Talk of the Towns 1/12/22: College of the Atlantic in its 50th Year—a conversation with Darron Collins, President

Producer/Host: Ron Beard College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, welcomed its first class 50 years ago, offering a many paths to a degree in human ecology. In a conversation with Darron Collins, President of the college and himself a graduate, we explore the origins and history of College of the Atlantic, the ways in which students learn and faculty teach, the role of international students who make up nearly 20% of the intentionally small student body of 350, and aspirations as faculty, staff and students look ahead. About the host: Ron Beard is producer and host of Talk of the Towns, which first aired on WERU in 1993 as part of his community building work as an Extension professor with University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant. He took all the journalism courses he could fit in while an undergraduate student in wildlife management and served as an intern with Maine Public Television nightly newscast in the early 1970s. Ron is an adjunct faculty member at College of the Atlantic, teaching courses on community development. Ron served on the Bar Harbor Town Council for six years and is currently board chair for the Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor, where he has lived since 1975. Look for him on the Allagash River in June, and whenever he can get away, in the highlands of Scotland where he was fortunate to spend two sabbaticals. The post Talk of the Towns 1/12/22: College of the Atlantic in its 50th Year—a conversation with Darron Collins, President first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.