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Western media you get that sense,” he said. (Video by Rustin Dwyer, PLU) But Manfredi said educational exchanges, such as the one fostered by PLU, are key in bridging that divide — and fighting misconceptions. Kimberly Nolasco ’17, an environmental studies and global studies major, said seeing Chengdu and breaking down barriers allows students to hear China’s narrative straight from the source. “China can tell you who they really are,” she said. As China struggles with a rapidly growing economy, new

was easy. After mapping out the Peace Corps certificate requirements, Tamara Williams and Joel Zylstra — directors of the Wang Center for Global Education and the Center for Community Engagement and Service, respectively — found that some students were already completing the program just based off their majors. “It was global studies, environmental studies and Hispanic studies,” Zylstra said. “When there is overlap like that it’s kind of like ‘why not?’” Zylstra and Williams were approached by the

something. It’s kind of my responsibility.” Magga, who says family trauma is inherited through generations, embraces that task every day in her classes, most recently in her children’s literature course. She spoke up as the only indigenous voice during discussions of their assigned reading, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a novel based on experiences of author Sherman Alexie, who is a Spokane-Coeur d’Alene tribal member. Magga says the tale of 14-year-old Junior resonated with her, and

interests. Growing up, her mother — who is half Norwegian and half Swedish — shared a lot of Norwegian traditions with her. She wanted to study in Norway to reconnect with those roots, and her biology-environmental studies double major lined up well with the curriculum. “It just worked out so well with everything,” she said of the program. The cherry on top was the small town with lots of outdoor recreation opportunities. “You can walk around in a half hour,” she said of Bø, a village of nearly 6,000

alpine ecology program ― informed their studies throughout the semester that followed. “We got that initial knowledge right off the bat. For the rest of the semester, in lectures, we can reflect back onto that field experience,” she said in October, midway through the program. “You can tell that the professors are passionate about their place.” Both Lutes are double majoring in biology and environmental studies, and the alpine ecology program is the perfect marriage of the two, they said. It’s made

creations of my own: personal essays and multimodal art that portray everyday environmental dilemmas. Kenzie Davidson I want to firstly thank Rose and Adela for their continuing support and guidance through this eventful and confusing Spring semester. I also want to thank my mentors Dr. Mergenthal and Dr. Behrens for assisting me in the editing, workshopping, and support they provided for my capstone. I would easily have been drowning in irrelevant literature and side tracking paragraphs without them