Six GEAR UP students traveled to Alabama to participate in the Tour of Alabama, provided by EOSC (Eastern Oklahoma State College) GEAR UP. This trip allowed students to tour various universities and visit historical sites to learn the history of the state of Alabama.
On the first day of the tour, the first stop was at the University of Alabama, where we were greeted by the out-of-state recruiting team, where students were given a quick presentation about the University of Alabama. When the presentation was over, students were led on a tour of the campus by a student tour guide. The University of Alabama has consistently been ranked among the nation’s top 50 public universities by U.S. News & World Report for the last several years. With almost 35,000 undergraduates, the University of Alabama is the oldest public institute in the state. UA offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 200 fields of study, with a student/faculty ratio that averages 19:1. UA also offers a variety of special programs and activities ranging from freshmen learning communities to Honors College to international seminars to programs for students with disabilities. Professional programs include law and rural medicine. The last place the students toured on the first day was Sloss Furnaces. Students learned how iron was made, why the iron industry was important to Birmingham, and the experiences of the workers who worked in the Birmingham industry. The tour guide walked students around to see how the factory looked.
Day two started at Auburn University. Students were greeted and given a campus tour by two students who attended Auburn. Auburn University has developed into one of the largest universities in the South, remaining at the educational forefront with its traditional blend of arts and applied science and changing with the needs of today while living with respect for the traditions and spirit of Auburn. With over 33,000 students and 15 colleges/schools, Auburn Tigers boast the #1 University in Alabama and one of the top 50 Public Universities in the country. The next stop on tour was the Civil Rights Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Students started the tour at the Museum, where our tour guide greeted us. Students learned about the importance of the civil rights movement in Montgomery. Students were able to see where Rosa Parks got on the bus where she was arrested and to walk around where she was arrested.
The final day of the tour concluded with the students visiting the US Space and Rocket Center. Home to Space Camp, Aviation Challenge Camp, Space Camp Robotics, and US Cyber Camp, the US Space and Rocket Center (USSRC)is the world’s most comprehensive US-manned spaceflight hardware museum. Its large rocket and space hardware collection is valued at tens of millions of dollars. From a model of America’s first satellite, Explorer I, to the next-generation space vehicles like Sierra Nevada’s Dream Catcher, the museum showcases human spaceflight’s past, present, and future. The USSRC serves as the official NASA Visitor Center for Marshall Space Flight Center and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute. Tour the Mission Floor, visiting the Orion Capsule, Mars Habitat, and the International Space Station Modules while learning interesting facts about the space camp Missions and the real missions on which they are based.
The trip was sponsored by EOSC (Eastern Oklahoma State College) GEAR UP. EOSC received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.
