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Show The Tftumferfeinf Tuesdiy November 29, 1983 Page 7 Sarah Solberg: born to cycle by Karen Golberg Sometimes I think I should've come out of the womb with pedals on my feet. Sarah Solberg, assistant professor of English at SUSC, began riding a bicycle when she was six years old, and her unique educational experience gave her an opportunity to cycle in areas which many can only dream of seeing. Solberg, a native of Glendale, Calif., attended the University of California at Los Angeles where she took part in a student exchange education abroad program which sent her to Stirling University in central Scotland. I got to Scotland when I was a junior, she said, and suddenly 1 felt at home. Solberg said she especially loves cycling in Scotland because of the geographical diversity. The country is smaller and it favors cycle touring. The old roads are maintained and the geographical layout is ideal. The land changes so rapidly; almost every 80 miles has a wide variety of topography. In the past 10 years Solberg figures she has cycled miles. She enjoys cycling for many reasons. Its good physical fitness and its cheap, she said. It also helps me maintain my sanity, get rid of tension, and it allows me to get away from the familiar and think. After her year in Scotland Solberg returned to UCLA to complete her bachelors degree in English, with minors in physical education and music. She also obtained a teaching certificate, which in California takes a fifth year. Solberg never planned on getting a doctorate, but while working on her masters degree in English at UCLA she decided that maybe it was something she should consider. I was in classes with students working on their Ph.Ds and 1 was doing very well. I always thought that only geniuses got Ph.Ds, but I realized then that maybe I could. Solberg said that although doctorate degrees in English are not easy to get, there are a lot of them. Her desire was to get a doctorate that was really worthwhile. Besides, Solberg wanted to go back to Scotland. She applied to St. Andrews, Leicester, Edinburgh, Oxford and Cambridge, and was accepted at Leicester and Edinburgh. I decided on Edinburgh (Scotland) because I knew the city, and the university had a good reputation. Three years ago it was ranked 1 1th in the world, excluding American universities. Solberg sees a big difference in American and British universities. They (British) are not as concerned with grades, as we are here, but are more concerned with a students potential. "The standards are higher in Britain. In undergraduate work, most American students must attend two years of college in the U.S. before they can r be accepted as students in Britain. Also, acceptance is conditional. You have one yeat to prove yourself. If you dont measure up, they say goodbye. And they will. They do fail people. Solbergs love for Scotland has many facets. The priorities are different there, she said. They dont value money as much as they value people. Sometimes I think in this country its just the opposite. Its hard for her to adjust to life in the United States 25,000-30,00- 0 first-yea- Sarah Solberg, assistant professor of English, has spent time in other countries, particularly Scotland. when she comes back, she said. There they have an appreciation for smaller things, and a sensitivity to people around them. They have the attitude that bigger is not necessarily better. Although Solberg believes that small colleges have a lot to offer, she thinks that sometimes bigger is better. She enjoys the small class setting and the e with the students, but opportunity to work said that small colleges do have disadvantages. When I was at Stirling there were only 1,200 students. It was very difficult to organize an orchestra because there were few musicians in the student body. When you have such small numbers to work with, it limits the opportunities for variety. Programs suffer and growth is difficult with small numbers. Large universities are able to offer many different experiences for students because of the many varying interests on campus. However, I really enjoy being able to walk across this campus and know almost everybody. Its a very friendly atmosphere. Living in Cedar City is a big change for Solberg, having been raised in a metropolitan area. and living in Cedar is my biggest Being challenge. The amount of outright discrimination is k discrimination is low, but the subtle, high. There are not many social opportunities for single adults. If youre unmarried and over 24 you seem to be looked upon as not quite normal. At least that is how I perceive it. It concerns me that students are growing up in a culture that sets goals for them and evaluates how quickly they earn each step, almost like climbing a ladder. They get so caught up in it. Do they ever ask themselves, What kind of lifestyle do I want, or What kind of person do I want to be? Feeling safe about property and human life is one of the securities Solberg enjoys in Cedar City. In Glendale I would never dare leave my bike in front of my house, even for just five minutes. Solberg loves to read and said thats why she decided to major in English. Her original plans however, were non-LD- S behind-the-bac- non-LD- n to become a medical doctor. When I was little I used to read G rays Anatomy because I thought it was interesting. However, for pragmatic reasons decided against medical school, she said. My parents were poor and I knew what a struggle it wouldve been for them. If I knew then the aids that were available the story might have been different. Solberg believes that It is an American tendency for college students to become teachers. For many, education has been the way out. That was an important factor in myidecision. She had experience in teaching every summer at Arrow Bear, a privately-owne- d music camp in the San Bernardino mountains of California. Solberg began as a student 18 years ago and jias been going back ever since. Its a school experience in a natural setting. Kids come back year after year. For 23 years Solberg has played the clarinet. She enjoys participating in SUSCs music programs and is a familiar face in the orchestra of several of SUSCs theatre productions. Solberg believes that good teachers are born, not made. However, our need for teachers is so great that we need to be able to make teachers. A Ph.D is no guarantee of a good teacher. Solberg is looking forward to combining two of her favorite things cycling and literature as she completes her plans for a literary tour of England and Scotland next summer. The trip is open to all interested and there is credit available; two hours of physical education credit and eight hours of English credit will be awarded to those who complete the assignments and cycle the required distance. The trip will be a combination of cycling and train travel. Some of the famous places to be seen will be Canterbury Cathedral (Kent) and Chaucers Pilgrims Way, Oxford, the Lake District, and Stratford (home of Shakespeare). Solberg loves teaching, but its difficult for her to explain why. "Im afraid if I start analyzing it, it might take the magic away. 1 |
