The program, typically referred to as an immersion semester, was launched by Professor Ben Mirkin at the beginning of the school year.
Its goal is to provide interested students with firsthand outdoor education in the form of trip planning and lengthy wilderness expeditions.
This fall, students took three hiking trips and a canoeing trip, all of which lasted between three and 10 days. Locations included northern Maine and the Long Trail in western Vermont.
Sophomore Matt Cowley is one of about a dozen mountain recreation students participating in the school’s first immersion semester.
He says the curriculum is designed to teach students how to confidently lead groups on wilderness excursions while addressing any issues that arise along the way.
“I don’t know if I want to stick with mountain recreation too much,” Cowley explained. “But the leadership and group dynamic skills I’ve learned are transferrable to anything. I think that’s really valuable.”
The group didn’t waste any time getting started, as the first expedition began just two days after students returned from summer vacation.
In addition to outdoor training, immersion participants are required to plan logistics, gear, and food for each trip.
The focus of the program has since shifted from off-site expeditions to classroom activities because of inclement fall weather conditions. Students are now taking a wilderness first responder training course and a geology class that will satisfy a general education requirement.
Despite the unconventional structure of the program, Cowley insists that it is academically rigorous.
“It was a lot of work,” he said when asked about the expedition portion. “It wasn’t easy at all, but that’s not really a bad thing.”
Cowley believes that the program is here to stay at Lyndon State. In fact, department officials hope to make the immersion semester a regular part of the mountain recreation curriculum because of its early success.
For Cowley, the work has been challenging, but ultimately worthwhile.
“I’m proud that I was able to do it. I’m happy to be here.”
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