Melinda Lucka, College of Charleston professor and practicing attorney, went with her urban studies students and interns to explore Daufuskie Island—one of the sea islands off of the coast of South Carolina. The experiential learning opportunity allowed for students to conduct a hands-on study of the population, economy and natural environment of the island under the direction of an experienced mentor. As is common in Urban Studies classes, the students learned about the concepts they were studying in class by going out in the field to learn from the City of Charleston, and in this case, the larger Lowcountry region.
The urban studies majors visited key landmarks, documented economic activities, verified population trends, and observed local culture and traditions. These experiences will help the students contextualize the quantitative data that they have already collected related to a study of the island.
Left to right: Katie Joiner, Logan Elliot, Melinda Lucka, and Brendan Williams travel by ferry to Daufuskie Island.
Students arrive at the Jane Hamilton School house, which currently serves as a center for education about Gullah culture.
Before leaving Marshside Mama’s for lunch, the students hung CofC Urban Studies dollar bills inside the restaurant, consistent with the tradition of hanging personalized dollars on the walls and from the ceiling.