BA, Art Studio/History, Illinois State University
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The Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities program interested me because it is interdisciplinary. The course offerings fit my busy schedule. I work full-time from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M, so I needed a program that was appropriate for a non-traditional student since I needed to take all of my course work in the evenings or on weekends.
I knew I wanted to concentrate on community activism from the start so I took classes in leadership, conflict management, and grant writing to name a few. These courses helped me prepare for my thesis, “Dry Lake: A Model of Community Activism through Aesthetic Engagement with the Landscape.”
In my thesis I share my own attachment to this sacred landscape. It is an account of my personal interactions with saving Dry Lake from development as well as the story of its history. The beauty of the area led to the activism that preserved it.
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The Dry Lake caldera was destined to become a gated golf community until a group of community activists stepped in. Photo by Frank Brandt. |
Dry Lake is an ephemeral wetland caldera formed by several different volcanic eruptions in west Flagstaff. The area is punctuated with multiple vistas of beauty. It is home to many species including unique flora, insects, endangered spotted owls, eagles, coyotes, antelope, elk, and an occasional puma or bear. All creatures share the many micro-ecosystems within the bowl and its perimeter.
Led by a grassroots group, The Friends of Dry Lake, the Flagstaff community fought to save the area from development and won. My thesis explores the role this group played in motivating the citizens as well as the role landscape beauty played in saving Dry Lake.
I graduated in December 2006. I intend to use what I gleaned from the Master of Arts in Sustainable Communities program to further enhance my ongoing community activism. I will make a difference locally and globally. An activist's work is never done!