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Newsletter
Winter 2003
Au Sable Alumni: Scott Carleton
Every now and then Au Sable receives a letter that makes
a cloudy day shine. In 2001, our director of Au Sable-Great Lakes received
this letter from alumnus Scott Carleton. Scott has agreed to let us show
you his thoughtful letter. We hope it touches you as much as it touched
us.
Scott Carleton graduated from Southern Nazarene University
with a Bachelor of Science in 1995. In 1999 he began a Masters at the
University of Arkansas where he studied resource selection by the Resplendent
Quetzal in Costa Rica and graduated in 2002 with a Masters of Science.
 Currently,
Scott resides in Laramie, Wyoming with his wife Leah, 4 year old son
Cade, and Labrador retriever Sadi. He is a pre-doctoral candidate in
the Department of Zoology & Physiology. Scott’s current area of study
involves the use of stable isotopes and microsatellite DNA to identify
the wintering grounds of Eastern and Western White-winged Doves (Zenaida
asiatica asiatica and Zenaida asiatica mearnsii) from their breeding
areas in Texas and Arizona. In Scott’s free time you can find him sampling
the aquatic fauna of the mountain streams, rivers, and beaver ponds with
his favorite fly rod as well as hiking and camping with his family.
Dr. Dave Mahan,
Well, it is no surprise. As spring is coming to a close and summer
is fast on her heels, nostalgia sets in and I am whisked away on
a wonderful ride full of great memories. Oh, it never fails that
at this time of year I imagine myself once again preparing to head
off to Mancelona, Michigan for 5 weeks at Au Sable. I remember not
knowing what to expect and I have to admit a little nervous about
what I would find.
For years now I have tried to put a finger on what triggers the
memories. Sometimes, it is as simple as the smell of a pine as I
walk by it in the yard or the rustle of the cottonwood leaves that
bring back a landscape of quaking aspens shaking in the breeze. Most
often, it is just the smell of the earth carried by a dry summer
wind. The fondest and strongest memories, however, are triggered
by the emotions of a life changing experience. Like so many young
people, I was a little lost. I knew what my interests were, but lacked
even the hint of a dream or the assemblage of a goal. Let alone goals.
It is easy in college to take a lot of courses and follow a plan
of course development ultimately leading to graduation and a degree.
How many finish and are still asking themselves questions like “What
now?” or “That can’t be it … there must be something more?”
At Au Sable, for the first time, my thinking was challenged. I
was asked to think beyond the textbook and begin to consider concepts
like stewardship and conservation. Not only to think about them but
relate them to and not separate them from my Christianity. Wow, imagine
that. How bold a concept! Asking us to think not only as biologists
but also as Christians? How much more intimate your relationship
with God becomes when you make him a greater part of the beauty you
see all around you. You actually find yourself a little ashamed of
what we are doing to the world we live in. Not just globally, but
locally. What each one of us does every day in our own towns and
backyards. It really makes you think. Thinking leads to growth and
I have not stopped growing for a second since I left Au Sable.
I don’t know where I will end up in my career but I know that I
am following the path that God has called me to walk. A path that
started not to long ago in one of the most beautiful places I’ve
ever been. Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies.
What I feel when I think about and remember Au Sable goes beyond
nostalgia. It is composed of a lot of unforgettable experiences,
a strengthening of confidence and character, the birth and renewal
of purpose, and the beginning of a wonderful journey in my life.
Thanks for making a difference in my life and undoubtedly the lives
of so many others.
Your friend,
Scott Carleton
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