergraduate Program
I love this place enough to endure the rigor.
18
On the western border of the Navajo Nation, the Confluence Partners LLC
has plans to build a mega–tourist center and escalade that takes paying customers
from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the confluence of the Little Colorado and
Colorado Rivers (LCR confluence). This is also home of Sipapu, the origin of
life for the Hopi people, a sacred mineral mound held in the highest esteem. It is
no mystery why there is widespread outrage over the proposed “Grand Canyon
Escalade.” If the Confluence Partners LLC succeeds in winning support from the
Navajo Nation for the project, they are scheduled to finish construction by April
2016.
This devastatingly enormous project could change the way that people experience the Canyon forever. Each year only one percent of visitors to the Canyon
make their way into the backcountry to experience the magnetic draw of its
wilderness. For many adventurers like myself, hiking into the Canyon is not simply recreation; rather it is a spiritual pilgrimage. The long and arduous journey to
the bottom and back is time spent reflecting, and journeying into the wilderness
of one’s own soul. It is in the solitude that wilderness provides that we have the
most potential for change. Development and increased numbers of tourists in the
base of the Canyon would certainly dwell heavily in the heart of the pilgrim.
Grand Canyon, Travis Patterson, ’09, 2005
S
outh rim, dead of winter: I gaze down at the
Colorado River.The body of water is a delicate
strand of azure silk. I will be walking one mile
down into the clutches of the Canyon, and ten miles
overland, before I espy that ribbon of blue again. Eager
to leave the digit-numbing cold at the rim, I pray to the
Canyon for safe passage and begin to descend into the
snowy narrows.
Descending into the Canyon is ultimately captivating. I feel like an art aficionado who hovers around a
masterpiece, seeing something new and beautiful from
each new angle.
The first slip is the first signal. As the loose rocks
slip beneath your feet, inching you closer to the possibility of plummeting into the void, it rings in your head
like a mantra, “Slow down. Give this place respect.” In
the belly of the canyon, a traveler’s gumption is tested
constantly. Despite frequent tinglings of peril, people love
this place enough to endure the rigor.
The first time I made it to the banks of the Colorado
River, I could have crumpled right there on the beach and
kissed the ground.The energy from the river charged my
spirit, and I quickly forgot the aches in my knees and
wind-chapped lips.There was satisfaction that poured
over me as I sat on the shore of that mighty river. All
I could do was choke back tears and give thanks to the
Canyon for allowing me safe passage.
A night before ascending the Canyon, the weather
was halcyon. Sitting under a dark sky, Desert View
Watchtower glowed up on the rim, nudging once
adjourned thoughts into my head. I could not help but
think how my life has been changed by what I endured
during those several days adventuring in the Canyon. I
was reminded of humility and the respect our wild places
demand from us. Setting foot back onto the south rim, I
know I left a piece of myself down there, in a very special
place.There is no void in my soul, even though the Canyon took much from me. In return I am filled with the
majesty of this wild place, and memories of an experience
that will stand the test of time.
In 2009 the Bennett Freeze was lifted by Obama, allowing reconstruction of
1.5 million acres of Navajo land where families have been living in shambles for
decades. The Bennett Freeze was enacted in 1966 by the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs to end a land dispute between the Navajo and Hopi people. Prohibiting
all forms of development, the freeze made a Navajo region roughly the size of
Delaware uninhabitable. When the freeze was lifted there was opportunity for improving the lives of Navajo families, but with it also came the Confluence Partners LLC and their campaign to turn reservation land into a tourist attraction.
Grand Canyon, Travis Patterson, 2005
Grand Canyon,
Prescott College
Archives
Some among the Navajo Nation have passionately resisted this
project, wanting to protect their sacred lands. But the Confluence
Partners LLC has strong financial backing to fund their efforts in
canvassing support for the project. They justify the project by saying
it is only a fraction of the size of the monstrous development of
tourist centers and lodges on the south rim and at Phantom Ranch.
With 521 concession buildings, 588 miles of hiking trails, 1,140
rooms for rent, and 481 campsites already in place, this gargantuan
truth is hard to ignore. The same argument, however, supports the
view that the Grand Canyon has more than enough amenities to
support millions of visitors each year—why should we continue to
degrade this wild place with unnecessary development?
Dillon Metcalfe ’13, a former park ranger at the Canyon and
a Grand Canyon adventurer, paints the unsightly picture of how
the development would transmogrify a backpacker’s experience:
Imagine seeing, as you come down a trail deep in the backcountry,
hundreds of loud tourists strolling along an elevated river walk.
Some could care less if their Styrofoam cups blow away into the
river, and some certainly have no respect for the place. Metcalfe says,
“Any development in that area would rob the place of its ecological, cultural, and aesthetic qualities.”
There is also the question of Sipapu. Metcalfe describes the
process of visiting Sipapu as a spiritual journey that the Hopi
customarily spend years preparing for. “To have instantaneous
access to Sipapu is ethically wrong. Aesthetically it is something you
should work for. People should not be able to walk right up to it,
trample it, and disrespect it,” Metcalfe explains.
Anya Fayfer ’12, an employee of the United States Geological
Survey (USGS), recalls a very powerful experience near Sipapu.
One day while hiking near the LCR confluence, Fayfer hopped
down off a boulder and instantly sank up to her knees. She recalls
the menacing boiling sensation on her feet, and when she looked
up, there was Sipapu. Her fear dissipated and she knew she would
make it out. The spiritual power of this place is something that can
be felt, and should be respected, Fayfer explains. “There has already
been so much damage done to Sipapu. It used to flow from an
opening in the top, now the water gushes from the sides because
of the damage,” she says. The development of a tourist destination
so near to Sipapu would likely lead to further damage of the
formation.
But what about the increased economic activity on the reservation? Would the benefits of constructing a confluence escalade
outweigh the damage it will do the Canyon? Many say no. Landing
heavy-duty construction equipment on the shores of the conflu-
ence in order to build a restaurant,
river walk, and Navajo cultural
center would inflict irreparable
damage to the Canyon’s ecosystem.
The most at risk are the humpback chub, an endangered fish whose
largest remaining population live in the confluence waters. Metcalfe says that all it would take is one accidental spill of diesel and
the spawning waters would be severely compromised. According to
wildlife biologist Janice Stroud-Settles, if the spawning waters of the
humpback chub were breached, the entire species would go extinct
in the Grand Canyon within one generation. With the chub’s precarious existence relying on an extremely fragile environment, even
wish-making, penny-tossing tourists would disrupt the ecosystem,
says Metcalfe.
If you listen to Save the Confluence, a grassroots organization
in opposition to the Grand Canyon Escalade project that shares the
stories of Navajo ranchers, herders, and locals who have called the
eastern edge of the Grand Canyon home for centuries, the message is clear: the land these people call home is sacred. Despite the
Confluence Partners’ promise of jobs and a yearly income of $90
million, many Navajo see the plan as an unsustainable solution to
economic atrophy. Navajo rancher Franklin Martin says, “We know
that we can make money without destroying the place ... but we
have to learn to do things ourselves. I think we’d be gullible to take
this offer.”
As the uncertain fate of this project still dangles in the air, we
must ask ourselves what is the ethical decision? The experience
of wild landscape grows inside of us, planting roots, and soon that
strange and unforgiving wilderness becomes like home. For the
indigenous people and Grand Canyon adventurers alike, this project
is an affront to the sacredness of home. Can we call the accommodations offered to us on the south rim enough? Or will we allow
this new development to come to fruition? The answers to these
questions are not obvious, but one thing is certain: scarring this
spiritual landscape for the sake of tourism will reap devastating
consequences. As the memories of family vacations slip away into
the fogginess of old age, the people who call the Grand Canyon
home will eternally stand witness to the decisions of our
contemporaries.
A version of this story was originally written for and printed in The
Raven Review, a student publication of the Newspaper Journalism
Practicum course at Prescott College.
19
Polar bear on Spitsbergan, Svalbard Norway, 2012
Capturing the
Decisive Moment
Jamie Horton’s sons Hendrix and Max
Dual Competences in anthropology and
photography have served professional
photographer and entrepreneur Jamie
Horton ’00 well in a career that’s taken
her from New York, to Europe, to Maryland, where she has started her own family photography business in Annapolis. To
the right she shares a little bit of insight
into her passions and business.
20
W
hat drew you to photography and what
motivates you to be an artist?
I have always been an observer. I pay attention to the
details and I enjoy sharing my vision of family or beauty or humor
with others. I don’t want to forget the moments that form us into
the people we become, though I would consider myself more of a
documentarian and less of an artist.
Tell us a bit about your journey since leaving
Prescott College.
I began my career photographing housewares for
a department store in New York City. It wasn’t
my dream job, but I realized that I loved photography even if I was only shooting spoons. I
discovered Mary Ellen Mark’s work at Prescott
and was immediately inspired by the way she
captured beauty within the grit. After discovering her old studio in SoHo, I contacted her office
and I was given an internship and the inspiration
to become a documentary photographer.
Soon after my internship was over I
left for Europe with a brand new Nikon
camera and hundreds of rolls of film. When I
returned three months later, I had a portfolio
and landed my first job as a photojournalist. Since then, my pictures have appeared in
Fortune Magazine, Der Spiegel, the Washington
Post, and newspapers throughout the country
via the Associated Press. I am currently an
on-location photographer for Fox Television
shows So You Think You Can Dance, America’s
Most Wanted, and Master Chef.
After having my first child in 2009, I
intentionally turned my camera from sports
and politicians to my newborn. With an eye
trained to capture the “decisive moment,” I
began to document the vanishing stages of
childhood and family life.
What in your portfolio are you most proud of?
Definitely the photographs of my own children. They are
my test subjects and the way in which I learn to become
a better photographer every day. The staircase in my house
is lined with large black and white images of my two boys.
I keep adding and changing photos, or switching a few
around. It is my absolute favorite project to work on and I
am flooded with great memories each time I walk past them.
photographer. That kind of reassurance was surprising, flattering, and
extremely motivating. The more positive feedback and constructive
criticism I received, the more confidence I gained and the more my
skills developed.
Why family photography?
I experimented with several different types of photography
before settling on families. My subject matter changed as I did.
I photograph what I know and what interests me. At the
moment, my two boys consume my life and I feel a real
connection to other mothers. I know the feelings of shock
and awe and amazement when looking into your baby’s eyes.
Those were profound moments for me and I like that my
job allows me to witness that moment again and again. I feel
honored to momentarily step into the lives of so many different types of families. I know that my clients have carefully
researched the kind of photographer they want to hire and I
take their trust in me very seriously. It’s also fun to see that I
am not the only one with wild little ones.
What do you think you’re clients get
out of your work?
My work brings joy to my clients. They
get a few moments to do nothing but
hold each other, smile, and look into each
other’s eyes. I try to help them forget
about the camera and just enjoy the
moment. I know that when I complete
a job, I leave behind a beautiful moment
that is meant to be loved for a lifetime.
Why do you think it is that so many
Prescott College alumni are engaged
in entrepreneurism?
Prescott College is a unique college
experience that helps to create
interesting people with great
independence and self-sufficiency.
Client (top); Jamie and sons (center); Jamie’s
own “hallway of photos” (bottom)
How did your time and experiences at Prescott College
influence your career path and decisions?
Prescott College is where I started my photography training. It
is where I was introduced to Mary Ellen Mark and Sally Mann,
among many others. I remember Deb Ford’s hallway of photos in
her home. The one of her son with the cicadas superimposed over
his shoulder. I have always loved that photo and her hallway gallery.
I’m sure that is what influenced my own version.
What do you like best and
what do you like least about
owning your own business?
I’m lucky that my skills can be
used to promote myself rather than
someone I work for. Unfortunately,
I can’t complain about my boss
over drinks with co-workers.
If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be doing?
I would definitely be a back up dancer for Beyoncé. It seems like
fun, but I try not to aim too high. A backup dancer is good enough!
What’s on the horizon for you?
I look forward to expanding my business and hope that my
documentation of family reaches beyond the United States.
Interview by Ashley Mains M.A. ’11.
What’s the most profound thing that’s happened in the
course of your career?
I was very lucky early on. As I started on the path of photography I was continually encouraged by great professors and other
experienced photographers and judges to continue growing as a
All photos courtesy of Jamie Horton.
To see more of Jamie’s photography, visit www.jamiehortonphoto.com.
21
Alumni Briefs
Alumni and Parent Gatherings
Join us in Boston, Mass., Saturday, October 19, 2013,
from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. for a special film screening of Within Reach:
A Journey to Find Sustainable Community at the College Club of Boston
on Commonwealth Avenue. Within Reach documents one couple’s
pedal-powered journey across the United States in search of a new
home in sustainable community.
We’ll follow Ryan and Mandy’s journey across the U.S., and afterward you can stay for a
discussion with the film producer Mandy Creighton to find out what’s working well in
sustainable communities and what more you can do to build a sustainable future.
Refreshments will be provided. The event is free but space is limited. Please RSVP at
http://WithinReach.kintera.org or call Marie Smith in the Alumni Office at
(928) 350-4502.
Make Sure We Have Your Updated Info
Are you receiving the monthly enewsletter Ecos? We can’t stay in touch with you unless we have your current
information, such as mailing address, email, and phone number.You can update your info online at
http://PCAlumUpdate.kintera.org or by calling the Alumni Office at (928) 350-4502.
Show Your Prescott College Pride
The Prescott College Alumni Association Board wants you to know that you
don’t have to give hundreds or thousands of dollars to make a difference at your
alma mater. Any amount will help, even one “buck” a month. Fresh minds ready
to take on the world’s challenges are also choosing to come to Prescott College
today, and many of them need your help and support. Give current students an
opportunity to experience what you did. Help a student today!
Alumni license plate frames are available for a one-time donation of $50 to
the Annual Fund for Academic Excellence. Give now at http://MightyBuck.
kintera.org and show your PC pride all over town! Annual Fund contributions
can also be sent to: Prescott College Advancement Office, 220 Grove Avenue,
Prescott, AZ 86301. Note: Minimum $10 online donation and $50 for incentive item.
What’s Your Transitions Preference?
The Advancement Office is always looking for ways to streamline its processes, save
money, reduce paper waste, and improve communications with you—the friends
and alumni of Prescott College. So tell us: Do you like getting a printed copy of
Transitions through the mail, or would you prefer to get a notice when the latest
issue is available for online viewing and in PDF format?
If you want to stay on our mailing list, there’s no need to do anything, except let
us know when you move. If you’d prefer an electronic version, make sure we have
your email address on file by sending your updated contact information and a note
indicating your preference to transitions@prescott.edu.
22
Walt Anderson, M.S.
Environmental Studies professor Walt Anderson is Director Emeritus of the
Middle Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit land trust and educational organization
that provides public access and interpretation for the privately owned Sutter Butte
mountain range. The Sutter Buttes is one of seven ecosystems in California featured in an exhibit at the new Gallery of California Natural Sciences at the Oakland Museum, opened in May. The exhibit incorporates video of Walt and others
for which alumnus Brian Lilla ’93 was the videographer. Walt is also involved with
the Granite Dells Partnership along with several other Prescott College affiliates,
including alumnus Michael Byrd ’96. More at Walt’s site, www.geolobo.com.
Gret Antilla, M.C.
Faculty member Gret Antilla’s Learning Theories class met up with alumna
Melissa Doran-Cole ’07 and her Paulo Freire Freedom School (Tucson) group at
Granite Dells Park as part of the middle school’s intersession trip. Alumni Robbie
Smith ’09 and Rachel Ellis ’10 were also spotted in the park with a 9th grade
Verde River fieldwork team studying local water issues.
Joel Barnes ’81, Ph.D.
Faculty member and Graduate Teaching Assistant Program Director Dr. Joel
Barnes had an article published in the Journal of Sustainability Education. He continues to consult with Grand Canyon National Park Science Center, and is currently
engaged in work groups as part of the greater Grand Canyon Landscape Assessment Project. Joel is also working with the Butte Creek Restoration Council to
install two interpretive panels by the creek that runs through campus, and worked
with the City to add our section of Butte Creek to the Prescott Downtown
Greenways system.
Melanie Bishop ’86, M.F.A.
Former faculty member Melanie Bishop volunteered as a writing coach at the
National Steinbeck Center’s Day of Writing along with alumnus Michael Belaf
’99. Melanie also accepted a separation incentive for long-term employees so she
can live in California with her husband year-round, and have more time for her
freelance business and writing. Look out for her three-book series of novels for
young adults, the first of which can be found on Amazon, featuring Prescott College and the Eco League as story elements. She says, “This has been an absolute
dream of a job for me. I feel enormously privileged to have worked with our
students, and to have worked alongside all of you. I will miss this, and you.”
Betsy Bolding, M.A., and Jay Hughes, Esq.
In recognition of their long tenure on the Prescott College Board of Trustees, Betsy and Jay were named Trustees
Emeriti at the May 2013 Board meeting. In this role they
will remain part of the institution; they are no longer
required to actively serve on the Board but may attend
meetings and contribute to any of its committees as each
sees fit. (More on Betsy, see page 8.)
J. Dianne Brederson, Ed.D.
J. Dianne and her family left Prescott/Prescott College and moved to Myanmar
this summer. She and Buzz will work at the International School of Myanmar as
the Curriculum Coordinator and teaching 9th grade English and Film Analysis,
respectively. She says her children are excited to travel overseas, learn a different
language, and eat spicy noodle breakfast.
Mary Frances Causey
Mary Frances Causey, Director of Financial Aid, is serving as Treasurer-Elect for
the Arizona Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (AASFAA) for
the 2013–14 academic year.
Kenny Cook, M.F.A.
K. L. Cook, former Arts & Letters faculty member, has accepted a tenured position
in the English Department at Iowa State University, beginning in the fall 2013.
He will teach undergraduate and graduate creative writing and literature courses,
including teaching and mentoring students in Iowa State’s interdisciplinary M.F.A.
in Creative Writing and Environment Program (a natural extension of his two
decades of work at Prescott College). He looks forward to collaborating with PC
colleagues, alums, and students in the future.
Jared Dahl Aldern, M.A. ’02, Ph.D. ’10
cational and political uses of narratives by the North Fork Mono
Tribe appeared in Occasion: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities,
and his review of Telling Stories in the Face of Danger, edited by Paul
Kroskrity, is in press.
Julie Engerran
Julie Engerran is a Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Social
Change at Prescott College. She is one of the organizers of Aspen
Institute, an undergraduate business education consortium of approximately 30 colleges and universities in the U.S. and across the
globe that discuss the appropriate practices of business education.
Liz Faller, M.A. ’99
Liz Faller, instructor in Dance and Human Development, received
an Arizona Commission on the Arts grant for a two-week seminar,
Somatic/Ecological Awareness: Embodying our Connection and Reciprocity
with Nature, which happened in January at Estudio Los Almendros,
Montezuma, Costa Rica, with co-instructors Ninoska Gomez and
Andree Dumouchel.
Anita Fernández, Ph.D.
Anita Fernández and Ernesto Todd Mireles presented at the Free
Minds Free People conference in Chicago, launching their new
project, the Xican@ Institute for Teaching and Organizing. Attending the conference with them were teachers Curtis Acosta and
Sean Arce and five of the youth from Prescott College’s Chican@
Literature class, who also presented on their work continuing
the legacy of Tucson’s Mexican American Studies Program, now
banned by the state of Arizona.
Tom Fleischner, Ph.D.
Tom Fleischner has a new website: tfleischner.net. He was also lead
author of “Toward transformative natural history education: a few
principles,” with Tom Wessels, Ed Grumbine, and Saul Weisberg,
which appeared in the Journal of Natural History Education and
Experience.
Lisa Floyd-Hanna, Ph.D.
Faculty member Lisa Floyd-Hanna was on sabbatical during Spring
2013, studying the natural history of Costa Rica and Hawaii and
conducting research on fire history and post-fire effects in the
southwestern U.S. She wrapped up multi-year projects in Dinosaur
National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park, both in
Colorado. She is now writing the works for publication. In addition, Lisa and colleagues have published in The Colorado Plateau V
and Ecological Restoration Priorities and Opportunities in Piñon-Juniper
Woodlands. Lisa recently received a grant from the Colorado Plateau
Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit to research resiliency in
piñon-juniper woodlands.
Miriam Glade ’03
Advancement Graphic Designer Miriam Glade recently designed and presented the Business Logos and Identity workshop for
SCORE, Northern Arizona. She provided an interactive, broad
overview to small business owners about the importance of a welldesigned logo to identify their businesses.
Zoe Hammer, Ph.D.
Zoe Hammer, faculty member in Political Studies, presented papers
on three panels: Black Marxism 30 Years On: Theorizing Racial
Capitalism; Pedagogy, Critical Theory, and the Politics of Teaching
Politics; and Beyond Walls and Cages: Intersections of Criminal and
Migration Policy, at the 2013 American Association of Geographers
Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.
Doug Hulmes ’74, M.S.
Environmental Studies and Education faculty member Doug
Hulmes’s article “An Autoethnographic Exploration of Norway:
Nature and Culture” appeared in the summer 2013 issue of the
Journal of Sustainability Education. Doug will begin a sabbatical for
the 2013–14 academic year to continue his research on the sacred
trees of Norway and Sweden.
Master of Arts Program Associate Faculty Jared Dahl Aldern’s article on the edu-
23
Allison Jack, Ph.D.
Allison Jack, Agroecology faculty member, presented a poster on
plant disease suppressive vermicomposts at the Symposium on
Bacterial Genomics and Ecology in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Additionally,
her work as chair of the Curriculum Library Committee for the
Sustainable Agriculture Education Association was profiled in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Information.
Aryn LaBrake ’09, M.A. program ’15
Aryn LaBrake, Advancement Assistant and Prospect Researcher,
was accepted into the Class XXIV of Prescott Area Leadership for
2013–14. Prescott Area Leadership, whose mission is to develop and
inspire individuals to contribute to the vitality and leadership of
central Yavapai County, is a year-long program founded in 1990 by
Ron Barnes, a collaborator and supporter of Prescott College.
Regional Conference: Adventure Education and Sustainability. She presented at
the Association for Experiential Education, Rocky Mountain Regional Conference: Be Safe Out There: Critical Thinking and the Use of Risk in Adventure Education.
Denise also presented at the Adventure Therapy Best Practices Conference in
Prescott: Personal Health, Nature, and Experiential Education:What Is the Connection?
Kurt Refsnider, Ph.D.
This past spring, Dr. Refsnider published a research paper titled “Ice-sheet erosion
and the stripping of Tertiary regolith from Baffin Island, eastern Canadian Arctic”
in Quaternary Science Reviews and an article on endurance mountain biking called
“The Sacrifices of Racing” in the new cycling journal Bunyan Velo.
DeeAnn Resk, M.Ed.
Amanda is Director of TAKE ACTION PORTLAND (Maine) and
a Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Social Change at Prescott
College. She recently submitted a grant request for capacity building
of the program of civic engagement.
DeeAnn Resk, the new Associate Director for Civic Development, is responsible
for helping provide services, advising, and student development opportunities
through community engagement, volunteerism, career exploration, cultural experiences, and civic learning, as well as international education. She will lead two
“voluntour” service-learning programs in conjunction with Via International fall
and spring of this academic year. Resk is also attending trainings through the Institute of Cultural Affairs and the Association for Experiential Education in order to
enhance these new services at the College.
Erin Lotz, M.A.
Mark Riegner, Ph.D.
Amanda Lehman
Adventure Education faculty members Julie Munro ’85 and Erin
Lotz presented a workshop titled Begin at the End:Teaching with
Intention at the Association for Experiential Education Student Symposium in Keystone, Colo. Four College faculty members attended
and presented at the conference (Erin, Julie, Denise Mitten, and
Noel Caniglia). Of special note were two Prescott College student
presenters, Ayla Shaw ’13 and Mike Scott ’14, who led a compelling
workshop titled Adventure Education for a Just World. Prescott College
will host next year’s regional conference in April 2014.
Environmental Studies faculty member Mark Riegner published a paper based on
his long-term research in phenomenology and philosophy of science. “Ancestor of
the new archetypal biology: Goethe’s dynamic typology as a model for contemporary evolutionary developmental biology” appeared in the journal Studies in
History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences.
David Lovejoy ’73
Peter Sherman, Ph.D.
Faculty members David Lovejoy, Lisa Floyd-Hanna, and President
Kristin Woolever represented Prescott College at the annual Eco
League Summit in Anchorage, Alaska. This year’s meeting was
particularly relevant, in light of national trends in higher education,
by envisioning pathways to help our small institutions maintain the
intimate and individualized pedagogy for which we are acclaimed,
while concurrently developing many of the advantages of a much
larger institution in terms of scope of scholarship available.
Chris Marshall ’05, M.A. ’11
Instructor Chris Marshall, along with adjunct instructors Jake
Gaventa ’10 and Patrick Graham, received a grant from the
American Alpine Club for a ski mountaineering expedition into
the Neacola Mountains of Alaska. Over 15 days in May, the trio
successfully established first ascents and descents of nearby peaks in
an unexplored portion of the range.
Nancy Mattina, Ph.D.
Faculty and Learning Commons Coordinator Nancy Mattina has
contributed five essays to New Clear Vision (www.newclearvision.
com) since spring 2012. One of the essays also appeared in the
Journal of Sustainability Education. Her review of nɬeʔképmxcín
Thompson River Salish Speech is forthcoming in the International
Journal of American Linguistics. On sabbatical for 2013–14, Nancy will
continue her research for a biography tentatively titled The God of
Things As They Are:The Life and Work of Gladys A. Reichard.
Charissa Menefee, Ph.D.
Dr. Charissa Menefee, former Arts & Letters faculty member, was a
finalist for the 2013 Julie Harris Playwright Awards. She had several
productions of her original plays this year, including a piece in Five
Stages at Phoenix’s Herberger Theatre. In the fall, she will begin
teaching playwriting, dramatic literature, and speech at Iowa State
University. She will miss directing Prescott College Theatre and
invites alumni to keep in touch.
Denise Mitten, Ph.D.
Master of Arts Program Adventure Education Chair Denise Mitten
presented at the Association for Experiential Education, Northeast
24
Sheila Sanderson, M.F.A.
Faculty member and poet Shelia Sanderson read from her recently published book
Keeping Even at the Peregrine Book Company in Prescott on April 6, 2013.
Peter Sherman and his wife lead educational trips to Costa Rica that focus on
diverse topics such as sustainable production of chocolate, coffee, and bananas;
natural history and conservation of birds; community-based conservation; and
others. Trips for the winter/spring of 2014 have been scheduled.Visit www.EducationalExpeditionsCostaRica.com for more information.
Titiana Shostak-Kinker ’99, M.A. ’12
Instructor Titiana Shostak-Kinker is producing and directing “On the Rocks,” an
all-female rock climbing film. The six-to-eight minute short film is an entirely
women’s production from the ground up. Read more at atypicalart.com/ontherocks/about.
Kerry Skarbakka, M.F.A.
Kerry Skarbakka opened his first solo exhibition at his new gallery in Los Angeles
on July 20, 2013. “Ten Years of Falling” is a selection of images from his long-term
project, The Struggle to Right Oneself, on exhibit at Kopeikin Gallery through September 7. Kerry Skarbakka’s images will also be featured in a 12-part documentary
series called “After the Photograph,” co-produced by the Centre Pompidou in
Paris, and will be screened on the French-German cultural television Arte later in
2013.
Gary Stogsdill, M.A.
Gary Stogsdill, faculty member in the Limited-Residency Undergraduate Program, published a paper, “Math Therapy Exercise,” in the semiannual Journal of
Humanistic Mathematics. The article describes one innovative aspect of his course
Math Explorations.
Priscilla Stuckey, Ph.D.
Faculty member Pricilla Stuckey’s book Kissed by a Fox: And Other Stories of Friendship in Nature, just won the Nautilus 2013 Silver Award in the Animals/Nature
category. Nautilus recognizes books that “stimulate the imagination and inspire the
reader to new possibilities for a better world.”
Pramod Parajuli, Ph.D.
Ph.D. program faculty member Pramod Parajuli gave a visiting scholar keynote for
the Environmental Research Seminar, Ecologies, Technologies, and Indigeneity at
the University of British Columbia,Vancouver, B.C., Canada. His keynote, titled
“Soil to Supper Pedagogy: Deep and Delicious Pathways for Resilient Abuncontinued on page 27
Class Notes
Chris Hout ’92
1970s
Tom Robinson ’73
Tom Robinson and Alexandra Sugahara ’06 just completed their phase one training in Boulder, Colo., to
become Rolfers. Rolfing® is a holistic system of body
therapy, distinct from other forms of bodywork in
both its style and approach to working with the body.
Alex currently works for Colorado Outward Bound,
and Tom worked for Southwest Outward Bound.
They hope to see some whitewater together soon.
Chris and his wife, Lea, recently participated
in the GORD, an off-road duathlon (ride
and run) race in Prescott, Ariz. The duathlon
consisted of a 1.5-mile trail run, an 8.2-mile
mountain bike ride, and a 2.2-mile trail run.
Congratulations on a third place finish!
Otis Kriegel ’94
Karen was a co-founder of Native Seeds/SEARCH along with Gary Nabhan ’74,
Barney Burns, and Mahina Drees. She currently works for the Bureau of Land
Management as the Assistant Field Manager in the Yuma Field Office.
Otis is publishing a book for new elementary
teachers, Everything a New Elementary School
Teacher REALLY Needs to Know (But Didn’t
Learn in College). It’s a “little black book” of
tools and tactics based on his workshop How to
Survive Your First Years Teaching & Have a Life. It
covers aspects of teaching that most teachers have had to learn the hard way—from managing parents to
walking 30 kids down the street safely on a field trip, to why it’s
important to keep a change of clothes in the classroom. The title is
available online through Amazon.
Jeff Salz ’74 and Layne Longfellow
Ann Gassaway ’96
Karen Reichardt ’74
Jeff Salz, past president of the Prescott College Alumni Association (PCAA), is being inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, Class of 2013.
Former faculty member Layne Longfellow will be introducing Jeff. Layne is also
part of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, Class of 1986, along with
Legends of the Speaking Profession, Class of 2012.
Kathleen Stephens ’74
Kathleen Stephens, former U.S. ambassador to Korea (2008–11), was selected as
a winner of the Korean Sejong Munhwa awards. Stephens was nominated as a
recipient in the culture category for her contribution to the Korea–U.S. relationship and her efforts to understand Korean culture. The Sejong Munhwa awards are
granted to individuals or groups that have promoted national culture in Korea.
1980s
Wanda Peters ’80
I have been lucky to work in the environmental education field throughout my
career. My work has included classroom teacher, Park Service ranger, contract
environmental educator, naturalist, coordinator for residential outdoor school programs, eco tour guide, and Audubon nature center director. I went from Prescott
to Flagstaff to the Pacific Northwest to Wyoming. I’ve been blessed with two
incredible daughters who are now grown and following their own passions. Inspiration comes from the rocks, canyons, the birds, streams, rivers, mountains, and
beauty that is everywhere. I am also inspired when I teach and share those nature
moments with others. Another driving force is wanting to help the move toward
a more sustainable, peaceful future. My experiences at Prescott College really
became infused with my life. It wasn’t an education that I “got,” but an education
that’s still happening. I was inspired to make my education a lifelong endeavor —
thanks to Carl Tomoff, Doug Hulmes, and my classmates. My advice to students
interested in following a similar path is to do what you are passionate about, take
the time to figure out what gives you the most joy and satisfaction, and do work
that is in line with what you believe and value. Also, drink the best beer, wine, and
coffee, and eat the best chocolate. Never skimp on those things!
Sean Morgan ’88
Sean announces the publication of his new album
Open the Roof to the Sky, a project some two years
in the making. Sean composed, engineered, and
produced the album. Open the Roof to the Sky
sends an encouraging message to think not only
with your mind, but also to think with your heart,
discovering what lies beyond the edge of the
known and making the intangible tangible.You
can listen to the music and access more information on Sean’s website at morganhartwyld.com.
1990s
Jeff Carlson ’91
Jeff ’s new thriller novel Interrupt hit stores July 23.
Ann writes, “My experience at Prescott never fails to inspire and
nourish my soul, after all these years. Thanks for the experience.”
John Sheedy ’96, M.A. ’05
John created the Festival Internacional de Cine, Álamos Mágico
(FICAM), a nonprofit film festival based in Alamos, Sonora,
Mexico, that promotes positive, educational documentaries from
Sonora and the border regions as well as the work of filmmakers from all parts of Latin America. FICAM will present its fourth
international film festival April 3 through 6, 2014. The theme for
FICAM 2014 is 100 Years of Maria Felix, honoring the life work
of Mexican actress Maria Felix, who starred in over 50 films in the
golden era of Mexican cinema, and whose roots are in Alamos. The
2014 festival will also include France as its invited country. John
currently teaches at the United World College and is working with
Bisbee mayor Adriana Zavala to help start a film festival in Bisbee.
Sheedy and Zavala hope to create sister festivals that will strive to
create cultural bridges between Arizona and Sonora.
Claudia Fantz ’97
In 1997, I studied photography and adventure education at
Prescott College. My professor, Hans Drake, made the contact to
Prescott College possible. It was one of the best and most intensive
times of my life. I grew on a personal and professional level so
much! I am still very thankful for everything I learned there. I
want to tell you that the teachers, the community, the slogans, the
field trips, and the doing helped me to become the woman I am
now. One of my teachers asked me over and over again, “Who
are you, Claudia? What is your place in the world?” And they
reminded me, “You are unique.” Today, I work as a family therapist
in nature. I give dance therapy and educate people to become
wilderness therapists. Best regards from Bremen, Germany. www.
ozorio.de.
Eliot Treichel ’97
Eliot read from one of his short stories, “The Golden Torch,” at the
Windfall Reading Series in February. The Lane Literary Guild’s
Windfall Reading Series has brought vibrancy and inspiration to
the community for 23 years. Windfall invites writers to read in
Eugene, Ore., and honors local writers by providing them with an
attentive audience and a modest stipend.
Christopher Glade ’99
Christopher received a Masters in Social
Work from ASU in May 2013. “I’m thankful for the incredible support of my family
during this endeavor, thank you Miriam!”
Chris now works for the Prescott VA-HUDVASH Program to house homeless Veterans
in Northern Arizona. Direct questions can be
sent to gladeguides@gmail.com.
25
Class Notes
Please send Class Note submissions to alumni@prescott.edu
2000s
H. River Gates ’00
Class Notes
River, along with co-authors R.B. Lanctot and A.N. Powell,
published “High renesting in Arctic-breeding Dunlin: A clutch
removal experiment,” in Auk.
Maree ReMalia ’01
On Saturday, April 6, 2013, Maree facilitated a workshop in Prescott
that was open to the public ages 16 and over. Beginning with a
class in the Gaga movement language, she moved into improvisational explorations, drawing from a variety of dance and theater
methodologies/artists.
Shari Leach M.A. ’02
Shari is Executive Director of the Women’s Wilderness Institute,
which was awarded the Human Rights Award on February 2, 2013,
at the 20th Annual Cherry Creek Diversity Conference in Denver.
A one-day event attended by over 1,000 high school students from
around the state of Colorado, the conference tackles all aspects of
making students safe and welcome in a high school environment
through a series of workshops, group discussions, personal stories,
and lots of music. The Women’s Wilderness Institute was selected to
receive the award because of the “positive impact” that wilderness
programs have on students’ self-esteem and their ability to make
new friends.
Geoffrey Boyce ’04 and Sarah Launius ’05
Geoffrey and Sarah had a chapter recently released in a new
University of Georgia edited volume titled Beyond Walls and Cages:
Prisons, Borders, and Global Crisis. The chapter,
co-authored with the Borderlands Autonomist
Collective, covers a little-known border enforcement program called Operation Streamline.
Boyce and Launius’s chapter is part of a section
of the book focused on contemporary issues
in Arizona. Also included in this section is a
chapter by current Prescott College faculty
member Zoe Hammer on a successful campaign
in Arizona to thwart prison expansion. Boyce
and Launius moved to Tucson after graduating from Prescott and
continue to live and work in Tucson while they complete doctoral
degrees at the University of Arizona School of Geography and
Development. More information about the book at www.ugapress.
org/index.php/books/beyond_walls_and_cages/.
June Covington ’04
June recently completed her doctorate from Capella University.
Congratulations!
Nicole (Montemurro) Zdanowski ’04
Nicole and her husband Dr. Joseph Zdanowski completed their
first book, Evology, presenting a new paradigm for healthcare in the
21st century. The introduction to the book reads, “Every morning
we wake up with a chance to be healthy, vibrant, and on point. But
for no good reason, most of us feel somehow ritually opposed to
helping ourselves. These are observed and learned behaviors.Yet,
as seen in the pages of this book, we have the tools to embrace
our opportunities and make each of our situations a living reality.”
Joseph is a chiropractor and holistic health practitioner and Nicole
is a physics teacher.
Adam Katzman ’05
A video called “Poop and Paddle” appeared on NPR’s Science
Friday video page featuring Adam Katzman’s invention—the toilet
boat. It’s an outhouse and sewage-treatment plant in one, processing
human waste through a “constructed wetlands.”
Toni Stafford-Newby ’05
This past June, Toni invited anyone interested to Terrapin Hollow, a
40-acre family forest in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas,
to help build an Earthship structure. Free camping and food and
libations were provided.
26
Heather Stoken ’06
Heather has been teaching yoga in schools and the community since 2007. She
has also been teaching at retreats for the last two years, combining her love of
exploration, travel, and experiential learning! This October, Heather will be facilitating a trip to Hawaii. The retreat will focus on relaxation, personal health, and
local/sustainable food. For more information, go to www.synergybloom.com.
Judd Schiffman ’07
Judd is living in Providence, R.I., and is working on a new book of over 50 illustrations. The book, Transmogrification, consists of a culmination of themes Judd
has been working on in his drawings, paintings, and sculpture throughout the past
seven years. Read more at www.kickstarter.com/projects/1884530473/transmogrification.
Libby Rasmussen ’08
Libby married Cory Copa last March in Jamaica. She started a small business
called Sherman Writing Services and invites you to check it out at
facebook.com/shermanwritingservices. She wants to give a shout out to Sam
Henrie who got her started in the editing field her senior year at Prescott
College!
Samuel C. Leslie ’09
Sam Leslie was awarded a fellowship by Princeton in Asia to work for the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature in Vientiane, Laos. As
Convention on Biological Diversity Governance Officer for the International
Union for Conservation of Nature, Sam works with the Lao government and
international NGOs to draft national- and provincial-level strategies for the
conservation of biodiversity and protecting rural livelihoods. When not in the
office, Sam plans research trips and workshops with rural villages along the
Mekong, working with the communities to designate conservation areas/fish
spawning sites, reptile monitoring programs, bird conservation programs, and the
development of ecotourism opportunities. He will be in the Lao PDR for quite
some time and asks any Prescott alumni in the area to grab a meal with him.
You can reach him at samcleslie@gmail.com.
Amylee Thornhill ’09
Amylee and other female rock climbers are making a film.
Jennifer Whitaker ’09
After graduating from Prescott College in 2009, Jennifer landed her dream job as
executive director of Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.You can read more about
Jennifer’s work with this endangered species in the New York Times.
2010s
Kristin Litz ’10
Kristin published with Dr. Denise Mitten, Adventure Education Masters Chair, an
article titled “Inspiring Environmental Stewardship: Developing a Sense of Place,
Critical Thinking Skills, and Ecoliteracy to Establish an Environmental Ethic of
Care” in the Winter 2013 edition of Pathways:The Ontario Journal of Outdoor
Education. Pathways is the voice of outdoor education in Ontario.
Jessica (Smith) Kellogg ’11
Jessica recently completed the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate School as a Surface
Warfare Officer. She is currently assigned to the USS Oscar Austin in Norfolk,Va.
Lidice “Lee” Cohen ’12
Lee Cohen graduated from the Limited-Residency Undergraduate Program in
December and is doing excellent work in the Miami, Fla., area creating art and
working with children with autism and other disabilities. She recently opened a
studio and has been super busy. Learn more about her work at
www.expressionbylee.com.
Laura Hitt ’12
Laura Hitt’s piece, “GrownUps,” was selected for publication in the 2012 edition
of Plain China: Best Undergraduate Writing, a national literary anthology showcasing
the best undergraduate writing from across the country. Congratulations Laura!
Hannah Johnson ’12
Hannah has been working with the Yavapai Reentry Project, which provides
direct services to individuals being released from Arizona Department of Corrections prisons and returning to Yavapai County.
Jesse Rens ’12
Laura Banks ’13
Laura is planning on traveling with her husband for the fall and winter. Laura
writes, “I would be thrilled to share my home, chickens, garden, and cats in
Bellingham, Wash., with fellow alumni while we are away. It’s the ground floor
of a two-story house with a private half-acre yard. The upstairs is a separate
rental unit. Rent is $900 per month.” Please email
laura.banks@prescott.edu for photos and more information.
Antonio Lopez, Ph.D. ’13
Antonio is a writer and educator bridging media literacy with
ecoliteracy. He has written two books, Mediacology: A Multicultural
Approach to Media Literacy in the 21st Century (2008) and The Media Ecosystem:What Ecology Can Teach Us about Responsible Media
Practice. Read more at www.themediaecosystem.com.
Marna Hauk, Ph.D. program ’14
Marna presented The Earth beyond sustaining: Assessing and
designing for regeneration by developing the Transdisciplinary Regenerativity Index and Leaf, fire, river, hive, and storm: Catalyzing
regenerative education in small group collaboration through complex
ecological fractals at the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology
and the Life Sciences 2013 Conference in Portland, Ore.; Five
fractal geometries for creative, sustainable, and just educational design
and Blanking out whiteness: Decolonizing impoverishing systems of
domination, connecting with ancestral place cultures for reinhabitation
at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in
San Francisco in April. With Faculty member Denise Mitten
she presented Deep green enterprise: Extending enterprise innovation
through biomimicry, regenerative design, and systems ecology in a graduate course at Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in
Higher Education (AASHE) in Los Angeles in November 2012.
“I particularly appreciate the many ways in which the Prescott
College approach to learning and philosophy of instruction relates
to the ways in which we operate the GO program at SU,” said
Lassahn. On Friday, March 22, 2013, President L. Jay Lemons
accepted the Andrew Heiskell Award for Internationalizing the
Campus on behalf of Susquehanna University. Given by the Institute of International Education, the Heiskell is the most coveted
award in international education and recognizes Susquehanna’s
GO program and related initiatives. Because the program is still
growing and developing, opportunities for research, assessment,
and continued development abound. With this in mind, Lassahn
continues to consider ways to connect his Prescott coursework
with his participation in the GO Program.
Jeremy Solin, Ph.D. program ’15
Clare Hintz and Jeremy presented Foodsheds: Further Concepts and
Applications in Sustainable Agriculture, Place and Regional Economies,
at the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society annual meeting held June 19 through 22 at Michigan State University, East
Lansing, Mich.
Graduate Teaching Assistants, M.A. Program
A warm welcome to the nine new Graduate Teaching Assistants
(GTAs) who will stay on campus for next two to three terms:
Aniko Lewis M.A.’16, Brianna Boertman M.A.’15, Jennifer Gulick
M.A.’16, Katie Hayden M.A.’15, Starr Ladehoff M.A.’16, David
May M.A.’15, Claire Zane Murphy M.A.’15, Laura Tully’13,
M.A.’14, and Wanda Peters ’80, M.A.’15. Graduate Teaching Assistantships provide graduate students with experiential learning
opportunities working with faculty members and students in the
On-Campus Undergraduate (OCU) program in Prescott.
continued from page 24
Clare Hintz Ph.D. program ’14
Clare presented I Am Part of You: Five Women Permaculturists and Farmers at the Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society meeting in Michigan in June. The talk
featured Clare’s use of arts-based research methods in a pilot of her dissertation
project: an ethnography of women farmers.
Abigail Lynam, Ph.D. program ’14
Abigail presented Transformation in a Changing Climate at an international conference in Oslo, Norway, June 19 through 21. She spoke about supporting the
development of climate change leaders through the use of adult developmental
psychology, and co-facilitated a day-long workshop on transformative leadership.
Nicky Phear, Ph.D. program ’14
Nicky presented at an international conference in Oslo, Norway, Transformation
in a Changing Climate, June 19 through 21. Nicky spoke about the U.S. climate
change debate and her use of the deliberative process to foster dialogue on climate
action.
Janet Ady Ph.D. program ’15
Janet presented Citizen science: Engaging public participation in environmental research to
meet shared conservation goals at the Interactions of Society and Environmental Science Seminar Series offered by the USGS Science Center in Fort Collins, Colo.,
in April 2013. She also co-presented Tools of engagement: A toolkit for engaging people
in conservation (III-43) at the Public Participation in Scientific Research workshop
in conjunction with the Ecological Society of America’s conference in Portland,
Ore., in August 2012.
Eric Lassahn, Ph.D. program ’15
Ph.D. student Eric Lassahn has a passion for
fostering sustainable communities through
cross-cultural service learning. Working as
Director of Residence Life and the Center
for Civic Engagement at Susquehanna University (SU) has afforded Eric the opportunity to participate in the evolution of the
campus’ Global Opportunities (GO) program.
dance,” was well received. Along with two of his Ph.D. advisees,
Antonio Lopez ’13 and Abeer Salem ’13, Pramod also attended the
World Social Forum in Tunis, Tunisia, where they participated in
outreach for Prescott College, the Ph.D. Program in Sustainability
Education, and the Journal of Sustainability Education, and presented
during two sessions.
Rachel Peters, M.A. ’04
Rachel, Director of Field Operations,
Jennifer Weaver ’97, and Bob Ratcliffe ’78
met up with Senator Tom Udall ’70 (DNM) in Washington D.C. in June. Udall
was honored as one of America’s Great
Outdoors Congressional Champions during Great Outdoors America Week (GO
America Week), June 24–June 27, 2013, in
Washington D.C.
Alan Weisman, M.A.
Former faculty member Alan Weisman has written a new book due
out shortly: Countdown: Our Last, Best Hope for a Future on Earth?
Bill Wickersham, Ed.D.
Former faculty member and Interim Dean of the Center for Indian
Bilingual Teacher Education at Prescott College Bill Wickersham
taught the University of Missouri’s Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute course titled “UFO Reality, Cover-up, and Disclosure:
Film Portrayals.” The class was held in June.
27
Class Notes
Jesse is starting up a new design business in Prescott named OK Create Design
Studio. Check it out at www.okcreatedesign.com.
In Memoriam
In Memoriam
Paolo Soleri
Special contribution by Tony Brown of the Ecosa Institute at Prescott College
E
cosa guest lecturer Paolo Soleri died on April 9, 2013, just before his 93rd birthday,
leaving a major legacy that, given the current state of the environment, we would
do well to revisit. When Ecosa students visit Soleri’s archive at Arcosanti they are
impressed not only by the quality and quantity of his creative output but also by the scope
of his thinking. He was a philosopher, cosmologist, theologian as well as an architect. His
notebooks and sketches, as well as his published work, show a refined sense of form and
placemaking that work in multiple, layered, interconnected ways.
Perhaps what he will be best remembered for is the development of the concept of
arcology, a blending of architecture and ecology. His designs for cities displayed in vast
sculptural models in a traveling exhibition titled “The City in the Image of Man,” gave
major national exposure to these ideas and attracted thousands of volunteers to begin work
on the prototype—Arcosanti.
Soleri’s built projects demonstrate a deep understanding of the relationship between
Paolo Soleri, courtesy of Tony Brown
people and space. One has only to walk under the vaults at the center of Arcosanti to sense
a master at work: space that blends enclosure with openness and focuses a connection with the natural landscape of mesas and
valleys.
His ideas continue to be critically important. The city and its design is becoming the greatest challenge our society faces.
Soleri recognized the importance of the city to civilization as well as its impact on the environment. He was a man of vision
who has sometimes been dismissed as a dreamer, but society desperately needs dreamers who can dream solutions to the
coming crises. We have lost a brilliant mind at a critical time in history, and keeping his ideas alive may be the key to our future
salvation.
Edward Calvin Sunshine
Edward Calvin Sunshine of Phoenix died May 8, 2013, at the age of 77. Cal, as he was known here,
served Prescott College as Vice President/Director of Admissions in the late 70s. He was born in Brooklyn, and after graduating from ASU, he taught at Pepperdine University and California Lutheran. He was
Educational Advisor at Pacific Christian College and, upon returning to Arizona, served Prescott College.
Cal had a hand in starting the Adult Degree Program, which his first wife Sunny served as part-time director. He was also an entrepreneur, starting a publishing company in Prescott, as well as a marketing and
printing firm and an investment company in Phoenix. His second wife, four children, two brothers, and
nine grandchildren survive Cal.
Ruth McCormick “Bazy” Tankersley
Arabian horse breeder and all-around Tucson-community-builder Bazy Tankersley died at her home in
Tucson at the age of 91 on February 5, 2013. Best known as owner of Al-Marah Arabians, she was also
recognized for her work in the community. She founded St. Gregory College Preparatory School and
served as president of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. She received an honorary doctorate from
the University of Arizona in 2004 in recognition of her contributions, and she was a benefactor of the
Prescott College Tucson Center. Before moving to Tucson she lived in the Washington D.C. area, where
she was publisher of the family-owned Washington Times Herald. After the paper sold, she devoted herself
to horse breeding and philanthropy. Two sons, two daughters, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren survive her.
Randy Udall ’72
In late June 2013, 61-year-old Randy Udall set out into the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming for
a solo trek. He told his family he would return home to Colorado on June 26. When he did not show
up, an intense search ensued. On July 3 Randy’s body was discovered along his planned route. He died
suddenly, apparently of a heart attack or stroke. He was a son of longtime Arizona congressman Morris Udall, nephew of Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, brother of Colorado Senator Mark Udall, and a
cousin of New Mexico Senator Tom Udall ’70. Apart from his political relations, Randy was best known
as an energy-efficiency expert and cofounder of the Community Office for Resource Efficiency, which
promoted the use of renewable power in and around Aspen, Colo. He will be much missed among the
Prescott College community, and within the bigger environmental/conservation picture he helped paint.
28
Library for the Compleat Activist
Donor Richard Bakal establishes student lounge and library to foster activism
By Marjory J. Sente,Vice President for Institutional Advancement
You may be wondering if we let a typo
slip by during the editing process of this
magazine. Nope. The “compleat activist”
is spelled exactly the way donor Richard
“Dick” Bakal wants it to be, and it holds a
particular meaning he’s adamant about.
Let’s start at the beginning.
President Kristin Woolever, Director of
Alumni Relations Marie Smith, and I
were on the east coast to host and
Dick Bakal (right) at
Library ribbon cutting,
attend alumni gatherings in Mystic
May 2013
Seaport and New York City in September
2011. We always try to make the most of these trips by visiting
with friends and donors of the College. Dick, who makes his
home in Connecticut, was on the short list.
Dick Bakal is a personal friend of Dan and Barbara Garvey
who came to know them and our community of like-minded
individuals through a lifelong dedication to experiential learning.
After the Garveys’ arrival in the early 2000s, Dick’s connection to
the College quickly grew into one of a donor and steadfast supporter. His family foundation was the first and one of the larger
donors for the Crossroads Center construction, and has been a
key supporter of the Kenya Project since its inception. As Executive Director of the Bakal Family Estate and the family’s Wine
Trust, Dick is a prolific philanthropist.
Over dinner we talked about a variety of what seemed at the
time to be very disparate topics: His immigrant parents’ inspiring
rags to riches tale; how he met Dan Garvey almost by accident
at an experiential education conference; his personal library that
wouldn’t fit into his house after the planned closure of his office;
a passion for what he called compleat activism—grassroots, being
willing to take on the work necessary for change, and ensuring
the sustainability of that change, not unlike Mary Poole’s work
in Africa; all the family photos and personal mementos of a long
and well-lived life he wasn’t sure who to pass along to; and much
more.
After dinner he invited us to tour his library and office and
offhandedly asked if the College wanted any of it. Kristin said,
“Why not?” Later, I summarized Dick as an intelligent guy with
interesting ideas, an eclectic collection of books, and lots of family
photos.
However, those who know Dick are keenly aware
that once the seed of an idea begins to formulate in his
fertile mind, he has the tenacity to nurture it into a mature project. And those who know Kristin can tell you
she’s usually serious and rarely speaks an unmeasured
word, even in casual situations in response to informal
remarks.
Soon after the trip, Dick began sending me communiqués about his idea to have a student lounge and
leisure reading library for Prescott College’s students.
He wanted to dedicate the space in memory of his parents, and his library would become the core resources
for the Compleat Activist Project housed at the College’s Institute for Sustainable Social Change (ISSC).
He would ensure the ongoing maintenance of the
library and lounge through an endowment from the
Bakal Family Foundation and a supervisory agreement
with directors of the ISSC.
In May Dick’s dream was dedicated as the Max and
Bessie Bakal Memorial Lounge and Library located in
the recently renovated Wren building near Butte Creek.
This fall the entire Wren building was opened as a Student Activities Center where any of our students will
be able to hang out and relax or find space for quiet
reflection, with access to a library that boasts volumes
from health to travel to self-help to religion.
“A quiet space for reflection is key to the learning process, a fact often overlooked when the subject
is social activism,” President Woolever says. “The Bakal
Lounge and Library provides a nurturing space where
students can reflect and synthesize their learning before
taking direct action. It’s a wonderful—and necessary—
complement to the Institute for Sustainable Social
Change and the College’s overall emphasis on social
justice.”
Dan Garvey put
it best at the Library
and Lounge dedication when he
described Dick as
“The Compleat
Philanthropist.” What
more can I say but
“Thank you, Dick.” Library for the Compleat Activist, 2013
Annual Report Online
For the past few years, readers have been able to find the Prescott College Annual Report here in the pages of Transitions. As our
donor list has (thankfully) grown, so has the amount of space taken up by the report. This year we’re taking pages back to tell more
in-depth stories for and by our College community. Starting in November you can access the Annual Report online in PDF format
or flip through it in your web browser with Issu at www.prescott.edu/give/annual-report. For a printed copy, contact the
Advancement Office at (928) 350-4505 or development@prescott.edu.
29
The Last Word
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U.S. Postage
Advancement Communications
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Prescott College
Phoenix, AZ
220 GROVE AVENUE
PRESCOTT, AZ 86301
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All contents of this publication are printed on recycled FSC certified paper and are 100 percent recyclable.
Be one of the 90 Percent
Remember Prescott College in Your Will
Charles Franklin Parker and wife Anna, 1980
Yes, 90 percent of people who leave a
bequest to an organization name it in
their will. Just a simple will (not a fancy
planned gift) is the document that can seal
the deal and your investment in the future
of Prescott College.
Profile of a Giver—You:
• Want to support Prescott College after your lifetime.
• Have a will or living trust, or are ready to create one.
• Are young or old, wealthy or middle class.
• Want to make a charitable gift to Prescott College
while ensuring family is taken care of first.
• Want to maintain the flexibility to change your mind
at any time.
• Want estate tax relief.
• Want to be a member of the Prescott College Charles
Franklin Parker Legacy Society.
We Can Help
Contact the Advancement Office at
(928) 350-4505 or
development@prescott.edu
with any questions about naming
Prescott College in your will or living trust.
We’re happy to help you
make this important
investment in the future
of Prescott College.

Transitions Spring 2013

Transcription

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