December 2002 - January 2003

FIG course offers life experience

FIG students Martina Allen, left, and Chanel Preston hammer away at one of the construction sites for Habitat for Humanity of the Jacksonville Beaches. Below, student Justin Brownlee lends a hand at one of the homesites. The students were among 26 UNF Freshman Interest Group studentswho participated in building the homes as part of the “Work and Society” course offered through their FIG.

Twenty-six UNF Freshman Interest Group students recently got some hands-on experience in a course titled “Work and Society.” The course required that the students spend time working on houses being built by Habitat for Humanity of the Jacksonville Beaches.

The course is being taught by three UNF faculty members — Dr. Miriam Chirico, assistant professor in English and Foreign Languages; Dr. David Jaffee, COAS associate dean and professor in Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice; and Dr. Steve Shapiro, professor in the Economics Department.

The work experience was included to add an “experiential learning component to the course,” said Chirico. “The process of building a house connected all three disciplines — sociology, economics and writing — by requiring the students to reflect upon their experiences building a house for a lower-economic level family. They wrote journal entries about different kinds of work. For example, how construction work differs from white collar, or the different spaces where work is done. They wrote about how housing or lack of it affects families, who merits housing in our society and how that is determined, as well as tackling other topics,” said Chirico.

As part of the Habitat program, potential homeowners are required to help build their homes or perform so-called “sweat equity.” Chirico said the students were impressed by the homeowners’ efforts.

One of the students, Chanel Preston, said the experience made it easier for her to relate what she has learned in the course to real life. “It felt good helping someone. . . The last day, we actually got to speak to the people involved and they made us feel very appreciated. . . People tend to associate poor people with being lazy.. When we saw these people working out there with this big smile on their face, you realize that they may be less fortunate but they’re doing something to help themselves.”
Another student said the experience helped her better understand the economic and social impact of poverty. “It made me see that people living in poverty need help and that when you do help, it does benefit everybody, not just one person,” said student Twila Rhodes.

It also gave the students a first-hand look at how other people earn their living. Cole Copertino, 19, said it was hard work laying down sod and putting up walls in the hot Florida sun. “I’ve learned to look at people not so much for what they have (material things) but what they have accomplished,” he said. “It felt like we actually made a difference.”

The students said they were equally impressed with the involvement of their professors, who were also working on the homesites. “We got to see our professors in a whole new light now,” said Rhodes. “It wasn’t just an assignment,” said Preston. “They were right there with us.”

Currently, 54 freshmen students in The Crossings are participating in two FIG programs taught by faculty in a newly equipped classroom in the residence hall.