Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University's Community Semester has four events planned for the week of Feb. 24. Programs include discussions on energy policy and the impact of international travel and study, a program introducing Vigo County elementary school students to the ecosystem of the Amazon and a question and answer forum with the mayor of Terre Haute.

The 2014 Community Semester, which focuses on the theme "Crossroads," is a way for the College of Arts and Sciences to showcase what it does best and to encourage faculty and students to share with the community what they are learning. It is also a way to bring innovative ideas in the science, humanities, liberal and creative arts to the area.

On Feb. 24, the departments of economics and earth and environmental systems will host the discussion "Energy Production at a Crossroads: The Benefits and Costs of Hydraulic Fracturing and the Natural Gas Revolution" from 3:30-5 p.m. in the events area of Cunningham Memorial Library.

Panelists John Conant, department of economics; Daniel Bradley, President of Indiana State University; Stephen Aldrich, department of earth and environmental systems and Robert Guell, department of economics will discuss fracking, its economic advantages for communities, and its potential environmental hazards.

On Feb. 25, seventh-grade science teacher Melissa Jordan will draw upon her recent adventures studying the ecology of the Amazon rainforest in "Wonders of the Amazon," from 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at West Vigo Elementary School. The program introduces West Vigo students to the biodiversity and natural resource value of the Amazon basin ecosystem. Interactive stations will give children the opportunity to create a rainforest in a jar, camouflage crafts, and seed balls. Informative posters will emphasize the importance of the rainforest to the health of the entire planet, encouraging students to reflect upon the ways in which we all find ourselves at a crossroads for making critical decisions about rainforest preservation. Indiana State Science Education and Biology majors will serve as volunteers, creating and monitoring stations, and gaining valuable teaching experience as well.

The Center for Global Engagement, International Programs and Services will explore the impact of international travel and study on the Terre Haute community during an event Feb. 25 from 4-6 p.m. in the events area of Cunningham Memorial Library.

This event will feature a discussion about the importance of global experiences to a modern liberal education. Several perspectives will be presented, including the experiences of domestic ISU students who have studied abroad, as well as international students who have come to live and study at Indiana State. John Conant, department of economics, along with a leader from a multinational corporation with a presence in the Wabash Valley, will also describe the advantages of a globally informed workforce.

The public and is invited to a question-and-answer forum with Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett, hosted by Professor Matthew Bergbower during a program from 3:30- 5 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Community Conference Center of Federal Hall. Questions will be fielded and facilitated by students from the department of political science. This event is co-sponsored by the Scott College of Business, the American Democracy Project and WFIU.

These events are free and open to the public. A complete list and description of the Community Semester's activities may be found at: http://www.indstate.edu/communitysemester  .

Media contact and writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu