Hi, Y’all! My name is Alex Marlow and I’m a senior double majoring in urban studies and psychology with a sustainability certificate. A fun fact about me is that I swam for Pitt’s D1 swim team for the first half of my college career, and was born in Toronto.

When I started the Sustainability capstone course this fall and learned about the potential projects for the semester, the Appalachian Teaching Project immediately stood out. As a student deeply interested in urban sustainability, I have almost exclusively explored the topic in the large city setting so far in college. The project in Fayette county gave me the opportunity to learn about sustainability in a more rural setting, and complete fieldwork throughout the semester.

Upon meeting with Dan and Michael of the Fayette County Cultural Trust (FCCT) it was immediately clear how much love they had for their area and community. Their work to improve the local economy, preserve the county’s history and connect with local businesses and people has had a significant impact. Getting the opportunity to engage with them and collaborate with the honors college is so exciting.

Since this is my last semester before I apply to grad school, I’m looking forward to building skills in fieldwork, such as interviewing, making connections, and applying fieldwork to solutions. I’m also looking forward to implementing my mapping skills, working collaboratively as an interdisciplinary team, and formally presenting at the end of the semester!