The Ithaca Seminar Program here at Ithaca College is one that I am glad I took advantage of. I was in the Sustaining Our Worlds Seminar, a class that incorporated three different departments with three different professors – A biologist, an economist, and a sociologist. The class focused on issues concerning our environment, and takes a look at these problems in a biological, economical, and social frame. This class may not sound that intriguing, and I admit, I didn’t find it all that interesting at first, but I can say with confidence that the class was well worth
taking.

I changed my schedule around the week before class started, and I needed one more class that would fit into my schedule. I saw the seminar as an option, and decided “why not?” The class at first seemed a bit dull, but within the first week we had already planned a trip to the gorges – a trip which I will never forget. While on the path at the very beginning of the walk, a snake slithered passed my feet and, needless to say, I shrieked like a little girl. But did my instructor fear the snake? Nope. Instead he picked it up, and started telling us all about it! From then on, I knew this class would be perfect for me.

During the semester we had classes where we all met together as one large group, and classes where the seminar was broken into three groups that each focused specifically on one aspect of sustainability. In addition, we worked with these smaller groups on an end-of-the-semester project to help the campus become more sustainable. For my group we petitioned the school to start using 100% recycled paper. Whether our project was successful or not, simply saying that I was a part of a group to help make our campus sustainable was a worthwhile experience in itself. But if I had to pick the most important thing that I got out of this seminar it would be all of the friendships that I made through the class. Regardless of which seminar you are in, the professors of these classes make a comfortable social environment just as important as the subjects at hand. You will make friends that you will keep for the rest of your time here at Ithaca, guaranteed. If there was one thing I could say to summarize everything that I’ve said here, and everything that I feel about the Ithaca Seminar program, it would be that taking an Ithaca Seminar is an opportunity that you absolutely shouldn’t pass up.

-Joe Fraioli