This content was published: June 11, 2009. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Trebuchet marks beginning and end of UCORE students’ journeys
Photos and story by James Hill
On Friday, May 29, the Sylvania Campus Science Club and members of the Undergraduate Catalytic Outreach and Research Experience (UCORE) group had its annual summer party on the Sylvania Campus’ athletic field. The event featured water bottle rockets and a trebuchet as well as refreshments.
PCC student and UCORE graduate Levi Sitts, who is transferring to Oregon State University this fall, built the trebuchet for his 16th birthday and said he and his friends launch the giant catapult several times a summer. This is the second time they’ve brought it to PCC.
“We are using it for a sort of commencement ceremony for the new UCORE students going down to the University of Oregon,” Sitts said. “It took about three weeks to build it. It’s a replica of a Medieval war engine. They were about five stories tall and threw 300- to 500-pound boulders 200 yards. Ours doesn’t go extremely far for its size but it goes pretty high.”
UCORE is a grant-funded program for selected PCC students who demonstrate academic achievement in 100-level classes in Physics, Chemistry, Geology and General Science. If selected, students attend a 10-week summer research program at the University of Oregon, mentor other PCC students and must be willing to pursue 200 level classes in these subjects along with Math 95 and 111C. Students will be provided a small stipend for attending the summer research program, hourly pay for mentoring activities in the 2009-2010 academic year and reimbursement for textbooks.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »