Students from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota are taking classes as they travel down the length of the Mississippi River stopped in Burlington just in time to see the trees turn from green to an array of fall colors.
Katie Johnson, a Junior at Augsburg College is a Political and Science Pre-Law major says that basically the program called River Semester is “just students taking classes while canoeing down the Mississippi River.” Johnson is one of 12 students on this trip and is making this journey to to learn more about how water (particularly moving water) affects politics and the legal system as they travel down the Mississippi.
The crew includes 2 guides, 2 professors and a TA. Most of the students on this trip have their focus on Environmental Studies but not all. A couple of the students are yet undecided, some are focusing on politics, film or English. What brings these students together is a love for the out-doors. Each student is working on a field research project on a topic such as water pollution, the Clean Water Act, agriculture in the watershed, political organizing around environmental issues, race relations and social justice, or urban riverfront revitalization.
And when they are not canoeing, doing research or homework by a campfire they explore the history, literature, food, music, and culture of the Mississippi River from the headwaters to the Delta.
River Semester also allows students to attend town hall meetings and meet with environmental organizations along the river and hear from guest lecturers on Twain and Faulkner, ancient river civilizations, American Indian communities and their fight for justice, and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Crew started on their canoeing voyage on September 1st in Saint Paul and will end around December 10th in New Orleans but not before taking several trips out into the Gulf of Mexico. They made a stop in the Burlington this week and camped out for a couple of days at the Bluff Harbor Marina parking lot. They are taking off and heading south Friday Morning. Anyone near the Keokuk Lock and Dam Friday late morning will see five canoes full of college students and professors go through the lock, headed south all the way down to New Orleans.
Photo by: Ricky Taylor/Augsburg College
A quick stop on an island that is part of the Mississippi restoration project.
For More information about the River Semester or to get to know the crew visit http://www.augsburg.edu/river/
