Students and faculty alike find the four-week courses inspiring, diverse
Colby students participate in a Jan Plan course with Assistant Professor of Biology Christina Cota in Woods Hole, Mass. (Photo by Adam Glanzman)
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By Gabe SouzaPhotos by Ashley L. Conti, Adam Glanzman, and Gabe Souza
January 31, 2025
For Rachel Bast ’25, hand-dyeing yarn is about as far as it gets from her studies as a math and biochemistry double major.
Which is precisely why she took The Art of the (Spinning) Wheel as her final Jan Plan course at Colby.
Olivia Hochstadt ’21 (right), a fiber art instructor, watches as Rachel Bast ’25, a math and biochemistry double major, and Erica Loomis ’25, an environmental science major, prepare their fibers. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
“Having complete creative control over a project, from deciding what type of fiber to use, to what kind of yarn to make, to what colors to dye it, and finally what to make with the yarn was an incredible experience,” said Bast. “Hearing how people have gotten involved with fiber communities around the world has me excited to get involved wherever I end up post-Colby.”
Freshly dyed fibers are set out to dry as part of The Art of the (Spinning) Wheel Jan Plan course taught by Lesley Fowler at her home in Waterville. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
Since 1962 the four-week term has sparked creativity among students as they begin the calendar year with a dose of unique education that often sits outside the realm of their declared major.
Rachel Bast ’25 picks the colors to dye her fibers. Students learned to dye, card, and spin sheep’s wool on spinning wheels and drop-spindles, producing traditional and art yarns. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)Kevin Ma ’28 is illuminated by burning biomass during a tour of Colby’s Biomass Heating and Cogeneration Plant as part of the Jan Plan course Can We Get There From Here? A Roadmap for the Energy Transition, taught by John Gardner, a retired engineering professor. The Jan Plan course examined how energy is used throughout society. Students developed and analyzed scenarios and took field trips to clean energy sites near Colby. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
“[Jan Plan] provides both students and faculty with a unique opportunity to set aside other obligations and fully immerse themselves in exploring a topic or area of interest,” said Christina Cota, assistant professor of biology, who taught Comparative Developmental Cell Biology for this year’s Jan Plan at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass.
“The ability to focus on a single course facilitates a deeper engagement with the topic being explored, hands-on experimentation, and meaningful discussions that enhance learning and discovery.”
Steam Plant Engineer Paul Anderson explains how the biomass plant works during a tour of Colby’s Biomass Heating and Cogeneration Plant. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
For others, like biology major Olayinka Lamikanra ’26, it provided an opportunity to go deeper into an area of study.
“I loved seeing the axolotls,” said Lamikanra, referring to the critically endangered salamander, which the lab had on hand.
Joyce Odhiambo ’27 examines a dish of wings from a blue morpho butterfly under the microscope as part of Comparative Developmental Cell Biology taught by Christina Cota, assistant professor of biology, at Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. The vibrant colors and intricate patterns of butterfly wings result from a combination of pigments and nanostructures within the tiny scales that cover their surface. (Photo by Adam Glanzman)Pete Levangie ’24 chats with students during a Latin II class at Waterville Senior High School. Levangie’s experience was part of Practicum in Education, taught by Stephanie Proto, a Jan Plan instructor. The course allowed Colby students to serve as assistant teachers, tutor students, work with students individually, observe professional teachers, and prepare and present lesson plans to classes in an elementary, middle, or high school. (Photo by Gabe Souza)
Jan Plan courses fanned out across the globe studying dozens of different subjects, from biology to aviation. It is a chance for established faculty to examine a niche in their field or for an experienced professional to share their wealth of knowledge.
Will Coakley ’25, a chemistry major, works on a drawing in Perkins Arboretum as part of the Monumental Woodcuts and Maine course, taught by Amanda Lilleston, assistant professor of art. The course explored the relationship between people and the environment through large-scale woodcut printmaking. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)Jan Plan Instructor Lesley Fowler smiles with Erica Loomis ’25, an environmental science major, as they reveal the color of Loomis’s fibers after dyeing them in a crockpot at Fowler’s home in Waterville. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
John Gardener, a retired engineering professor, taught a course titled Can We Get There From Here? A Roadmap for Energy Transition. He found the experience to be not only fulfilling but symbiotic.
“[The students] really dug into the subject matter,” he said. “At the end, I found that I had learned things from them, as well.”
Anish Kusumanchi ’26 and Olayinka Lamikanra ’26 examine pictures of the butterfly wings they took under the microscope as part of their Comparative Developmental Cell Biology course. (Photo by Adam Glanzman)Will Coakley ’25 uses a chisel to shape a piece of wood as part of the Monumental Woodcuts and Maine course. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)Sam Lerner ’25, an environmental science major, and Rubi Sovell-Fernandez ’25, an environmental policy major, hold a giant woodcut print by Amanda Lilleston, assistant professor of art. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)Sam Lerner ’25 works to finish a piece inspired by nature in the print lab in Bixler Art and Music Center. (Photo by Ashley L. Conti)
