MU| F e a t u r e s
The Alaska adventure also included fishing,
kayaking, a spontaneous – and brief – swim
in a glacial lake and plenty of hiking. “My
favorite part of the trip was going to Crescent
Lake,” says Billy Pigg ’18, an environmental
studies and biology major. “It was such a
unique place,” added Huffine, “to hike seven
miles up a mountain valley and get to fish
in the middle of a lake, in the middle of the
mountains.”
In addition to helping students learn about
ecology and the effects of climate change,
Sweeten also wants to expose students to
careers in natural resources. “We try to
organize this trip so it has that blend of
academics, looking at natural resource issues
and meeting real professionals, along with
the sort of adventure side, like the wilderness
hike,” he says. The group also connected
with two Manchester students performing
internships in Alaska this summer.
“It made me sure that I chose the right
major,” says Josh Long ’19, an environmental
studies major. Huffine, who started
graduate school this fall at Central Michigan
University, agrees. “Seeing all the different
areas [of research] that are available and [the
researchers’] passion reconfirmed for me
that I can see myself doing this, and this is
something that I want to do.”
Previous pages: Traveling companions on
this year’s trip to Alaska are (from left) Steve
Hammer ’77, Lila VanLue ’79 Hammer, Collin
Huffine ’15, Jordan Lett ’16, Billy Pigg ’18,
Tristan Barley ’19, Josh Melton ’18, Cassi
Root ’17, Josh Long ’19, Melinda Sweeten ’14
and Professor Jerry Sweeten ’75. Clockwise
from top: Josh Melton gets close to a glacier at
Kenai Fjords National Park; Tristan Barley pets
a moose at the Kenai Moose Research Center;
Jordan Lett poses at Crescent Lake; and Cassi
Root delights in catching an Arctic grayling at
Crescent Lake.
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