Kosrae Campus Collaborates with Kosrae HPO

Tofol, Kosrae (July 01, 2017) -The College's Kosrae Campus in partnership with the Kosrae State Historic Preservation Office (HPO), conducted a two-week intensive immersion course in Cultural Anthropology SS 111 to supplement in-class learning this summer. 

Participating in the course were students Yvonne Aliksa, Edward Charley, Jesse Cornelius, Elise Edward, Maiyomina George, Maleha Samuel, Mitcher Tolenoa, and Teroa S. Tolenoa.   The students met with elders in focus groups for each of the four Kosraean municipalities of Lelu, Malem, Tafunsak, and in Utwe at HPO in Tafunsak.    They also visited Walung and conducted field work with interviews and focus groups to collect data on a number of projects including Ethnobotany, Economic Planning and Development, Identity,  and Subsistence in Kosraean culture. Assistance for the study was provided by their instructor, Dr. David Fazzino of Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania, USA (BU) and all of the staff at HPO, particularly Preservation Officer Mr. Standon Andrew and the FSM National Cultural Anthropologist Ms. Ashley Meredith.  

The course experience and hands-on work helped students not only learn more about Cultural Anthropology but also apply research methods and data collection in the field.   It also establishes the groundwork for future work and partnerships in education and research between the College of Micronesia-FSM and Bloomsberg University.   

Thanks are provided to those involved and to adjunct professor Dr. Fazzino.
University of Alaska Fairbanks