Michelle Scully knows her stuff. As executive director for Marymount California University Lakeside Campus in Lucerne — and a biology instructor — she has to command a certain amount of knowledge. A Lake County resident since moving here with her family back in 1995, she has been active in education and economic development. She taught science at Mendocino College Lake Center for several years, for example. Scully”s family farms in Northern California and she earned zoology and biology degrees from UC-Davis, so she knows the region, as well. But she was also part of the crew responsible for that chalkboard wall downtown that proved so popular (and colorful) over much of the summer.
1. What happened to the wall?
The wall had an expiration date, it seems. We wanted to start a new conversation and a part of that conversation is graphic. We didn”t want to be graffiti police. But the wall is going into a conversation about art in public places. We are hoping to have a mural there.
2. Why science?
I”ve always been nature-oriented. I feel fortunate that I have a wide-eyed, childlike appreciation of nature —- and it”s still childlike. Plus biology is the science of life.
3. But it”s harder to find time to party as a science student.
It”s hard. There were a lot of smart kids at Davis. I had to keep up.
4. How does the establishment of Marymount change Lake County?
So many people have worked for decades to bring a four-year university to Lake County. That it”s here brings opportunity to people that, as we say, life has happened to. We”re seeing people restart their college education. And they have great stories. That”s the best part — hearing their stories.
5. Are the students different than at a traditional campus?
It”s a heterogeneous group. We have students fresh out of their associate”s program and students who are restarting. It”s a cross section. It”s very interesting. I love it.
6. So you don”t have discipline problems.
Everybody is self-monitoring. We don”t have problems. You know, we just had a student pot luck.
7. That”s not a normal college party.
I brought broccoli-brussels sprout salad. I won”t do that ever again. It wasn”t popular.
8. What”s your favorite part of Lake County.
I think the Highland Springs area.
9. When you moved here, what surprised you?
That there were so many trees, which is funny. My parents farm, but it”s alfalfa. Oh, and the people.
10. If you had to live somewhere else, where would it be?
Permanently? This February we”ll have been here 20 years. I my not have said this at first — it”s hard for me to imagine living anywhere else. But if I had to, I guess it would be Montana or Wyoming.
