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How to Survive Biology 101

Journalists
Jul 12, 20192 min read

Updated: Jul 16, 2019

By: Elisabeth Goodin


Struggling to get through your everyday biology classes? Tired of basic mitosis and photosynthesis content? So is Greg Smith. Greg teaches the biological and environmental issues focus area at Bellarmine Governor’s Scholars Program. He has been teaching with the GSP program for 33 years, using a “free will style” of teaching for the past three of those years.


I observed the class on Monday, July 8th. They started off by finishing projects done by various groups in the class. The research projects were made to inform the class about a current issue and learn from each other. The projects had a range of topics from the effect of food on health and diseases, mental health, GMOs, and plastics in the environment. Once each project had been presented, Greg opened up the conversation for ways to teach the entire campus about the topics covered.


After presentations, Greg lined up each scholar to put them into groups. Instead of last names or birthdays, Greg lined students up in alphabetical order of their moms first name. Once in groups of two, the class went outside to practice using a dichotomous key and compass to identify various trees around campus. While walking around the campus, I was able to talk to scholars and Greg to get a wider view of the class and learn about the main goal.


“Diversity is very important, and it is my favorite part of GSP…. I want to provide content and an experience you would not get in a normal class.”

Greg does this by using his class to teach survival skills. The scholars are learning to cook, start and maintain a fire, identify plants for food, set traps, and sleep in the great outdoors. On Tuesday, the scholas went to a remote farm in LaGrange, Kentucky to use these skills and spend the night outside.


Prior to the camping trip, the class read the book, “Survival Skills” to further prepare and educate themselves. They also performed multiple experiments setting fires, and at one point within the first two weeks, they learned gun safety and shot caps outside. The goal to teach something new has clearly been accomplished. “I have definitely been pushed out of my comfort zone, and I think these survival skills are something that everyone should know,” a scholar of Greg’s said.


As a huge biology and science lover, it was a great opportunity to sit in and learn more about this class. Greg has a unique and interesting approach that provides a great learning experience for everyone. He always has the scholars interested and has given them lasting memories for this summer.

 
 
 

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Faculty

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Jennifer Price grew up in Hopkins County, Kentucky and attended South Hopkins High School. She was a Governor’s Scholar at Murray State University in 1992, and was assigned the Social and Political Theory focus area. After high school, she attended Transylvania University and pursued a degree in Psychology. She finished her bachelor’s degree and then decided to complete graduate school at the University of Arkansas, where she received a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She has been a member of the GSP faculty and staff for many years, ranging from 1994 to present. She has done every job available except be a focus area instructor. Jen was recently encouraged by her friends to begin running and even completed a half marathon last may. Jen is a wife to Pete, and a mother to two children, Jacob (15) and Eli (12).

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Josh Woodward was a 1992 scholar at Murray State University. After completing undergraduate school at the University of Kentucky, Josh obtained a Masters in Water Resources from Minnesota and a Masters in Teaching from Cornell University. Outside of the program, Josh teaches a variety of science classes at Berea Community High School. When asked about his favorite part of the program, Josh responded with, “My favorite part is the notion that the five weeks is not really the program. It is everything after.” Nearly thirty years later, Josh and his fellow scholars are still close friends. 

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Helen Heines grew up in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, which is in Bullitt County. She attended North Bullitt High School where she applied and was accepted to attend GSP at Murray State University in 2010. Upon graduation in 2011, she continued her education at Western Kentucky University with a degree in elementary education. Currently, Helen is a 5th grade social studies teacher in Louisville, and spends her summers deeply involved in the GSP community. She began working as a Resident Advisor (RA) at Bellarmine University in 2015. She began moving up the ranks to become head RA and then later she obtained the title of Assistant Campus Director, a title that she still holds. 

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