Out of My Comfort Zone

(Ajarah was one of two students who worked on the Institutional Readiness for Online Education project with faculty mentor Dr. Karl Roeper during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Ajarah N., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

The whole time I was at the Freshman Scholars Program, we did many events that I would have never done at home. When we went to climb the rock wall, I surprised myself by climbing it. I am so afraid of heights, but I still decided to repel off of the rock wall. I was excited as I was climbing up the ladder, but when I got up there, I wanted to turn around. Everyone up there kept encouraging me to just try it, so I did. While I was leaning back about to repel, all I kept saying was "I'm going to die!"  Then I let go and started easing my way down. I was so excited at what I had accomplished.

The Freshman Scholars Program helped me get out of my comfort zone and do things I never thought I would do in a million years!

 

Freshman Scholars: A Life-Changing Experience

(Blake was one of two students who worked on the cAMP Levels in Eschericia coli and Mycobacterium smegmatis project with faculty mentor Dr. Michaela Gazdik during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Blake S., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

The Freshman Scholars program at Ferrum College was a life-changing experience for me. Throughout the course of the two-week program, I gained valuable insight on the profession I plan to pursue, made friendships that will last a lifetime, and grew stronger as an individual. Having the opportunity to work in a lab and perform research that may one day be used to stop a widespread disease is something very few people get to experience. Thanks to this program, I have been able to realize how passionate I am about helping others and how I can do so through laboratory research.

Alongside learning and gaining experience for my future career, I made a friend in each of the other scholars in the program. We created personal bonds with each other while participating in various activities, such as the ropes course, rock climbing, canoeing, and eating in downtown Roanoke. I know that I now have eleven new friends that I can go to if I am ever in need of some help.

The most important aspect of this experience for me was growing more as an individual. I've learned how I can make a difference in someone else's life and that being myself is easier and much more rewarding rather than trying to fit in with the crowd. Through this, I have become a more determined and stronger individual who is focused on achieving each of my dreams and aspirations. Thank you to all of those who played a part in the Freshman Scholars Program at Ferrum College for helping me to grow and learn more than I could ever imagine.  

My Date with the Red-Eyed Rat

(Caitlyn was one of two students who worked on the Development of an Animal Model for the Cognitive Deficits Observed in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) project with faculty mentor Dr. Megan St. Peters during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Caitlyn T., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

I stared at the plastic box in Dr. St. Peters' hands as if it was the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, carrying with it my inevitable demise. Red eyes gleamed from behind a helmet of white fur, and a wormy tail thrashed about wildly so that I could barely make out the number written there in black marker. I knew that hidden beneath the small nose and long whiskers, razor sharp teeth were awaiting my unsuspecting fingers.

I am going to die, I thought.  Right here. In this lab.

I heard Dr. St. Peters' voice, but knowing that a thin sheet of plastic was all that separated us, I could hardly focus on anything but the white pile of fur in front of me. Suddenly, its tiny claws made their first appearance, and I quickly averted my gaze. I was just in time to hear my mentor explain to us how to handle the scurrying creatures, and I realized that my time had come.

Why am I doing this?  Right. Because I'm an idiot.

At that moment, I wanted to tell my mentor that I had been wrong all along:  that I couldn't work with rodents, that I hadn't understood how scary they actually were, and that everything sounded different when she was on the other end of a telephone conversation. But I could tell by the expectant look in her eyes that I wasn't going to be getting out of this. So with a deep breath, I stepped up to the container resting on the smooth black countertop and tried to suppress the urge to run straight out the door and onto the street.

Hesitantly, I stroked the rodent's soft fur, mentally preparing myself for what I would have to do next. Then, before I could talk myself out of it, I latched my fingers onto the base of its tail before lifting it into the air. For a moment, the animal was flailing, its tiny claws slicing the air in every direction. A shrill squeak escaped its fuzzy body as I plopped it onto my outstretched arm and jerked it toward my body while my mind was still screaming to run for my life and never look back.

And then it was in my arms, nestled against my chest. Looking down at the small creature, I began to notice things I hadn't before -- the softness of the hair, the way the nose would twitch periodically, the fluffiness of its ears. Even through the latex gloves, I could feel the fragility of the little rodent I was holding. 

And suddenly, I wasn't so scared.

The rat wasn't going to hurt me. He hadn't made a single move to bite me since I first grabbed him by the tail.  He had never been a threat. The only part of me that had suffered was my pride. I had just let myself be frightened by something not much larger than the hand that was now holding it. I laughed at myself as I realized that I had just made a new friend -- the red-eyed rat.

Learning from a Great Mentor

(Shannon was one of two students who worked on the Investigation of Natural Product Biosynthesis project with faculty mentor Dr. Laura Grochowski during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)  

by Shannon B., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

Being a part of the Freshman Scholars Program was a great experience. Having the opportunity to meet a majority of the professors before classes started, staying in the dorms, and meeting people from the incoming freshman class were all beneficial because I had a better idea of what to look forward to when the fall semester began. I also already have a group of people that I know will always be there for me.

During the two-week program, there wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy doing, but the best part of my day was working in the lab with Rachel and Dr. Grochowski. When I first arrived at Ferrum, I had no idea what we were really going to be doing; after listening to Dr. Grochowski give us an overview on all the material we were going to be looking over, I never thought I’d be able to truly understand what we were researching. Although I asked endless questions and made mistakes along the way, Dr. Grochowski continued to explain everything thoroughly so I understood it and assured me that I would catch on to things quickly.

Throughout our first week in the lab, we learned a variety of ways to use the different instruments to either measure out compounds or to create methods on the computer that would run our samples. After the first week of the program, I was more confident in knowing the information we were researching, and I was able to work the various instruments we were using, like the Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Mass Spectrometer, and more.

During our second week, Dr. Grochowski trusted Rachel and me to work together without having to constantly remind us what to do next when using all the different instruments to make the samples and programs we needed for our experiments. We even started to come up with new experiments and ideas to expand our research on our own.

Dr. Grochowski was an amazing mentor to have during this project because of her positive attitude and outlook on our research and for never giving up on us when we were lost or confused during any part of our studies. This fall, Rachel and I plan on working with Dr. Grochowski and some of the other mentors in the Freshman Scholars Program to continue and expand our research around Ferrum.

 

The Closing Ceremony - Really a Goodbye?

(Brett was one of two students who worked on the Habitat Use and Activity Patterns of Reptiles and Amphibians in Relation to Temperature and Humidity project with faculty mentor Dr. Todd Fredericksen during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Brett W., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

For Friday, August 10th, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the schedule showed that there would be a Final Poster Session and closing ceremony in the Grousbeck 2nd floor lounge. To everyone else, this might have seemed like a "goodbye," but not for me. For example, say you see something amazing through the window of a door. You walk through that door to go into the amazing new world, but once you leave it, you close the door behind you on the way out. Although you have left, I don’t think you ended it; you’ve just simply moved on. That’s what happened in the Grousbeck 2nd floor lounge on August 10.

Throughout the twelve amazing days in the Freshman Scholars program, I worked alongside my roommate, friends, colleagues, and future professors to ultimately collect data for my project, which built up to creating the final poster and my presentation of it. In just those few days though, I did more than just work alongside those people; I grew close to them – every single one – students and professors alike. By doing so, the experiences I shared with them will remain with me throughout all of college, and for some, the rest of my life.

Therefore, when 9 a.m. on August 10 rolled around and I was interviewed by Ferrum Admissions about my project and how the week had gone, I was talking about more than just the science behind the project or the technicalities of the trip; I was talking about my life experience and how much this program meant to me. I was talking about my project to the professors, deans, provost, and president as more than just a program participant though: I was talking to them as friends.

 
A lot of people might want to walk back through the door they just closed because they are scared of what is in the new world. Originally, they were drawn to the amazing opportunities they saw available, but now what? What if something goes wrong? I might have felt this way. I might have felt as if I was saying goodbye to the world I just left, but I don’t feel that way because I have friends now to help me through this new world I’ve just entered; friends who will stay with me along the way.

Going from 12 to 1

(Cari worked on the Water Quality: Point and Nonpoint Sources of Pollution project with faculty mentor Dr. David Johnson during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.) 

by Cari A., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

Before the Freshman Scholars Program, I was so nervous about being away from home for such a long time. I figured that all of the other scholars would be so introverted and kind of keep to themselves, but thankfully, I was wrong. Though I enjoyed all of my time at Ferrum College, I enjoyed meeting and getting close with the 11 other scholars the most. Each and every one of us came from completely different backgrounds and had gone through different experiences. Despite where we had come from, we went from being 12 complete strangers to being one crazy group of friends.  I enjoyed seeing each of the scholars interact with each other in different ways and form lasting relationships. It was also truly a blessing to get to experience spending two weeks with a group of faculty that have a heart for the educational advancement of young people.

As cliché as it may seem, my parents have already said that "the friends you make for life will be the ones who you meet the first week." After only a few days together, it was easy to see that we were working together and helping one another face our individual fears. The Ferrum Outdoors ropes course was my absolute favorite day of the program. When Professor Caston challenged us to work together to achieve a common goal but to do it in silence, we could have moved mountains with the amount of trust we put into each other. We played into each other's strengths to help fight our weaknesses and fears of others, and by doing so, we were able to accomplish so much more than the challenges we were given.

When the time for the high ropes rolled around, each one of us was challenged in some way; even some of the professors felt a sense of fulfillment. I know for me personally, I was challenged when I volunteered to go up with Professor Caston's eight-year-old daughter Mallory. Though she had been up on the course numerous times, she still wasn't tall enough to operate her lobster claws to make her own transfers from obstacle to obstacle. As her partner, I was able to assist her; essentially, I became her lifeline. She had to trust a complete stranger to safely transfer her to different obstacles, and she seemed to trust me with ease. Through my experience with Mallory, I also learned a lot about myself.

A second event on the ropes day that proved to me how our connections were growing so quickly was watching Jessa encourage Dr. Laura Grochowski as she faced several of her fears and enabled her to complete the whole course. Soon after Jessa helped Dr. G., she climbed up the tower to go down the zip line with me. Even though Jessa did not complete the whole course, just climbing up that pole to the zip line was a major accomplishment. As we prepped to jump off the tower, the uncertainty in Jessa's eyes was obvious. I was able to talk her through what we were going to do next; we were going to sit down and scoot off the tower. She looked at me and said, "You are going to have to hold me like a baby." She wrapped herself around me and held on as I scooted us off the platform and we went flying. Jessa had conquered her fear and a bond was formed between us. There are so many more examples of how each of us was challenged to face a fear that we didn't necessarily think we could.

The "unit"

I believe that without the support and the connections that each of the scholars and the faculty have made, we wouldn't have been able to test our own limits. I think that if you were to ask each of the scholars to name a fear they faced during the two-week program, each would be able to give an answer no matter how minuscule it may seem. The Freshman Scholars Program changed the lives of 12 scholars and of nine faculty members and possibly many other people that we don't even realize. The connections we made through this program will be with us all of our years at Ferrum College, and most likely, throughout our lives. I thank all those who put this program together and who will continue to hold it together in the years to come!

- Cari A.

Recreation Day Serves as Practical Application to Our Research

(Rachel was one of two students who worked on the Investigation of Natural Product Biosynthesis project with faculty mentor Dr. Laura Grochowski during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Rachel B., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

Left to right: Dr. Grochowski, me, Shannon Brown

During the Freshman Scholars Program, we went to Philpott Lake for one of the day trips. This was an amazing experience and a really good bonding time for the group. Canoeing proved to be a challenge for some, but overall, it was a ton of fun! We swam yards out into the lake and enjoyed conversations that proved us to be a tight-knit group. While out on the lake, my research partner, Shannon Brown, and I discovered that Philpott Lake was just another practical application of our research on methanogens. Making discoveries such as this really help to relate lab work to real world experiences.

We poked our oars in the sediment and found that bubbles arose. This meant that methanogens are producing methane under the sediment and it is rising. Methane is one of the 5 main greenhouse gases and is one of the 2 major gases causing problems in our environment. Carbon dioxide and methane account for most of the greenhouse effect. Methanogens exist everywhere in the world, including places with cow pastures, rice paddies, and marshes. Ruminants, such as cows, produce most of the methane in the world, but lakes are still big contributors to the total amount of methane produced. Philpott Lake will be the subject of part of our research in the fall. Taking samples from places such as Philpott will allow us to understand the individual methanogens that live around Ferrum.

This experience was a wonderful way to enter college. I now know all of my professors for my upcoming classes. It will make the transition into my freshman year much easier. I will be a lot more comfortable going to class and asking questions.

Juvenile Amphibian Dispersal in Small Ponds of Southern Virginia

(Trevor was one of two students who worked on the Habitat Use and Activity Patterns of Reptiles and Amphibians in Relation to Temperature and Humidity project with faculty mentor Dr. Todd Fredericksen during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Trevor L., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

For part of our Freshman Scholars project, we studied the dispersal of common pond amphibians at Chapman Pond on the campus of Ferrum College. We were trying to find out the timing of the juvenile dispersal of pond-breeding amphibians. We were also trying to find out the time of year and duration of juvenile dispersal of different species of frogs, toads, and red-spotted newts. Finally, we were evaluating whether the dispersal of juvenile amphibians was linked to temperature, humidity, and rainfall.


In order to record information on the juvenile amphibians, we used pitfall traps to catch them as they exited the pond. Pitfall traps are buckets dug into the ground so that the open top of the bucket is at ground level and the cover is placed several inches from the opening of the bucket to allow shade for the amphibians. A fencing material is used to stop the amphibians from getting to the forest, and the fencing helps to guide the amphibians - leaving or entering the pond - into the open pitfall traps.

The traps were by far the most exciting part of the study because we didn't know what to expect. Using the traps, we could have found the amphibians we were looking for to do the study, or we could have found reptiles or invertebrates. During the study, we found that the red-spotted newt was the most commonly trapped amphibian. Also, the majority of juveniles captured were caught in the late summer months instead of the early summer months because the juvenile amphibians needed time to hatch and mature after the mating season. Pickerel frog juvenile dispersal spiked in early June while the red-spotted newt juvenile dispersal spiked in early July. The timing of juvenile amphibian dispersal varied among species. It was also evident that there was a significant positive correlation between rainfall in the previous 24 hours and the total number of captures.

I have really enjoyed this experience, and I think it will help me with the rest of my education.
 

Inaugural Freshman Scholar Program, 2012

(Caitlyn was one of two students who worked on the Development of an Animal Model for the Cognitive Deficits Observed in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) project with faculty mentor Dr. Megan St. Peters during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Caitlyn N., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger

During the first two weeks of August, I attended the Freshman Scholar Program on campus at Ferrum College.  The program was an awesome experience. I met a lot of new people, including several professors, and I got a head start on discovering what is expected of you as a college student.  The program was a lot of work, but there was also time for fun. I was able to experience many new things, such as a high ropes course and doing lab work making an animal model.

In my opinion, the best thing about the program was getting to meet some amazing new people, such as my RA's, the other scholars, and Dr. Goff, who was the coordinator of the program. Although it was hard work and an adjustment to what I was used to in high school, I would definitely recommend other incoming freshmen to attend the program. I can't wait for move-in day and to see everyone from the class of 2016!  

Porcupines, Otters, Snow Leopards, Oh My!

(Jessa was one of two students who worked on the Institutional Readiness for Online Education project with faculty mentor Dr. Karl Roeper during the inaugural Freshman Scholars Program in summer 2012.)

by Jessa K., Freshman Scholar and Guest Blogger
 

After a long week working with our mentors for the Freshman Scholars Program, our trip to Roanoke was the thing on everyone's minds! The activity that caught my attention from the get-go was our scheduled trip to the Mill Mountain Zoo, located next to the Roanoke Star. The word "zoo" caused images of lions, gorillas, and other large, uncommon animals. However, the Mill Mountain Zoo is not on the same level as a large scale zoo, and therefore does not have gorilla exhibits.

At first, I was slightly disappointed, but as I walked through and looked at each animal, I was surprised to see the variety of animals they did have. I thought the pig, goat, and cow exhibit was really cool because it displayed animals commonly found in the area. The size of the zoo really allows visitors to see wildlife that surrounds them but that they never notice. For example, I had never seen a porcupine before, and even though they are not native to my area, they are by no means classified as exotic. Another exhibit that caught my attention was the aviary. While I personally did not enter the structure where it was housed, it was a really interesting way for folks who are interested in birds to get an up-close and personal look at them. That was not the only hands-on experience. Throughout the zoo, there were faculty members moving the animals around who were more than willing to stop for zoo guests to answer questions about the animal. A few of my fellow Freshman Scholars had the opportunity to pet a very large rabbit.

As I rounded a corner with one of my friends, we came upon a snow leopard -- a real, living, breathing snow leopard! I was floored that there was such an exotic creature residing in such a small zoo. There were signs all over the area informing visitors about snow leopard conservation; I had noticed these signs, but the severity of the creature's situation had not hit me until I saw it lying there. The animal was truly pitiful. To see such a majestic creature in captivity was heartbreaking. I know the zoo is doing the best it can to care for the animal, and honestly, the snow leopards' only hope for survival is to breed in captivity. In the snow leopard's habitat, poachers kill the animals simply to sell their pelts for top dollar, without giving a second thought to the endangered animal.

After seeing the captive creature, I knew I wanted to help. Upon entering the gift shop, I saw snow leopard conservation crafts for which proceeds go to help the animals as well as the impoverished peoples surrounding their habitats; I knew I had found a way to contribute. I, along with another scholar, purchased a snow leopard Christmas tree ornament. I know it was a small gesture, but I also know it takes small gestures to make big things happen.

I really enjoyed my time at the zoo with my fellow Freshman Scholars. It provided us with a time to have fun with each other as well as a learning experience. Some of the scholars had never seen goats and pigs while others were able to connect over a common adoration for a particular animal. I plan on making trips to the Mill Mountain Zoo a regular thing during the school year!