Cal-Mum graduate to study in South Africa

   John Schweichler, a 2006 Cal-Mum graduate and a junior at St. John Fisher College (SJFC) majoring in biology, departed on Tuesday, January 27th, to study at the University of Cape Town in South Africa for a semester.

   John, a participant in the Science Scholars program at SJFC, will take part in the CIEE (Counsel on International Education Exchanges) Cape Town-Arts & Sciences program for international students at the University of Cape Town. The university semester begins on February 16th and ends on June 12th. Dr. Greg Cunningham, a SJFC professor in Biology and member of the Science Scholars committee, has done research in Cape Town and recommended an opportunity to John at the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). There he will participate in research on African penguins from June 15th until July 24th. John will return to the United States in late July and begin his senior year at SJFC in September.

   John hopes his most valuable experiences come from outside as well as inside the classroom. Throughout the semester his group of American students will be going on several field trips and cultural activities such as a 3-day home stay with a family outside of the city, and a trip to the top of Table Mountain to watch the sunset over Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean. He looks forward to learning about a new culture and gaining a new perspective of the world. He plans to keep his classmates, family, and community updated on his travels via the blog. Schweichler, 20, is the son of Dr. Larry and Mrs. Judy Schweichler of Church Street in Caledonia.

   You may follow John’s experiences by visiting his blog at:

http://johninsouthafrica.blogspot.com

plus photos at: