Spartans of UD - Chryshaun Farran

Spartans of UD highlights what makes the University of Dubuque special - the people.

Chryshaun Farran, of East Dubuque, Illinois, is a senior digital art and design major. He recently completed his Eagle Scout project to install bat houses at New Hope Farm in La Motte, Iowa, and will soon earn the rank of Eagle Scout with Scouting America. Eagle Scout is the pinnacle of a scout's journey, representing dedication, leadership, and a commitment to service. Eagle Scout projects are typically completed by age 18; however, Chryshaun has muscular dystrophy and received an extension to complete his project.

Why did you choose to have bat houses installed at New Hope Farm in La Motte, Iowa, for your Eagle Scout project?

"I chose to have the bat houses installed at New Hope Farm in La Motte, Iowa, because the spot that I was originally going to place them was not going to work since we ran into some obstacles and winter was nearing. We wanted to make sure I got the bat houses into the ground before it froze, and my scout leader said that he knew a place that we could finish the project. I called Rick Mihm, who is the owner of New Hope Farm, and he said he would love for me to finish my project out there."

There are a lot of components involved in an Eagle Scout project. Can you please share those various components and how you oversaw the entire project?

"Yes, so in the planning, I did research on what type of things I can do for a project. I came up with making bat houses to help with mosquitoes at parks and went with it. I had to do the fundraising to purchase the materials, so I called some local businesses and asked if they would like to donate to my Eagle Scout project. Three companies in the Dubuque area said yes, so I will be giving them all a plaque to thank them for their donation. Purchasing the materials was easy once we got the funds to buy them, and then we built the houses a couple days after we got the materials. Finally, once we finished placing the bat houses in the ground, I sent my binder with all my project paperwork to the scout office for them to review it and that is where we are now. I should be having a Scouting Eagle Court of Honor and receive my awards for Eagle sometime this summer."

What did you enjoy most about your Eagle Scout project?

"What I enjoyed the most about my Eagle Scout project was having to use leadership from start to finish and learning what worked and didn't work as a leader. Also, using the skills I have developed in scouting and throughout life and college made it a little easier to improve the outcome of the project and the leadership process easier to manage."

What are some life lessons you've learned from Scouting America and your troop, Troop 51?

"Some life lessons that I have learned in Scouting America would be responsibility, leadership, and discipline. These are some of the many things that I have learned in scouting, and I will always be thankful for my time in scouting because of what I learned. As far as the troop, I learned doing things as a group is helpful and really fun. My previous troop, Troop 25, is where I spent most of my time as a scout and reached life scout. They didn't recharter a couple years ago, so that is when I went to Troop 51. They welcomed me and helped me to finish my Eagle Scout project and get Eagle. I'm grateful for both troops and everyone in them for helping me finish scouting and get the highest rank in Scouting America."

In your opinion, what makes the University of Dubuque unique?

"What I think makes the University of Dubuque unique would be personally just how accessible the campus is for me to get around with being in a wheelchair and just being welcomed and included on campus. I'm not made to feel different because of my disability but to feel like another student with everyone else. Secondly, it would be the community feel on campus. What I mean by that is all students and faculty on campus have different backgrounds of where they are from, but it feels like everyone has known each other their whole lives and it brings the campus closer and improves the overall college experience more enjoyable."