by Julie Sowell

Berea students built a pottery kiln, musical instruments and a log cabin; gained insight from such diverse documents as quilts and photographs and studied literature from the American South to Algeria. Looking behind today's headlines, they examined media coverage of politics and the chemistry of the environment. They explored the heights and depths of human experience literally (in the Great Smoky Mountains and in Kentucky caves) and figuratively (courses on and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement and on death and dying). They made computers "think," composed hymns, wrote plays about their grandparents and designed a sustainable house. Forests were studied as literary metaphor and as precious natural heritage. Almost a hundred students took part in courses that included study in other countries.

In short, it was a typical January Short Term at Berea, which offers both students and faculty out-of-the-ordinary teaching and learning experiences.

Since 1971, Short Term has provided students with the opportunity for intensive study in one course or topic of special interest. It also allows for professional growth of faculty and staff through planning and teaching new courses, which are frequently unique or experimental in content and experiential in format. Every student must complete three short terms for every four years of full-time study at Berea. As alternatives, students can also receive credit internships, independent studies and educational exchanges.

This year, more options than ever were available to students and faculty for the term. Among the more than 80 different courses offered, ten were held off-campus during all or part of the month. In the U.S., short term study took students to California, New Mexico, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Texas. International courses ranged in focus from the study of theatre in southeast Asia, to the arts and culture of Mexico to the history of Paris. A fourth short term course with an international focus will be offered this spring as students travel to Europe for an intensive study of the Holocaust. Several courses culminated in performances on campus, bringing the benefits of short term to the entire campus community.

Appalachian Folk music and instruments, taught by dr. James Yount, professor of technology and industrial arts, gave  students like Rebecca wheat'o4 the opportunity to study folk music and history , research traditional instruments, and construct simple  folk instruments of their own.

"From Broadway to Berea Musical Theater: History and practice," taught by Dr. Ann Soberg, assistant professor of music, studied  the development of American music theater, Here, Lucas Pepke, '04, Laura Heaberlin,'03, Kaitie Holman,'04, Amberlee Johnson and Lowell Sellards,'03, perform a scene for the musical Jekyll and Hyde.