Louisville Alumni Hit a Home Run

Thanks to the hard-charging efforts NOLS Wind River Wilderness grad Ford Barr, a group of Louisville, Kentucky alumni recently got together for refreshments, snacks, a re-connection to NOLS and a brainstorm on future alumni activities.

This type of volunteer-motivated networking and alumni activity is inspiring for all of our far-flung graduates. Everyone doesn't have access to the the Louisville Slugger Museum pictured left, but no matter where you are, there are sure to be a group of interesting and energetic NOLS alumni near you. Please contact us (alumni@nols.edu) if you'd like to foment some NOLS activity and networking in your area.

Thanks, Ford and the entire Louisville crew for hitting a home run in Kentucky!

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NOLS Alumni Service Award - Yoshie Kumagae

Each year NOLS recognizes an outstanding graduate for their volunteer service to the school as we pursue our broad educational mission. This year's Alumni Service Award winner is Yoshie Kumagae of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.

Yoshie, Yukon College's International Education Coordinator, is a 2006 graduate of a NOLS Yukon paddling expedition on the Bonnet Plume River. She saw an opportunity to connect a NOLS field education with Japanese university students' interested in wilderness values, leadership and practical experience with English as a second language. Her brainchild culminated as a very successful 7-day NOLS backpacking expedition in the Yukon with students from Tokyo's Waseda University. The course was so successful that Waseda repeated it in the summer of 2009. A university administrator summed up Yoshie's work quite nicely: "This is exactly what young Japense students need!"

For her creativity, energy, vision, dedication and fearless belief in the value of a NOLS education, please join us in recognizing Yoshie Kumagae as this year’s NOLS Alumni Service Award winner.

(photo courtesy of Rich Brame)

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Semester Grad Completes Marine Boot Camp

Spring Semester in the Rockies grad Peter Trausch recently returned from boot camp with the US Marines where he utilized his NOLS skills and then some during his training. Most notably was on a final test called “The Crucible,” during which recruits hiked a grueling 50 miles, throughout which their team of 20 was given obstacles to overcome together before finishing triumphantly at dawn 54 hours later.

Peter, a Lake Forest, IL resident, hopes to become a pilot, and “fly helicopters both in the Armed Forces and in the civilian world." With his devotion and knowledge, we have no doubt he will. Congratulations, Peter!

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Sox-Harris Wins Presidential Award

Former NOLS instructor, Alex Sox-Harris, has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for his work in mental health care quality with the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. It’s the nation’s highest honor for beginning researchers, and Alex is one of 100 recipients to receive a grant for up to five years of research. The award honors the "pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology."

Sox-Harris will be honored with the other recipients at a ceremony at the White House this fall. Congratulations Alex!

(Wind River Mountains photo courtesy of Rich Brame)

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NOLS Grad Tapped for Leadership Role

Four-time NOLS grad, Ann Mills, recently accepted a position in the Obama Administration as USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, where she will be responsible for overseeing the Natural Resources Conservation Service. In this position, Ann will oversee the agency’s land stewardship programs for privately held farm, ranch, and forestlands in the U.S. and she’ll work closely with USDA offices focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. Talk about taking your NOLS leadership skills to the highest level possible!

Ann is a long-time outdoor enthusiast—participating in her first NOLS course in the Uinta Wilderness when she was only 17. She went on to participate on a Yellowstone Park Expedition, an Alaska Sea Kayaking course, and a Mountain Biking course in Moab; not to mention her numerous personal trips.

Congratulations, Ann!

(photo courtesy of Brad Christensen)

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New HQ Interns Land in Lander

                                        

Hey everyone, I’m Libby!  I am an anthropology major at the University of Minnesota and a NOLS Baja Ocean Semester ’07 graduate. I am the new Alumni Department intern at the NOLS Headquarters in lovely Lander, Wyoming where I write for the alumni newspaper The Leader, help with alumni trip planning, bag rations for departing groups, and give alumni talks after students return from the field. I have high hopes to have another NOLS-inspired adventure next spring either by kayaking the full length of the Sea of Cortez, or doing the NOLS Year in the Sonoran course.

Hey, I’m Rachel! I am an undergrad student at Colorado College studying English and journalism. I am two-time NOLS grad. I took an Idaho Backpacking and Rafting course in 2006 and the Alaska Backpacking and Sea Kayaking course in 2007. I am the new publications intern and this summer, I will be writing for and designing the summer issue of The Leader and helping with the 2010 course catalog in addition to other smaller projects around HQ. I hope to do the NOLS Rock and River course sometime in the future.

We are just starting to settle in here in Lander and to the NOLS lifestyle. The weather is beautiful and we can’t wait to get up into the mountains.  Keep a lookout for the upcoming issue of The Leader which features a delicious cheesy hushpuppies recipe contributed by a NOLS grad and tested by us!

Cheers!

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WMI Grad Makes Good

We think our alumni are top-notch folks. But don’t just take our word for it, read on to see how NOLS’ wilderness medicine education helps qualify medical professionals.

Bob Foster, a graduate of the Wilderness Medical Institute’s “Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Professionals” course in 2008, recently became Fremont County Idaho’s new Emergency Services Director.

Foster ‘s goal is to “provide high quality emergency care to EMS patrons and high quality training to EMS volunteers” in southern Idaho- including Driggs (home to NOLS’ Teton Valley Branch).

Be sure to check out the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute website for updates or to choose a training option that's right for you.

Congratulations to Bob Foster!

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Astronaut Grunsfeld On NOLS - From Space

Here is a recent post by NASA Astronaut John Grunsfeld on the "NOLS Share Your Leadership Story" web page. 

From the International Space Station:

This space mission to the Hubble was by far the most complex and difficult of my expeditions to space. We spent over 3 years planning, preparing and training to make the repairs and upgrades to the telescope. The success of our mission can only be attributed to this preparation, and training, and more training. Everyone knew their role and strived for excellence. We knew we'd make mistakes, and planned for it. After all we're all human. The goal was to trap the mistakes early, resolve the issue and then to move on.

The satisfaction we have of leaving Hubble with more capability for science and exploration than it's ever had is huge. My entire crew is NOLS trained--starting with my WRW in '74, when Paul Petzoldt was in the lumberyard, to our Hubble Crew training by NOLS Pro, the NASA Sea Kayaking Leadership Expedition in Alaska in 2007.

Thanks,
John Grunsfeld

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Kellogg School of Management goes to Patagonia with NOLS

Students from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University successfully completed a NOLS backpacking course in Chilean Patagonia. The seven-day outdoor expedition focused on honing leadership skills in a wild and spectacular location. Marketing, strategy, and finance student Allison Yang stated she will return to her MBA program with newly refined decision-making styles, helping her professionally at her job at Proctor & Gamble:

"If you can figure out how to cross rapid-flowing, waist-deep rivers or how to bushwhack through almost impenetrably dense brush on extremely steep inclines, then you can figure out how to turn around a declining business or bring new innovation to a category—they both require dedication, brainstorming, and teamwork."

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NOLS Graduates in Space

Last night, NASA's space shuttle Discovery successfully launched into space with crew STS-119 on board for their mission to install the final set of solar arrays on the International Space Station.

All seven astronauts have completed NOLS courses, practicing leadership and expedition skills to prepare them for missions in space. These courses were custom designed by NOLS Professional Training for NASA astronauts as part of their two-year training for spaceflight.

Read about the mission on NASA's blog or follow them on Twitter.

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