Bowling Green, Ky. - Twelve students and three faculty members from Western Kentucky University’s Department of Geography and Geology are preparing to leave in December and January for field camp experiences in Tanzania and the Bahamas.

"WKU’s new Winter Term has created opportunities to offer short programs in various countries around the world,” said Dr. David Keeling, head of the Department of Geography and Geology.

For this inaugural Winter Term experience, the Department of Geography and Geology has developed two exciting field-camp programs. The first program leaves on Dec. 28 for Arusha, Tanzania, and will spend 20 days exploring the ecology of the Serengeti, urban development in Dar es Salaam, and resource management issues in Zanzibar, among other themes.

Participating in the Tanzania field camp experience are Adairville junior John Holder, a social studies major; Barbourville senior Londa Willamson, a social studies major; Alexandria, Va., senior Ben Foster, a geography major; Bowling Green senior Amanda Love, an anthropology major; Williamstown senior Daniel Thomas, a geography major; Leitchfield junior Tara Watkins, a recreation major; and Bowling Green geoscience graduate student Erin Greunke. Dr. Keeling and faculty member Debra Kreitzer will lead the Tanzania field camp.

The field camp is designed to expose students to the ecological and natural landscapes of the Rift Valley and coastal lowlands of Tanzania. One of the highlights of the program is a six-day tented safari on the Serengeti Plain, where students will encounter some amazing African wildlife.

The second program leaves on Jan. 2 for the Bahamas, where students will spend eight days investigating various aspects of the physical and ecological environment of San Salvador island. During their visit, WKU students and faculty will partner with students from other universities resident at the Gersace Research Center.

Participating in the Bahamas field camp experience are Albany junior Jennifer Dean, a geology major; Hendersonville, Tenn., senior Maria Hunter, a middle grades education major; Bowling Green junior Ryan Sprouse, a geology major; Louisville sophomore Daniel St. Cyr, a geography major; Bowling Green sophomore Adam Wanta, a geology major; and geoscience graduate student Narcisa Pricope from Romania. Dr. Fred Siewers will lead the Bahamas field camp.

“As WKU continues to prepare students for success in a global society, the department believes that they should ideally have some engagement with societies beyond the borders of the U.S.,” Dr. Keeling said. “The department’s international field camp program, now in its sixth year, provides that opportunity.”

The department has successfully run field camp programs in Chile, Argentina, Australia, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Great Britain and Ireland, and has programs planned for Western Australia, China and Tunisia for summer 2006 and Winter and Summer terms 2007.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Debra Kreitzer at (270) 745-5984.