After a semester of Oregon’s mountainous landscapes and eating sourdough by a wooden stove, Clara Fuehler '24 is filled with bittersweet feelings. Returning to Greensboro after her study-away journey has given her an incredible perspective and appreciation for the things around her. How did she find herself living and learning in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument? Well, the adventure starts and ends at Guilford.
Clara has always approached her experiences with passion. She thrives in environments that give her the space to foster creativity and express herself. Her parents, working as public school teachers, influenced her greatly. “... [E]mbracing places to learn whether it be emotionally, artistically, or socially was always sort of intrinsic to the way I was oriented to the world,” she says. When her dad discovered the Early College Program at Guilford, Clara seized the opportunity, not realizing the magnitude of this decision and how it would change her life’s trajectory.
“I was accepted and attending and infatuated by all of the really smart students and teachers who make the Early College at Guilford such an academic stronghold.” Although intimidated at first, she quickly warmed up to the Quaker climate and rose to the challenge of the program's rigor. “I learned what it meant to be a part of an academic community and have a language that made me feel safe in the world of higher ed,” says Clara. Not only did Clara gain insight into collegiate life early on, but it was there that the first seeds of Oregon travels were planted.
Clara underwent a transformative experience during an American Nature Writing course taught by Jim Hood, a longtime Guilford English professor who is now retired. She had always wanted to travel and use college as a chance to explore new places with new people. In Jim’s class she was presented with an interesting experience: The Oregon Extension. Clara reflected on that moment, recalling, “I learned I could see more of the world by rooting myself in this place.”
The Oregon Extension provided Clara with an outlet where she could earn up to 17 credits contributing to her overfall degree program and teach her different skills pertaining to maintaining a vibrant living and working environment. She says, “Students are expected to participate in farm posts each week, which could vary anywhere between milking goats, to helping in the garden, to canning 39 jars of tomato sauce for food preservation.” Clara comments on how intertwined the hands-on learning is with the maintenance labor contributed and how both worked together to foster a community of people who learned and cared about each other and their environment. “I was constantly learning and trying new things and it was so beautiful to see everyone so enthusiastic to do the same… And now I have the tools to bring them to my home here,” she says.
She decided she could have a small school in a close community and still get her exploratory fix. “Guilford has ties with a lot of study away and abroad opportunities that make the financial and administrative burden less challenging. Take advantage of that!” she says.
Now, Clara is on her way back from her alpine adventure. She will graduate with a degree in English and Media Studies as well as Sculpting, supported by both her parents and the Guilford family.
Art and writing played integral roles in her parents' way of teaching when Clara was growing up. “Being able to learn the tools that cultivate creativity in an academic setting is such a beautiful gift,” Clara says. ”The opportunity to embrace these things seemed clear and supported here at Guilford, so I decided to lean in.”
While she is sad to leave the Pacific Northwest, Clara is excited to return home. “There are things I can do here at Guilford I couldn’t do anywhere else,” alluding to her time in the Honors program, Guilford’s Rugby team, and beloved art department.
“I encourage everyone, even the slightest bit interested in studying abroad, to take the leap. A semester away opens your eyes to different ways to understand learning, relationship, and sense of place which is such a valuable part of education that exceeds the traditional
Classroom.”
About the Author
Kyra is an artist, coffee shop connoisseur, and soil enthusiast who is always up for a good wander. She is currently based out of Greensboro, North Carolina working and studying at Guilford College.