Fall 2012 Alumni Magazine - Lake Erie College

AROUND Campus
Equestrian students turn tragedy into
a learning experience
by Katie Staats ’09, MBA ’11
During the spring 2011 semester, students
in the Lake Erie College equestrian
department participated in a class that
involved raising a foal. As weeks went by,
the students were faced with a difficult
situation when the foal was stillborn.
This tragedy was turned into a learning
experience close to a year later as students
in the equine studies program decided to
reconstruct the bones of the skeleton.
The students received the bones of the
foal this past January and were tasked with
reconstructing the skeleton. This hands-on
experience presented a clearer understanding
of the makeup of horse anatomy. Students
were challenged to use their problem-solving
and teamwork skills.
Materials used to assemble the spinal
bones included hard foam pieces, wire and
thick, flexible cabling. The pieces were held
together with glue, but this wasn’t always a
simple task. If a bone broke, it needed to be
reconstructed before it could be attached to
another bone. Close to 300 individual pieces
were used in the reconstruction.
An additional challenge with the project
included finding the most efficient way to fill
some of the
gaps between
the bones.
One student
suggested
using the
modeling
compound
Play-Doh, but
it would dry
out over time. The next proposed idea was
poster putty used for mounting objects,
which seemed to work best.
“My experience with the project showed
how important it is for students to have
an internship in their field and be involved
with something that can be applied to their
degree. I have gained a deep-rooted respect
for animals I’m around every day,” said
sophomore Madeline Weiman.
In a related project, Professor of Equine
Studies Elisabeth Giedt brought in bones from
a miniature horse fetus for the students to
reconstruct. The two skeletons were different
in size, which helped the students to learn
more. Both skeletons are displayed in the
classroom where they were assembled and
will remain there for the time being.
Wind Power
Lecture
Lorry Wagner, Ph.D.,
president of the Lake Erie
Energy Development
Corporation (LEEDCo),
lectured on “Offshore
Wind Power for a Better
Ohio” on April 26 in Austin
Hall of Science. Wagner,
an experienced energy
engineer and longstanding
member of the Great Lakes
Energy Development Task
Force, discussed LEEDCo’s
mission to build an offshore
wind energy industry in
Ohio.
36 LAKE ERIE | FALL ‘12