Week 1: First Impressions

Every student attending Florida Gulf Coast University must enroll and complete a course that is unique to the university called University Colloquium. Florida Gulf Coast University is one of the most "green" campuses across the country. Environmental awareness and sustainability are emphasized in our community.

Over the summer, I ran into FGCU's Director of Sustainability for Student Government and he was on his way to our school's "Food Forest" and asked if I would like to join. I said why not, jumped in the golf cart, and off we went! I had never been to the Food Forest, and to be honest, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  After a quick ride down FGCU Parkway, we arrived at the Food Forest.  When I first caught glimpse, it was a vegetable extravaganza.  Over an acre of organic produce, ranging from cherry tomatoes, bananas, basil, herbs, and more.  A veritable vegan's paradise!  I helped replant some beautiful sunflowers that were as tall as me, pick some tomatoes, and sampled one of the mint leaves.  My mouth's watering just thinking about the experience.  My happenstance tour of the Food Forest made a lasting impression on me and gave rise to a greater interest in learning more about the environment.  I look forward to building upon this experience during my Colloquium class this semester.

Being a Junior and a member of the FGCU Honors Program, my advisor suggested that I take Honors Colloquium this semester.  I am excited to take the course with some familiar faces, and also to further my education about the environment.   Before going to the first class of the course, I thought that University Colloquium is a course that teaches sustainability and facts about the environment that surrounds Florida Gulf Coast University through field experience and textual materials.  I also believed it would be an in depth study of the Everglades and it's wild life.  Friends, who already took this course said it was eye opening and very interesting.  I think this class will provide me with my own ecological perspective, and a foundation to develop opinions about what I believe is important in the environment.  Professor Wilkinson ended the first class with the thought provoking statement: "this course will provide you with a sense of place."