News & Articles About College & University

Robert E. Cook Honors College Students Spend the Summer in Cyprus

Indiana, PA (PRWEB) September 19, 2007 -- Robert E. Cook Honors College (www.iup.edu/honors) students from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (www..iup.edu) journeyed to one of the world's most popular tourist destinations to explore its modern day culture and uncover its past.

Led by Dr. R. Scott Moore, an IUP history professor (http://www.chss.iup.edu/history/), the team unearthed artifacts over the summer from the site, where close to the sea on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus a settlement flourished in the seventh century.

"There is something utterly serene about archaeological survey," said Slade Powell, a senior history major and Asian studies minor from Pittsburgh, Pa. "You might feel permanently hunched from bending over the tilled dry ground and the Cypriot sun might be baking you in your clothes like a potato in its skin, but somehow none of that makes a difference. You just line up your compass anyway, walk your straight line, and decide which fragments of a dead civilizations' remains are worth the eight seconds it takes you to put them in your plastic bag."

Students discovered beyond the books what archaeology entails.

"I gained an overall appreciation for the process of actively pursuing archaeology," said Mara Iverson, a junior history major from Vandegrift, Pa. "I also learned a great deal about what I like to study in history and how I enjoy going about studying it."

Iverson also discovered that, "Archaeology is not for me, though it is exceptionally valuable as a method for uncovering the past. I also learned that I prefer the ideological rather than the practical. I like thought exercises and document research more than standing outside in the elements collecting physical data."

In the fifth year at the site, near the city of Larnaca, Moore and student scholars continue to excavate and study artifacts to compare the culture of that settlement along the southern coast of Cyprus to similar eastern Mediterranean sites. The work is part of the Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaelogical Project (PKAP) and is co-sponsored by the University of North Dakota.

"Our primary goal is research," said Moore, director of the project. The focus, he said, is to discover what the archaeology shows about the trade, commerce and economics of the area. "Cyprus is a major tourist attraction but we are fortunate in that the area we are working hasn't been built up."

Moore said the field experience enhances the academic learning.

"It's reinforced in a different way than can be accomplished in the classroom," Moore explained. "We designed the project to be like a field school that provides hands-on experience. What I like about archaeology is that it borrows new techniques and technologies from other disciplines."

Said Powell, "I didn't care about archaeology when I decided to go. I just wanted to see the country and maybe get an idea of what living abroad would be like. We visited sites all over the island: late Roman baths, early Byzantine basilica, one very early Christian church with

semi-preserved wall paintings, an Ottoman mosque, and modern Nicosia along the Green Line. I can't even do justice to the variety and beauty of the sites we visited on our weekend trips.

Weekdays were just as busy, and just as wonderful."

Students were also exposed to the collision of modern-day politics and culture. Cyprus today is divided into Turkish and Greek zones. While relations have improved between them, the border is still monitored by United Nations peacekeepers.

"For the students, they are exploring a different culture," Moore said. "I think it's very important for students to get out of their comfort zone. By doing this, you broaden your world and gain a better understanding of other cultures. Who knows, you might consider doing something different with your life."

Moore, who spends six weeks at the site every May and June, usually takes up to five students to the site where they spend three weeks collecting and documenting artifacts that are stored in the Larnaca District Archaeological Museum.

The draw for students is more than the educational aspects. "They want to go abroad," Moore said. "Cyprus sounds cool and exotic. It adds to their experience. It is very safe, yet so different."

And that kind of exposure, he said, will help shape the students' view of the world.

"I learned about a part of the world I do not often encounter in my studies," Iverson pointed out. "Cyprus combines Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture. It was fascinating to see their history because America's is so much shorter and more insulated. Cyprus, being a relatively prosperous island in the middle of a busy sea, bears the marks of the trade in goods and ideas that constantly moved through the ports through the centuries and continues today."

Moore, who has plans to continue the program through at least 2011, is also looking for answers about the end of that once-thriving coastal community.

"If they were conquered or left," he ponders, "why didn't they return and rebuild? Did they move inland or were they wiped out?"

The answers may lie in the archeological finds. While local farmers have tilled up many artifacts, the teams look further below the surface for answers.

# # #

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

Brulant Named 13th Fastest-Growing by Weatherhead School of Management
Brulant, one of the nation's leading interactive marketing firms, has been named the 13th fastest-growing company in this year's Weatherhead 100, driven by the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

Maine School District Leads State in Educational Recruiting Technology
After carefully watching a new technology establish itself in other areas of New England, the York School Department in York, ME has proven itself a leader in the state by adopting an online educational recruitment service to attract hard-to-find teachers while saving time and money.

School Children at Risk with School Bus Accidents
It has been reported that at least 23.5 million children in the United States travel 4.3 billion miles on school buses each year. Along with this number of children riding school buses to and from school, annually, reports regarding accidents involving school buses also reach a staggering number. A conservative estimate shows that there is at least 17,000 school bus related injuries each year.

E-Control Systems, Inc. Presents its IntelliHACCP™ Enterprise Level Wireless Remote Temperature Monitoring Solution for School Food Service and
E-Control Systems, Inc., a trusted leader of monitoring hardware and software products for the foodservice industry, presents its new generation IntelliCheck™ PDA with full corrective action support and the IntelliProbe™ Wireless Temperature Probe now available for immediate delivery.

Law School Students Often Say They Want to Help People
I recently started taking a survey as I travel what is left of our nation from the over letigiousness terrorist attacks from lawyers; I ask students in coffee shops studying law why they want to be a lawyer. They have to reasons; One, to make money and two, to help people.

First Online Horse Race Handicapping College Opens
With the opening of www.HorseRaceHandicappingCollege.com, now for the first time professional handicappers have decided to do something to help change the fortunes of struggling horse racing fans. Statistics show with alarming consistency that 98% of all players betting on horse racing lose money every day at race tracks across the U.S. and abroad. All of that is about to change for both the casual and everyday horse player.

The World’s Largest Laser Therapy Clinic and Education Centre Presents a Seminar on Athletic Therapy and Sports Injuries
Meditech International, the world leader in Laser Therapy, offers a seminar on the use of Low Intensity Laser Therapy in athletic therapy and sports injuries. The seminar features former Head Trainer of the Toronto Raptor’s, Chuck Mooney and renowned M.D. and Laser Therapist Slava Kim.

Adult Learners Demand Education On Their Terms: Eduventures Explores The Scheduling And Format Preferences Of Adult Learners
Flexibility is a hallmark of continuing and professional education. This is particularly clear when it comes to adult learners' growing preference for nontraditional scheduling and delivery formats, according to a recent nationwide survey of more than 25,000 current and prospective continuing and professional education students conducted by Eduventures, the leading research and consulting firm for the education industry.

Education-Portal.com Tackles Hot Topics in Education
Education-Portal.com has launched a news section featuring hot topics in education. Some of the issues covered recently include merit pay for teachers, Iraq war spending versus education spending, illiteracy, student loan scandals, and the No Child Left Behind Act.

Online Accounting Education?- What You Should Know
The profession of accounting is flourishing. This career path offers a great salary and earning potentials continue to grow. It seems that the need for accountants will also continue to multiply as time passes. With this profession being so inviting many are checking into the possibility of accounting as a career choice. The drawbacks most often noted are the training requirements. Most jobs require that the accountant has a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree. That could mean four years of classroom training. For the typical person the traditional college training is not an option. It’s almost impossible to keep up with a full-time job, a family, and attend classes on a full-time schedule. Most adults prefer fitting classes around t...

Allegany College of Maryland Creates Virtual Classrooms with HaiVision's hai1000 MPEG-4 AVC H.264 Multi-stream codecs
HaiVision Systems Inc. (Montreal, Canada) is pleased to announce that Allegany College of Maryland has selected and deployed the hai1000 MPEG-4 AVC H.264 multi-stream codec system to unite educators and students across their 3 campuses.

Full Disclosure Network® Presents: LAUSD's "Belmont The World's Most Expensive High School" a Commemorative DVD Collection from the Cable TV Series
To Commemorate the official opening celebration for the notorious Belmont Learning Center by the Los Angeles Unified School District the Full Disclosure Network® is releasing a Collectors DVD Series entitled "Belmont The World's Most Expensive High School". The opening ceremonies are set for Saturday, April 26, 2008.

Design With Joy Offers Florida Architects and Interior Designers Continuing Education Credit with Their Seminar, Integrated Spaces: Outdoor Rooms - In
Design With Joy LLC announced today it is providing a seminar in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale Florida for Continuing Education credit for Architects and Interior Designers, Integrated Spaces: Outdoor Rooms - Indoor Gardens. The 8 hour core course includes 1 hour of barrier free design and 1 hour of sustainability continuing education credit.

College Without A High School Diploma - Possible?
Don't give up your dream of enrolling in an online university just because you didn't get your high school diploma. Although most colleges (online and otherwise) require a high school diploma to enroll in any program that grants bachelor degrees, there are still several options available to students who lack the paper to prove that they graduated high school.