Study Abroad 2017: Joshua Sanders '18 in China

By Joshua Sanders '18

August 9, 2017: Hello all, this time from America! I’ve finally settled back in and gotten used to the time difference (and I’m almost over how sad I am about not being able to get awesome Chinese food every day). For the last two weeks of my China trip, I left the research laboratory and joined up with the United Nations Academic Impact “Incredible Three Gorges” Summer School for classes such as Chinese culture, mythology, songs, dance, language, and calligraphy (to name a few). Unfortunately, I passed all of my classes so I won’t be heading back next summer to re-take any of them (ha-ha). I got a Chinese name during the summer school classes, “成河人” (Chéng Hé Rén) meaning to become like a person of the river. I helped choose this name because of a traditional Chinese idea about water and rivers, “上善若水” (Shang shan ruo shi) meaning “the highest virtue is to become like water”. In Chinese culture rivers and water are seen calm and gentle, bending and giving way to stronger forces when needed but also being strong and carving through rock and tackling obstacles.

Throughout our time in the summer school program, each of the foreign students (two from Korea, three from Italy, and two other Americans plus myself) were assigned a volunteer who was a student at CTGU to help us and guide us. My volunteer, Jiang Nan, was incredible and was always happy to help us out or go out shopping, eating, or to KTV with us. She even helped me online shop for some gifts for others (and myself) online, and is shipping one to me that arrived after I’d left! All of the other volunteers were amazing as well, and at the closing ceremony before everybody left there were tears and hugs all around.

During the summer school, in addition to classes we went out on cultural outings, such as visits to the Three Gorges Dam (the world’s largest hydroelectric power facility), Zigui and Jiangxi for white water rafting (yes, white water rafting!), a tea factory to learn how to pick and process green tea, and a trip to a bijou factory. (Bijou is a traditional Chinese alcohol, the translation into English is “wine” however bijou is not wine, it is most certainly liquor… very strong liquor.) I have been and will continue sifting through all of the pictures I have to post some more to the Flickr album, but I took a lot of pictures and the volunteers took many as well and were kind enough to put them on a flash drive for me, so I’ve got hundreds of pictures and movies to go through.

My last night in China, I went out with several friends from the research lab I had worked in, and we ate dinner then went out singing KTV. Karaoke, which is “KTV” in China, is incredibly popular. In America, when someone says “karaoke” the mental image often conjured up is someone in a bar who got drunk and decided that karaoke was a good idea, but in China this isn’t the case at all. There are very nice KTV places with lots of individual rooms, and you and your friends can rent the room for a few hours. In the room, there’s often a disco ball or some laser lights, and a really nice tv set-up with a little tablet/display to pick songs to sing; KTV is comparable to making plans and going out bowling or to play mini-golf with friends.

Now that I’m back stateside (which almost didn’t happen on time because my flight from Yichang to Shanghai sat on the tarmac for two hours before take-off, yikes) I definitely want to stay for a while and finish my schooling but after I graduate from grad school (hopefully with a Ph.D) I definitely want to go back to Yichang and teach for a year at CTGU. I’ve spoken with some of the instructors at the school and with Dr. Johnson about it, and I’ve been told that it’s relatively certain that I’d be able to teach for a year, so that is definitely on my horizon. Until then, I’ll keep in touch with all of the friends I made in China and study hard so that I can graduate on time and get back to Yichang.

Thanks for reading and keeping up with all of my adventures in China, and more pics are on the way when I find the time to get through all of them! And again, I am incredibly thankful that I’m a Ferrum Panther, and that I’m in the Boone Honors Program. The professors, advisors, and everyone else in my Ferrum family help me be the student I am and do the amazing things I have been given chances to do. Without the support of my fellow Ferrum students and the professors and advisors I emailed and Skype called, I wouldn’t have made it through my time in China. It’s a great day to be a Panther.

Read my other blog posts shared in June 2017 and July 2017.

Study Abroad 2017 2: Joshua Sanders '18 in China

By Joshua Sanders '18

July 10, 2017: Greetings again from China! Today officially ends my period of working in the chemistry lab and tomorrow marks the first day of my UNAI CTGU Summer School classes.

(L-R) Dyes Methylene Blue, Crystal Violet,
Methyl Orange, and Sulforhodamine B. 

I found some really interesting data through my work in the lab. In this photograph, I show the four dyes I worked with this summer. The Methylene Blue (MB) and Crystal Violet (CV) are separated from the Methyl Orange (MO) and Sulforhodamine B (SRB) because the MB and CV are cationic dyes and the MO and SRB anionic dyes, meaning that the blue and violet dyes have a positive charge on the dye molecules, and the MO and SRB have a negative charge on the dye molecules.

The biochar I used in all of my research was suspected to be anionic as well (negatively charged.) This was supported by some of my data: the negatively charged dyes didn’t absorb at all on the surface of the biochar, following the old phrase “opposites attract”. Just like magnets, the negative charge of the dyes was repelled by the (suspected) negative charge of the biochar. Also like magnets, the positive charge of the cationic dyes was attracted to the negative charge of the dye.

Though I’m not sure exactly how my data will be used, I have given over all of my data to my research advisor here at China Three Gorges University, and will be told later on if any of my data will be used in any future research or publications.

Joshua Sanders in front of the only Christian church in Yichang.

Before he returned to Ferrum, Dr. Johnson took me to downtown Yichang and showed me around. We visited the only Christian church in Yichang and a popular public park near the Yangtze river, which was filled with people and families exercising and enjoying their weekend. We also went to Wuhan to meet two students, Dawn and Feng, who previously came to Ferrum College, and Pan Xiaojie, from the Wuhan Institute of Hydroecology, who visited Ferrum’s Smith Mountain Lake Water Quality Lab in the summer of 2016. During this trip, Dr. J and I visit the Yellow Crane Tower and had a meal at a crawfish restaurant. Crawfish have become incredibly popular in southern China over the past few years.

Tomorrow the summer school classes start, so I will have another update to send out as soon as I go on more adventures and meet other people who have come to study in China. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, and I look forward to sending out some more pictures and info before I head home. I can’t wait to be back stateside, and I’m definitely ready to be back at Ferrum for my senior year for classes this year. Until then, I’ll be learning, meeting new people, and having adventures. Until next time!

See additional photographs here.

Study Abroad 2017: Joshua Sanders '18 in China

Greetings from Yichang, in the Hubei Province of China!

Joshua Sanders '18 and Dr. David Johnson in China.

My name is Joshua Sanders and I am a rising senior at Ferrum College pursuing a B.S in chemistry. This summer I have been privileged to study at the China Three Gorges University (CTGU) in Dr. Huang Ying Ping’s lab thanks to the generous financial support of the Boone Honors Program. Additionally, I’ve had the honor to work in the same research group as Dr. David Johnson, professor emeritus of Ferrum College, who has been crucial in building bridges and making connections between students of Ferrum College and CTGU.

To be boring and scientific, I’m investigating the catalytic abilities of metal-doped biochar to degrade organic pollutants via Photo-Fenton chemistry. Regular human-speak, I’m looking at the ability of a cheap, easily produced, and environmentally-friendly way to clean up wastewater from pharmaceutical, textile, and industrial production facilities.

Biochar is basically organic material, such as peanut husks, sewer sludge, plants, and other organic stuff, which has been pyrolyzed (or burned and turned to carbon in a low oxygen environment.) Think of ground up charcoal powder, like the activated carbon you use in some aquarium filters, that’s been made from what would otherwise be trash or waste material.

In my case, the biochar was made from a plant that selectively absorbed copper from the soil, meaning it could help “clean” soil before being turned to biochar. An added benefit of a metal-doped biochar is that depending on the metal absorbed, the biochar product can be used in Fenton reactions. In addition to phytoremediation of metal-contaminated soils, the absorbed metal ion is used to generate other chemical species that can attack the pollutants and either absorb them from the water or turn them into less harmful molecules, water, and oxygen gas.

Biochar has become very popular recently due to its wide variety of applications including its ability to “scrub” pollutants from water, soil and air; produce biofuel; and reduce the amount of waste to be managed. Biochar is an attractive and interesting avenue to pursue in the field of climate control and environmental pollution control.

You can see more of my photographs here.

From Spain Back to Ferrum and Onward

by Delana S., Panther Blogger

Whew!  It has been forever since I last blogged and things have been crazy.  Since my time in Spain, I returned back to the United States on December 20th.  Let me say that it felt so good to see my family in person; we did Skype all the time while I was in Spain, but it is vastly different.  From there, I prepared myself to come back to Ferrum and become reacquainted with speaking and hearing English again every day.  Coming back to the United States was not a huge adjustment for me, but that is only because I am used to moving and traveling around a lot.  In Spain, I learned a lot about myself and was able to be myself all the time.  I made lots of friends and I keep in touch with them regularly.

My friends Song and Sarah B.

My best friends in the program -
Felle and Sarah

My usual group of friends

My Alicatina friends

My host mom Andrea

Dinner with my classmates

Christmas celebrations

My co-worker and I
after my return home

Just thinking about it, I talked to a few of my friends a couple of days ago and they told me that some of the friends that I made had asked about me and that makes me happier than most people would think.  I made a home for myself over there and a family that I cannot wait to go see again.  I also talk to my host mom often and keep her updated with what's going on in my life.  Coming back to Ferrum was a bit strange for me because I am a different person and I grew up a little bit more, but knowing who I am makes all the difference.

New look for me

Since the start of this semester, I've had a lot to do and it has kept me really busy!  For starters, I am writing my senior thesis in Spanish about Flamenco, which I learned during my time abroad.  It is a fascinating and intriguing dance with a complicated history; I've had a lot of fun researching it, though at times, it is challenging.  In general, I've had 5 classes, with one being a half-semester science course, so now I have four classes including the thesis class.  It would seem that I should have some time to enjoy the rest of this semester with minimal work, but I am writing another thesis paper in Spanish focused on literature, and a small thesis paper for a history class.  It is a good thing that I like to write or that would be a struggle!  At this point, I am almost done with those papers, but I also have other events that I have to prepare for, such as "Put Cuffs on Cancer," Spring Fling, and a variety of events for seniors.  Graduation isn't that far away now, but at the same time, it is.  It's funny to think about how time has flown by so fast, but yet I still remember coming to Ferrum and beginning my freshman year.  Well there is more that I have to do until that point, but stay updated to read how it all ends here...though in reality, it is only the start of a new adventure!

Adventures in Granada, Spain

by Delana S., Panther Blogger

As another part of the program, we went to Granada, where we toured the city, saw a flamenco show, and stayed in a four-star hotel.  Talk about being a little fancy on our trip (hahaha), but it was really beautiful! 
When we first arrived, we checked into our hotel and then headed into the center of the city, where we then split off into groups to go explore and find places that interested us.  That night, we went to the Alhambra to see some parts of it.

My friend Devin and me

My group consisted of my friend Devin and me because smaller groups are sometimes better than big ones.  We went to a tea restaurant, which also had sweets, and we sat and talked.  It was a very relaxing atmosphere and there weren't a lot of people.  We were in an alley with lots of shops at this point, so we also got some shopping done and explored what these shops in Granada had to offer.  Just to make sure I mention it, Granada means pomegranate, which do grow there.

The beautiful city of Granada

An alley of many shops

La Alhambra at night

La Alhambra was absolutely amazing during the night and even more captivating and mesmerizing during the day.  I have no words to describe what I saw, but you may be able to get a sense of it because I do have a lot of amazing and gorgeous pictures of the buildings, the gardens, and the views of the city.

Besides just touring the city, we also went to a Flamenco show, which blew me away!  It was passionate, intense, and I couldn't look away for any part of it.  Since my thesis focuses on Flamenco, I tried to talk to some of the dancers, but it was not very productive because Flamenco is such a big part of who they are that it was hard for them to answer my questions.  I don't blame them for that though because based off of my research, you start learning Flamenco at a young age and then it is something that is always part of who you are.  I am taking a Salsa/Flamenco class here and it is definitely not easy!  The salsa part I have down, but Flamenco is a bit more technical since both sides of your body eventually do the same thing, but you also have to focus on your arms and your movements.  It is very interesting to learn, and I know that I will try to demonstrate it for my friends when I come back home.  Plus, I also promised my mom that I would show her a few of my new moves. She just laughed at me and nodded.

Overall, Granada was a relaxing trip and helped us get a break from our studies and exams.

Weekend Trips, Bonding Time, and Exploring Madrid

By Delana S., Panther Blogger

Since the last time I wrote, a lot has happened!  My friend Annie and I spent our long weekend in Madrid checking out the city, exploring the sites, and making new friends.  It was not my first time in Madrid, but since she wanted to take a trip with me and eventually go to Madrid, I agreed and I am glad that I did.  Three of our other friends from our program met us there, along with some French girls that we have gotten to know during our time here.

We stayed at a hostel that was central in the city in the sense that from there, you could walk to everything and get anywhere that you needed to.  It was called Las Musas and it was very nice! The hostel gave us a variety of activities to participate in:  pub crawls, flamenco shows, walking tours of the city, and more.  The staff were all so nice and were thoroughly surprised that we knew Spanish so well.  That really allowed us to make friends, and they gave us all the information that we wanted on where to go, where to eat, and things of that nature.  We stayed in Madrid for three days and four nights.

My friend Annie and me

Night number one was spent resting, interacting with the other people staying at the hostel, and getting to know the area we were staying in.  That in itself was an adventure, but that's how I like to live.  The next day was spent checking out all of the great artwork in el Museo Nacional Del Prado (Prado Museum).  It was great that we decided to do that because it rained off and on the entire day, but luckily, we were inside where it was nice and dry.  I remember going to the Prado before, but it was great going to tour it again with my friend and finding pieces that we really and truly enjoyed.  After that, we spoke with some of the people from the area and they told us about a unique little restaurant that had amazing food.  Annie and I were very happy with what we ended up ordering, and the employees were very funny and welcoming.  They thought that we were pretty amusing as well, since the whole time we were there, we spoke in a mix of English and Spanish, depending on what we were talking about.  That night, we participated in a pub crawl and met lots of new people from all over the world, but there were especially a lot of Australians.

Royal Palace view from the gardens

My friends Meriem, Felle, and me

The next day, we met up with our friends at the Palacio Real (Royal Palace of Madrid), walked around a little bit in the gardens, and enjoyed our time together.  How vastly different our lives are now due to our experiences here and meeting one another!  I know that I at least have 30 or so new friends on Facebook, and many of them are from here in Spain, Ireland, France, or other countries.

My friend Alex and me

View from the Reina Sofia

We then went on to explore the Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia (Reina Sofia National Art Museum) and looked at all of the great works there.  The most amazing piece was a painting by Picasso that took up the whole room!  It was magnificent and one of the best parts of touring the museum.  That was my second time there and I highly recommend that travelers to the capital go visit it.  Other than that, it was a nice train ride home and doing homework for class the next day.  Well, until next time!  :)

F-E-R-R-U-M

by Laken P., Panther Blogger

As I am caught in the bittersweet moment of my third and final year at Ferrum, I have truly realized how my short time here has greatly impacted my life as a whole. Facing the uncertainty of the future, along with the memories of the past has led me to think about what has made the past few years ones that I will never forget. A reflection of the life experiences I will take away with me at graduation can easily be broken into FERRUM -- a word that is more than just a school name but is also a major part of my life.

Family. There is a quote that reads, "Here's to the nights that turned into mornings, with the friends that turned into family."  Here at Ferrum College, the "Ferrum Family" isn't just a concept we tell potential students to sell them on our great school; it's an actual pure and raw state that can be felt from the first few weeks on campus and well into alumni status. The common bond of Panther Pride connects each of us, making Ferrum the tight-knit community that it is. Since I have been here, I have met so many wonderful people that make me wonder how I ever made it through the first part of my life without them. Whether it's my roommates, Greek family, club members, or study groups, the people I have met on this campus have truly become some of my closest friends. Every year, another graduation pulls some of us apart, but it is nice to know that we will always be a part of the Ferrum family and have each other to lean on for the rest of our lives.

E-term. One of the best experiences I have had not only at Ferrum, but in my whole life, was the opportunity to travel abroad with a Ferrum E-term (Experiential Term) class. I took an Environmental Science class where we traveled to Ireland to study the culture, heritage, landmarks, and natural history.  We flew into Dublin and spent time traveling around the entire country learning about the rich history of Ireland.  I learned more than I ever have in any other class because I was able to learn the material by visiting landmarks, meeting people from other countries, and experiencing life outside of America. Without this opportunity that Ferrum provided to take an E-term course, I probably would have never had a chance to visit and explore Ireland and Northern Ireland in the way that I did this past summer.  The class and trip are definitely something that I will talk about and treasure for the rest of my life as I hold close the memories of kissing the Blarney Stone, seeing Fungie the Dolphin, walking to the edge of the Cliffs of Moher, climbing the Giants Causeway, and feeding baby sheep - just to name a few!

Recruitment. I thoroughly enjoy being an Admissions Ambassador and Panther Blogger as they are both ways for me to personally connect with potential students long before they ever decide to make Ferrum their home. Sharing my stories and experiences allow me to open up and give potential students a glimpse of Ferrum that propels well beyond an official visit or a website of information.  One of the most important factors in choosing a school is finding a place you can call home, and I am honored that I am able to help future students make that decision. As an Admissions Ambassador, I have given countless campus tours, listened to personal stories and backgrounds, and answered any and all questions that arise. Watching a parent's eyes light up when they realize that their child has found a new home for the next few years is an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. From athletic recruits, special guests, future students, and other special campus events, I gladly step up to tell everyone what makes this place so special. I sometimes have too much to say simply because I love this school and everything about it so much!

Responsibility. Everyone says a college is the time to truly discover yourself, learn what you are meant to do in life, and work hard to achieve your goals. When you pick a major, throw in extracurricular activities, meal times, hours of homework, athletic practices and time to sleep, sometimes it seems like you won't even make it through the day, much less the whole semester or year.  In my time here, I have learned that college is the place where the days drag on for what seems like forever, but the weeks and months fly by. It seems like only a few days ago that I was at home too excited to sleep because I knew I would be moving into my first dorm room the next day. Looking back on the short two years that I have been here, I cannot believe I am facing my senior year of college.  I opened my mailbox the other day to find an application for graduation; that's when it hit me that my undergraduate career is almost over. In the time since my first semester here, I have definitely noticed a change in the way I study, finish my homework, and schedule out my days ahead of time. I have used the skills and resources provided to me to work and ensure that I get a little better each semester. Responsibility is a skill that must be developed in each individual person, but Ferrum does an excellent job of helping guide students to their goals through Freshman Gateway courses, senior capstones, advisor meetings, and professional prep classes.

Unicorns. Of all my campus activities and organizations, my favorite is my sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, whose international mascot is the unicorn. Being a sister of Ferrum's first national Greek organization has brought me some of my closest friends, helped me become a part of something so much bigger than myself, and allowed me constant opportunities to give back to the community. Within the sorority, I have found roommates, best friends, future bridesmaids, study partners, role models, and mentors all while being involved in something that has made me a better and well-rounded person. Delta Phi Epsilon chartered on Ferrum's campus in 2011 and has continued to grow each and every semester. Being a member of an international organization allows for the opportunity to network with alumni, find sisters all across the world, and work hard to raise funds for our philanthropies. We raise money and awareness for our official philanthropies, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), as well as to contribute to the campus and local community. I can't believe that I only have a semester and a half left on campus with my sisters and fellow unicorns, but I know that no matter where I am in the world, they will always be there loving and supporting me.

Mentor. I am involved in many clubs and organizations on campus, and I hold a leadership role in several of them. I am the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Delta Phi Epsilon, Secretary of the Minds-n-Medicine club, and a member of the Honors Advisory Council for the Boone Honors Program.  I also serve as a mentor for the Gateway seminar that freshmen take each fall. Through the opportunities that Ferrum has given me to step up and be a leader, I feel more confident going into the rest of my life with experience and knowledge. There are so many clubs and organizations on campus that allow students to be a member and/or student leader - there really is something for everyone. Becoming involved is one of the best ways to expand horizons, build resumes, and meet new people, and I'm so glad I have been able to take advantage of it all in my short time here!

I'm in Alicante, Spain!

by Delana S., Panther Blogger

I officially just completed week three of my time in Spain, and let me say that it is amazing!  I live with a wonderful host mother named Andrea, who is an amazing cook and very funny.  We live in an apartment building where there are three other students in the same program.  All of us have become pretty good friends and hang out frequently.  Things are great here and yet, I am also doing a lot of work for when I go back to Ferrum in the spring.  Everyone in the program comes from many different places around the United States, and each has a unique story and background that brings us all closer together.

As far as the city itself goes, it is beautiful and hot.  There is never a lack of sunshine here, and it makes taking a siesta more necessary than in the United States.  Also, it's too hot to do much of anything else, except go to the beach, which I have done a healthy amount of.  In all honesty, it feels like I traded one beach for another, since most of my time at home this summer was spent at the beach there.  The only difference is that this one is nicer in the sense that I can walk all the way out to my shoulders before it starts to get deep, and I can see my feet.  The water is not super-clear, but you can see the bottom and that is always a plus when swimming!

The Universidad de Alicante (University of Alicante) is where I am taking classes and spending an ample amount of my time during the week.  Granted, I do not have Friday classes and that is a huge plus in my book, and I am only at the University when I need to be.  The University used to be the airport during the civil war and there are some remnants of that through one of the buildings and the setup of some of the university walkways.  The campus is huge and it is taking a little bit of getting used to, but it is pretty diverse with a multitude of cafeterias, a bookstore, ATM, fountains, and fauna.  The best part of the University so far is that it is close to the city, but not in the middle of it since it is a little set off and makes its own mini-city within the campus.  It is also very common to find friends sitting/laying in the shade just hanging out or doing work.

When it comes to meeting people within the city, we all know that I am not shy and love interacting with strangers.  With Alicante being on the coast and a great tourist location, you can meet a lot of different people outside the university.  I have made a British friend by the name of Alexius, whom I met one day when I was asking for directions.  He remembered me the next time we saw each other and we became friends from that point on.  I have also made friends with two Spanish girls, Veronica and Esther, who are both really interesting to talk to and help me with whatever I need to do or get around here in the city.  They are also great people to go out with and eat tapas or grab ice cream with.  Tapas would more or less be the United States version of appetizers.

I do have some plans to travel and visit a few places around Spain, and so far, I have been to Valencia. It is a unique city that they say is similar to Alicante in many aspects, but at the same time, it is different.  While there, we toured around the city and during my free time, I was able to go with a group of my friends to enjoy some nice Paella, which had chicken and mushrooms in it.  Paella is a Valencian rice dish that can contain an assortment of ingredients.

Every day is a learning experience in Alicante.  It is not my first time in Spain, but it is in this new city, and I have figured out my way around it mostly.  More is sure to happen as my time here continues, but until then...