Nova Fortier Email & Phone Number

Portland, Oregon Area

People think that being a bus operator is just a simple driving position: but, keep in mind, a bus is 20 tons, 41.5 feet long, 9 feet wide (closer to 10 feet, if you include the mirrors) and 11 feet tall. There are 26 feet between axles. In addition to maneuvering a bus down the street, bus operators use executive decision-making skills on how to handle changes in traffic, use predictive skills to anticipate both car and pedestrian movement, provide customer service to passengers and figure out how to manage various situations in real time while maintaining the safety and security of the bus and the passengers. Oh, and we also have to remember which route we are driving (some operators who drive multiple routes a day and/or a week) and where the bus stops are along that particular route.

Corvallis, Or

I work with the professor to bring current events in Alaska and how recent history impacts the peoples of SW Alaska. Specifically, I cover how ANCSA (Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act) affected how Alaska Natives are viewed by the broader Alaskan society when juxtaposed to how tribes in the continental U.S. are viewed by the broader American society. The professor and I also cover how traditions are preserved and taught to new generations. We also cover how climate change is affecting the peoples in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions and how modern American politics affect traditional Native cultures.

Corvallis, Or

I prepare and present lectures about the importance of building bridges between cultural divides, teach students about sub-Arctic cultures through traditional stories and personal accounts, assist the professor with role-playing games that reinforce the lectures and broaden how students view the world, teach students how to identify preconceived personal biases that lead to miscommunication, and answer questions the students pose about how they can take these communication theories and apply them in practical situations. I use humor to diffuse tense or intense discussions and redirect the conversations back to the basic idea of bridging cultural and communication divides.

Ba, Foreign Languages

Activities and Societies: Copeland Hall President New Student Orientation VolunteerSenior Thesis: "Report of 1830 Regarding Transports.

Education record