UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 24, Page 6
March 18, 1994
Research looks at influence of mountain man

     Some people might consider the topic of Cindy Baker's research project
slightly unusual, but she says it's central to American history.
     Baker, a student in the University's Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
(MALS) Program, is compiling information on the mountain men, or fur
trappers, who lived in the Rocky Mountains and other areas of the American
West from 1810-1840.
     Baker, who lives near Georgetown, says she is particularly interested
in the everyday experiences of these fiercely independent American
frontiersmen.
     "Many people think the topic is a little strange," Baker says, "but
once I begin explaining certain aspects of the mountain men's lifestyle,
they are just as fascinated as I am.
     "What people don't realize is that a great deal of American history
was influenced by the mountain men's courage and bent for exploration."
     A recent family trip took Baker to North Dakota, where she had an
opportunity to see in person some of the sites central to her topic and
extend her research firsthand.
     Baker's research project is part of the University's MALS Program,
which is designed for college graduates who wish to return to school for
intellectual growth. Through close contact with a faculty adviser, students
shape their own focus of graduate study. The MALS Program, which stresses
the connections among fields of knowledge, can be completed in southern
Delaware with courses offered at the Higher Education Building at the
Delaware Tech campus in Georgetown.
     Baker began her college education at the University of Delaware's
Parallel Program when her youngest child entered school. She completed her
bachelor's degree in education in 1989, and in 1993 was named teacher of
the year at Sussex Central Middle School, after only six months on the
faculty there. She describes her profession as "the perfect job" and refers
to her seventh graders as "full of energy" and having "much to offer."
     Since returning to school for her undergraduate degree was such a
stimulating experience, Baker said she was eager to take on the challenge
of graduate education through the University of Delaware MALS Program.
     "Everything worked out beautifully," Baker says of her educational
experience. "My husband is a gem. I am so lucky to have the support of my
whole family."
     Baker speaks glowingly of the MALS Program in southern Delaware,
saying that she loves the flexibility of its interdisciplinary approach.
"Even though everyone in the class hears the same lectures and get the same
basic information, we all take different directions in our papers,
depending on our interests," she explains.
     Proud of her accomplishments, Baker says, "If I can do it, other
people can do it, too."
     For more information on the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program,
call Bill Williams, professor and coordinator of the southern Delaware MALS
Program, at 855-1630.
                                                  -Michelle Mauer