After spending the fall 2012 semester abroad for off-campus study, juniors Chelsea Carlson, Kate MacDonnell, and Anya Leyhe were happy to return to the familiarity and comfort of 61´«Ã½ and eager to share new perspectives gained during their time overseas. Chelsea studied in Florence, Italy; Kate at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland; and Anya in Madurai, India. The three enjoyed experiencing all their host cultures had to offer and were eager to continue those explorations stateside. The Discover Southern California Digital Scavenger Hunt was the perfect opportunity to do so.
For the past several semesters, Off-Campus Study director Neva Barker has challenged students returning from their time abroad with the opportunity to explore the local area the same way they had with their study location. She developed the scavenger hunt to encourage students to venture outside Claremont and photograph their adventures along the way. Items on the hunt list include dining at emblematic Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles and perusing the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena to visiting the Griffith Observatory and the Getty Villa.
Carlson, MacDonnell, and Leyhe quickly conquered public transportation and the LA freeways to travel to an impressive number of the sites on the list – and some of their own choosing. Each realized how much there is to see just a short distance from The Claremont Colleges – monuments, museums, and treasures of nature are just a short Metrolink or car ride away. MacDonnell and Carlson were even surprised to find reminders of their time in Europe while Leyhe encountered a very familiar face on a trail marker at Torrey Pines State Park. Based on the success and enthusiasm exhibited by these three contest winners, Barker hopes that more students will be inspired to participate in the scavenger hunt in the future.
“Southern California has so much to offer,” says Barker. “I think we all plan to visit the sights someday but never actually do. I’m glad Anya, Claire, and Kate were able to take the same spirit of discovery utilized for off-campus study and apply it here in their own backyard.”