EXPLORERS CLUB

EXPLORERS CLUB

& their newest member Delphian alumna Karla Dana

Karla Dana (class of 2014) recently accepted her official invitation to the esteemed and storied Explorers Club. Founded nearly 120 years ago, the club has stayed true to its mission: “the encouragement of scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space.” Only about 3,500 members comprise its ranks, each accomplished in their respective fields of exploration and science. The history of this club is as remarkable as its members. Aviator Amelia Earhart, astronaut Neil Armstrong, former president Teddy Roosevelt, and mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary are a few of the notable names that form the ranks of the Explorers Club. The accomplishments of this small but determined club have influenced the course of our civilization, with a growing list of “famous firsts.” Its members were the first to land on the moon, the first to reach the lowest point at the bottom of the ocean, and the first to summit Mt. Everest.

With current members including Buzz Aldrin, James Cameron, and Kathryn D. Sullivan, Karla describes her feelings as “beside myself with excitement” being included in such a group’s ranks. One of the accomplishments that led to her acceptance was her rigorous ethnographic field research with the Ngobe indigenous tribe of southern Costa Rica, where she lived with the tribe and studied their actions to preserve their culture, as well as possible threats to the continued existence of the tribe.

Her research culminated in a project to transcribe a book of their ancestral legends and language, print hundreds of copies, and distribute these to schools across the entire southern region of the country. She says, “The richness inherent in each culture cannot be appreciated if nothing is done to preserve the cultural integrity of groups across our planet. Understanding is the most precious gift we have, and it is my purpose to contribute to its furtherance.”

As part of her strategic plan within the Explorers Club, Karla has decided to pursue a Master’s in Archeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland. The practicality of the program, which drew her to this little campus tucked away in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, aligns perfectly with her career goals.

As part of the coursework, she will be participating in archaeological excavations this summer, further enhancing her practical skills and knowledge.