In Focus

Nearly 300 miles north of Azusa, in the Sierra National Forest, lies 30 acres amidst the lush wilderness of Bass Lake. Here, a scholarly community thrives unlike any other.

Thirty students arrived in September for a different kind of college experience. They dine together. Study together. Bond during backpacking treks. They worship together. They are challenged by faculty, and they challenge back. They learn together. Live together. They become family. All this and more forms APU’s High Sierra Semester.

Also known as the Great Works Option, the concept originated during a conversation between President Jon R. Wallace, DBA, and long-time APU friend Steve Kuljis, owner of Emerald Cove Camp in Bass Lake. They dreamed of a semester experience that would allow students to study in the beauty of the High Sierras and in a close-knit community, where they could forge deep relationships and be challenged academically.

A faculty task force collaborated to design the program, and in 2001, the dream became reality. Now, each year when the Emerald Cove summer camp closes, the site transforms into an intimate academic community.

Students live on site in cabin-style dormitories with two-to-three students per room. Wireless Internet access enables students and faculty to facilitate scholarly research and keep in touch with those on the Azusa campus and at home. Secluded from bright city lights and billboards, the program offers a learning environment conducive to quiet reflection, growth, discussion, and deep relationships. The ability to participate in day hikes, mountain biking, snowboarding, wakeboarding, kayaking, and fishing provides myriad opportunities for students to enjoy nature and connect outside the classroom.

“This slower-paced, more reflective environment is just one of the things that allows students to really grow in this setting, and I can’t think of a better model,” said Rob Simpson, director of the program since 2005. “We have a fantastic group of faculty and staff who are deeply passionate about what they do here. I’m more convinced every day that this is a great place for us to carry out the mission of APU in a unique setting.”

Junior liberal studies major, Cassie Smith, a fall 2006 participant, enjoyed her experience so much that she returned this semester, serving as the women’s resident advisor. “I love everything about the program: the small class sizes that allow you to have closer relationships with your professors, the awesome outdoor opportunities, the tight-knit community that naturally develops between students, and the focus on experiencing and appreciating God’s marvelous creation.”

With a one-to-five faculty-to-student ratio, individual attention abounds. Faculty and staff become guides and mentors as they engage students in thinking critically about not only academics, but also the world around them.

This distinctive atmosphere drew Jack Carter, associate professor of mathematics, to the program. “The exquisite setting, the academic rigor, and the family environment, which facilitate faculty/student mentoring relationships, all coincide with my personal and professional interests.” Carter, along with his wife, Ginny, develops deep relationships with students that continue when they return to the Azusa campus.

This support becomes important as students meet the challenges provided by the rigorous coursework. The program design offers an ideal way for students to fulfill a substantial amount of General Education (GE) requirements. To create a more meaningful approach to the subject matter, faculty use original texts. Rather than read a synopsis about Aristotle, students read his original writings. Instead of studying a multitude of sources, they focus on a few select works and contributions of artists, philosophers, historians, and writers, all from the same time period.

“It’s fantastic to see faculty from different disciplines working together to create an integrated curriculum,” said Simpson. “As a result, we watch as the students see how theology, philosophy, art, and literature connect, and how it impacts their faith journey.”

This intense, sustained attention on the works “equips students to pick up another great work and study it on their own,” said Chris Flannery, Ph.D., professor of political science, who helped create the original curriculum for the program and taught on site during its inaugural year. “By studying a Platonic dialogue with the thoroughness it deserves, students are better equipped to study a novel, epic poem, or other original text.”

Liz Leahy, associate professor of theological bibliography and research, who previously served as a visiting faculty member, finds creative ways for students to more thoroughly understand the works they study. “We act out a dramatic version of the Council of Nicea. We hold Benedictine-style retreats when we study the monastic movement and, like Benedict, develop a rule for living in community. We hold a worship service using liturgy and writings from medieval church leaders.” By using primary texts and devoting significant time for students to delve into these texts, learning comes to life in new ways.

Recognizing that each person brings a different set of gifts and abilities, the tutorial-based approach helps students realize their full potential. “Being in continuous contact with the students, we come to understand the best learning approach for each individual,” said Susan Ney, associate professor of art, who taught during the program’s first two years.

David Williams, Ph.D., associate professor, is in his second year teaching philosophy on site. He spoke about the blurred lines between academics and student life that occur during the semester. “We can look at the students’ whole semester experience and coordinate academic assignments, wilderness excursions, and trips to San Francisco art museums, so that each of these endeavors complements the other.”

Additionally, plenary, a lecture-style seminar, affords students the opportunity to learn from each subject offered on site, whether or not they are enrolled in the class. “This kind of environment allows the conversation that takes place in the classroom to continue,” said Williams.

“I remember when Dr. Flannery was teaching a class on Anselm. He gave the lecture and no one wanted to leave,” recalled Jared Tharp ’05, two-time participant in fall 2001 and fall 2004. “Everyone was so enthralled with what he was talking about; the conversation carried on to lunch and everyone sat around him while we ate. We continued to talk for hours afterward.”

More than a mountaintop experience, the High Sierra Semester seeks to transform students into scholars who love learning and seek God’s truth in all facets of life, whether hiking in the wilderness or riding a Metro train in the city.

“I want students to walk away from a semester at High Sierra and say, ‘That was one of the best experiences of my life,’ and ‘As a result of being there, I have grown a tremendous amount spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally,’” said Simpson. And according to students, that is exactly what happens.

Allison Oster ’01, M.A. ’04, is the public relations manager in the Office of University Relations. aoster@apu.edu

Sheree Black ’02, M.A.R. ’06, is the senior web production specialist in the Office of University Relations. She was a 2001 participant in the High Sierra Semester. sblack@apu.edu