Hastings College students will participate in interim courses for the 41st year. Interim courses are three-week courses held between fall and spring semesters during the month of January. Students take one, in-depth course, either on or off campus, and earn three hours of credit.

This year, students have the opportunity to participate in one of seven extended tour courses and travel to Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Central America, Tanzania, Italy, Civil War sites in the South, or Chicago.

Guatemala: “Living Hope: Guatemala, Social Justice, and Service”
Students will spend two weeks in Guatemala working with advocates for human rights, and also participating in service projects with Guatemalans. Students will learn about poverty and its connection to globalization, sustainable development, and actions needed from people of faith.
The trip is coordinated by PRESGOV, a Presbyterian-based program in Guatemala.
Rev. Dr. Jean Heriot, assistant professor of sociology and religion and associate director of vocational discernment and service learning; and Rev. Mary Stoops, spiritual life advocate, will teach the course.
Participants:
Elizabeth Bunde, junior, Lincoln, Neb., Bruce/Margaret Bunde
Whitney Burr, junior, Juniata, Neb., Mark/Marcy Burr
Melissa Hayes, sophomore, Parker, Colo., Patrick/Judy Hayes
Marcia Keele, freshman, Hastings, Neb., John/Wendy Keele
Kristen Loschen, junior, Hildreth, Neb., Jeffery Loschen
Sabrina Miller, sophomore, Lewellen, Neb., Rex/Cynthia Miller
Alyssa Montgomery, junior, Ord, Neb., Lester/Monica Montgomery
Matthew Moore, freshman, Wichita Falls, Texas, Paul/Rebecca Moore
Timothy Moore, senior, Wichita Falls, Texas, Paul/Rebecca Moore
Joel Niemann, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., Roger/Patricia Niemann
Sigrid Simpson, sophomore, Highlands Ranch, Colo., Richard/Adalia Simpson
Melissa Theesen, junior, St. Joseph, Mo., Steven/Sally Theesen
Megan Worthman, freshman, Greeley, Colo., Douglas/Kristi Worthman

Chicago: “Educating a Multicultural Society”
Louis Pratters, adjunct instructor of teacher education, will take education majors on a week-long trip to Chicago. Students will spend time in classrooms with diverse populations, and tour ethnic neighborhoods. Students will also have the opportunity to explore the city in general.
Participants:
Ashley Childers, junior, Omaha, Neb., Emmett/Susanne Childers
Jennifer Hicks, sophomore, Omaha, Neb., Thomas/Nancy Hicks
Matthew Hilderbrand, junior, Gothenburg, Neb., Michael/Connie Hilderbrand
Brandon Jacobitz, junior, Campbell, Neb., Arlon/JoEllen Jacobitz
Kelsea Jones, junior, Auburn, Neb., Doug/Marla Jones
Randi McMahon, junior, Blue Hill, Neb., Craig/Kathy McMahon
Thomas Nettleton, senior, Lincoln, Neb., Warren/Linda Nettleton
Cami Pierson, junior, Arcadia, Neb., Connard/Donna Pierson
Tyler Prochazka, junior, Hemingford, Neb., John/Robyn Prochazka
Cynthia Schroer, senior, Kearney, Neb., Rodney/Jolene Schroer
Steven Sherman, junior, York, Neb., Karl Sherman
Ashley Soucie, senior, Glenvil, Neb., Bruce/Michele Soucie
Emily Timmerman, sophomore, Littleton, Colo., Daniel/Alice Timmerman
Aaron Williams, senior, Hastings, Neb., Clark/Janet Williams

Italy: “Florence in the Interwar Years”
 This extended tour of Italy will focus on intellectual and social movements that revolved around the rise of Mussolini. Students will examine the development of futurism, the conflict between fascism and communism in the early 1920s, and the development of fascist architecture and culture of the 1920s and 1930s and how this influence continues in Italy today.
Instructor for the course is Dr. Renee Laegreid, assistant professor of history.
Participants:
Jennifer Ellsworth, junior, Bellwood, Neb., Robert/MaryKay Ellsworth
Robert Engebretson, junior, Omaha, Neb., Leslie Engebretson
Kelly Hoff, junior, Greeley, Colo., Joseph/Elaine Hoff
Celeste Keeney, junior, Kearney, Neb., Charles/Deborah Keeney
Wade Leibbrandt, junior, Imperial, Neb., Timothy/Terri Leibbrandt
David McNamee, senior, Aurora, Colo., Bruce/Catherine McNamee
Jeana Ott, senior, Aurora, Neb., Carol Ott
Nicole Thomas, senior, Waukee, Iowa, Daniel/Diana Thomas
Jena Alt, junior, Waverly, Neb., Bruce/Lea Ann Alt
Darci Tomky, junior, Holyoke, Colo., Darrell/Debra Tomky
Anita Olson, senior, Ericson, Neb., Milton/Carol Olson
Kristen Rose, senior, Omaha, Neb., John/Cindy Rose
Seth Torpin, senior, Walton, Neb., Richard/Susan Torpin
Chelsy Wilhelms, junior, Blue Hill, Neb., Gary/Jenine Wilhelms

Tanzania: “Climbing to New Heights: The Biology of Tanzania”
Students will student the threatened ecosystem of Tanzania, located in East Africa. The class will hike and camp in the world-renowned Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. They will witness the diverse wildlife of East Africa, along with issues that threaten their survival. The trip culminates with a seven-day climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest free-standing mountain.
Instructors for the course are Dr. John Kuehn, assistant professor of biology, and Dr. Amy Morris, associate professor of biology.
Participants:
Brandy Alexander, senior, North Las Vegas, Nev., Joseph/Sherry Alexander
Sarah Bejot, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., Terry/Susan Bejot
Patrick Brooks, senior, Pocatello, Idaho, Gordon/Jean Brooks
Roseanne Danner, senior, Burwell, Neb., Myron/Kathleen Danner
Gregory Haus, sophomore, Tulsa, Okla., James/Roberta Haus
Heath Jacob, senior, Cozad, Neb., Randy/Kathleen Jacob
Lindsey Luttrell, senior, Pratt, Kan., Alan/Janet Luttrell
Cameron Murphy, junior, Grand Forks, N.D., Eric/Cindy Murphy
Ann Packard, junior, Longmont, Colo., Paul/Karen Packard
Brandon Paneitz, junior, Lincoln, Neb., Mark/Sheri Paneitz
Amanda Schademann, sophomore, Lincoln, Neb., Martin/Denise Schademann
Magdalena Skiba, junior, Grand Island, Neb.
Marta Skiba, sophomore, Grand Island, Neb., Grzegorz/Magdalena Skiba
Bradley Steward, senior, Longmont, Colo., Kurt/Kim Steward
Krystal Tamura, senior, Longmont, Colo., Konni Keuter/Kim Tamura

Central America: “Biology of Central America/International Infrastructures and Cultures”
This course focuses on international infrastructures and cultures in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala. The group will examine constraints and limitations imposed on nations because of their environments and cultures. Students will study ecosystems, and problems of maintenance of such systems, in the face of increasingly sophisticated infrastructures.
Dr. Carol Meyer, professor of business administration, and Dr. Dallas Wilhelm, professor of biology, are teaching the course.
Participants:
Kyle Bartels, sophomore, Kimball, Neb., Debbie Fiehtner/Tom Bartels
Kelly Daly, senior, Springfield, Neb., Debra Pope
Caitlin Demuth, junior, York, Neb., David/Deborah Demuth
Lindsey Mierau, junior, Henderson, Neb., Donald/Karen Mierau
Austin Moore, sophomore, Broomfield, Colo., Jay/Kimberly Moore
Lance Novotny, junior, Lincoln, Neb., Gary/Cynthia Novotny
Alexandra Pauley, sophomore, Ayr, Neb., Thomas/Colleen Pauley
Jerad Reimers, senior, Ravenna, Neb., Gerald/Debra Reimers
Jacqueline Smith, junior, Parker, Colo., Lorren/Barbara Smith
Jerad Krejci, junior, Hickman, Neb., Jeffrey/Tami Krejci
Colin Wagner, junior, Omaha, Neb., Jon/Laurie Wagner

Civil War Sites: “Ecology and the Civil War in the Western Theatre”
Students will study the ecological change and land use of areas affected by the Civil War in the western theatre area. The group will visit battlefields, forts, museums and ports.

Robert Nedderman, director of libraries and professor of library science, and Gilbert Adrian, professor emeritus of biology, teach the course.
Participants:
Menderes Candan, freshman, Munster, Germany
James Holtgrewe, senior, Doniphan, Neb., James/Barbara Holtgrewe
Mitchell Kucera, freshman, Wichita, Kan., Wray/Barbara Kucera
Mark DeBoer, senior, Hastings, Neb., Steven/Sylvia DeBoer
Benjamin Richards, sophomore, Bee, Neb., Rodger/JoAnn Richards

Puerto Rico: “Ecoadventures and Biodiversity in Paradise”
Students will take part in ecoadventures, a new kind of tourism aimed at active, ecologically-concerned tourists in Puerto Rico. The group will dive amid coral reefs, climb in rain forest canyons, rappel down caves, sluice in subterranean streams, and kayak in bioluminescent bays.
Diane Beachly, adjunct instructor of biology, and Dr. William Beachly, associate professor of biology, will teach the course.
Participants:
Tyler Bartsch, freshman, Louisville, Colo., David Bartsch/Betty Aga
Bethany Beavers, junior, Carleton, Neb., Robert/Becky Beavers
Jordan Neuhart, sophomore, Waverly, Neb., James/Ginger Neuhart
Robert Shannon, sophomore, Midway, Utah, Bruce/Kim Shannon
Margo Hardy, junior, Chapell, Neb., Harold/Kathryn Hardy
Dustin Lovell, senior, Longmont, Colo., William/Peggy Lovell
Natalie Nuss, junior, Sutton, Neb., Mike/Linda Nuss
David Reeves, junior, Central City, Neb., Mada Cortezs, Omaha, Neb./Richard Reeves,
 Beaver City, Neb.