SGSC students discover love of history on trip to St. Simons Island
In 1810, the first lighthouse on St. Simons Island was completed, only to be destroyed during the Civil War years later. The current lighthouse was built in 1872 and still serves as an active aid to navigation and a tourist favorite when visiting the island as demonstrated by a group from South Georgia State College (SGSC).
Dr. Thomas Agostini, SGSC assistant professor of history, and Sandra Adams, SGSC interim dean of students and housing, joined a number of students enrolled in summer semester at the Waycross campus on an adventure to St. Simons Island recently and were able to visit the St. Simons Lighthouse Museum and make the climb to the top of the historic lighthouse.
In addition, the group visited Fort Frederica and participated in a private tour led by a volunteer in period costume. Plus, who can visit the coast without having seafood? St. Simons Village was the perfect setting for a leisurely lunch followed by the lighthouse tour and the exploration of the variety of gift shops in the central village area.
Dr. Agostini believes in bringing history to life and he says, “These students had never experienced anything like what we saw which included museums, restaurants, shops and the coastal scenery, so it was truly an enriching experience for them as well as for me, their professor.”
As part of its mission, SGSC strives to provide innovative teaching and learning experiences for the students. This summer trip to St. Simons Islands is just one example of the college’s commitment to expose the students to unique ecological sites and the importance of the history in the region.