To kick off the school year, freshmen began their Rollins journey by entering their Rollins College Conference (RCC) Course. Ranging from The Science of Looking Good to Cowboys, Aliens, and Vampires, to Cultures of the Caribbean, there really are no limits to the range of topics covered by RCCs. On top of providing the opportunity to meet some new faces right off the bat, RCCs allow students to meet their academic advisors, who will not only educate them on a new topic of interest, but will also help them throughout the college process.
On the very first weekend of orientation, every RCC participated in SPARC day. The Cultures of the Caribbean class went to the Winter Park Towers, a local retirement home, to aid the residents. From hauling compost to uprooting trees the students were a big help.
One student, Jacob Pope commented, “It was a really good experience because we got to work hands-on with the residents there and see a smile on their faces as they thanked us for all of our hard work.”
The Cultures of the Caribbean RCC, taught by Dr. Ashley Kistler, aims to educate students in current and past events in the Caribbean. The course covers geographical information, including how the Caribbean was formed, its first settlers, food production, as well as social aspects, including family, dancing, sex trafficking, drugs, and violence. The course covers very involved material and is hands-on, allowing the students to break into groups and engage in heated discussions covering different topics. For each class meeting, the students are responsible for different readings out of their A Brief History of the Caribbean book, and for discussing new facts and concepts regarding the Caribbean culture. Soon, the students will be starting presentations on different Caribbean islands.
Student Lauren Cooper comments on her experience in the RCC to date, “I was really excited to start this course because it was a topic that I didn’t know much about. We’ve learned a lot about the history of the Caribbean as well as some of the voodoo that is practiced on the islands. Overall, I’m really looking forward to the rest of the semester and learning more about the Caribbean”. In general, it seems that the students of the RCC Cultures of the Caribbean class are greatly enjoying their experiences so far. Student Amy Martin summed it up perfectly by stating, “The RCC program has been an awesome way to bond with people… We’re like a little family.”
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