Veterans return from wilderness with NOLS and the Sierra Club
In early May, seven veterans and one Army wife embarked on a six-day leadership expedition in the Gila Wilderness. Organized by the Sierra Club's Mission Outdoors and run by NOLS Professional Training, the course was open to—and free for—veterans. The goal of the course was to give veterans an opportunity to become outdoor leaders.
Although it is easy to assume that the culture of NOLS and that of the military are incongruent, the very core of what NOLS offers—wilderness expeditions—is exactly why the two are a perfect match. As one participant noted, returning to the unregimented world of civilian life can be an incredible challenge for veterans.
“I think all veterans suffer to some extent as they leave military service in finding their way in the next chapter of life. I felt a bit like Morgan Freeman’s character Red in the movie Shawshank Redeption. ‘I’m an institutional man, and not sure I can make it on the outside,’” explained USNR Trevor Ivory in a recent post on the Sierra Club blog. “Even though I was outside my comfort zone from day [one], the interactions with staff and other veterans built a confidence and sense of self and team accomplishment that I hadn’t experienced since my time on active duty.”
This kind of reaction echoes the experience Stacy Bare, the Sierra Club’s national military families and veterans representative, has had with outdoor recreation and summarizes why he helped create the program.
“[On the course], I reminded myself that veterans and service members love to serve, love to challenge themselves, love to push themselves farther, and to be part of a team,” commented Bare. “I reminded myself that wilderness—the outdoors—[is] a necessary part of the human experience and that cutting ourselves off from that inhibits are ability to thrive in modern times.”
Photo Credit: Acacia Elkins
Perhaps nothing could better synthesize the purpose of the course than the slogan for the National Park Service: “Experience your America.” Through its partnership with the Sierra Club, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Operation Free, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, NOLS now enables those who fought for America to enjoy America and to develop skills for leading others in the wilderness.
Read more reflections from the course on the Sierra Club Military Families and Veterans Initiative blog.
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on May 23, 2012 in the following categories: Leadership, Professional Training
Summit Addresses Environmental Issues
After spending much of the first day of the Faculty Summit discussing leadership skills, teaching techniques, and ways to foster inclusion, the second day began with a reminder to faculty: you have an incredible opportunity to inspire a new generation to care about the environment.
Dan Garvey delivered the morning’s first presentation. Garvey’s humorous approach softened the otherwise sobering discourse about ethical failures and their catastrophic impact on the environment.
Dan Garvey addresses NOLS faculty. Photo Credit: Brad Christensen
Next, George Luber delved further into the theme of environmental consciousness with a thorough presentation of the changes occurring in the environment and, consequently, in the health of Americans.
George Luber explains the numerous changes occuring in the environment. Photo credit: Brad Christensen
Although Luber’s statistics were staggering, he, like Garvey, urged NOLS faculty to take the information and act, rather than allow it to be paralytic in its seriousness. For example, he suggested appealing to the self interest of students, whose appreciation for wild places grows during a NOLS course.
“Instead of pointing out all of the weeds, get in the garden,” deplored Garvey.
For videos of talks, forums, and workshops at the NOLS Faculty Summit, please visit NOLS.tv
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on May 17, 2012 in the following categories: Alumni, Curriculum, Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability, Instructor News, Leadership
Off-Campus Semester to Start with NOLS
In August, a group of incoming freshmen at Elon University will embark on a 22-day NOLS course in Wyoming’s Wind River Range. While this may not be reminiscent of the typical freshman orientation, it is actually the start of Elon’s inaugural Gap Semester Program, during which students spend their entire first semester of college off campus. At the conclusion of their NOLS course, the group will travel back to North Carolina, stopping in four distinct locations to perform service projects. After that, the students will travel to Costa Rica, where they will live in home-stays.
“Starting with NOLS, [we expect] the students will develop self-reliance, a stronger sense of who they are, as well as a cohesive group identity. [Additionally], the type of experience they will have with NOLS will provide them with a substantial foundation for the service projects and the international experience,” explained Rex Waters, associate dean of students.
This novel program reflects Elon’s dedication to launching “innovative pathways in undergraduate and graduate education,” as well as the school’s “ethos of engaged learning.”
“[Elon, is an] institution, that is always looking ahead at what is best for our students; [our programs are] proactive, not reactive,” said Waters.
Proactive thinking is exactly why the program begins with NOLS.
“The significance of the NOLS program can’t help but transform the students by making them more self aware and thus enabling them to look at the world more broadly,” Waters said. “This innovative transition experience will hopefully provide life experiences integrated with a curriculum that will serve as a launch pad in unleashing the potential of these students on the Elon campus when they return. I wish I could go!”
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on May 9, 2012 in the following categories: Leadership, Professional Training, Rocky Mountain
NOLS Pro featured in Businessweek
“Outdoor education, once largely confined to orientation at business schools, is making inroads at a growing number of MBA programs as schools look for more effective ways to teach students the dynamics of leadership and team-building. Many of them are turning to the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS),” writes Alison Damast in a Bloomberg Businessweek article published today.
The article, with headline “MBAs Learning Leadership the Hard Way,” examines the trend of business schools across the nation incorporating outdoor education into programming, specifically with NOLS Professional Training.
A number of business schools and businesses have custom programs through NOLS Pro. David Anderson photo
NOLS has seen a three-fold increase in MBA programs since 2007, and the future looks bright, as conversations are ongoing with a number of renowned MBA programs. The school with the longest history with NOLS, Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, gives the experience and NOLS Pro rave reviews in the article:
“They’re in charge and they have all this responsibility in an environment in which they are not the experts,” Warton’s Director of Graduate Leadership Jeff Klein is quoted saying in the article. “Where we find NOLS to be incredibly skilled is the ability to allow students to lead and then to accept the consequences of success or failure.”
Permalink | Posted by Casey Dean on May 7, 2012 in the following categories: In The News, Leadership, On The Net, Professional Training
Powerful Impact of Positivity
Stephanie Calderon’s first two days in Alaska were not at all what she expected. A week prior, Calderon was laying on a beach in Mexico, enjoying the sun and reminiscing about her recent graduation from high school. Now she was standing in the cold rain, far from her cell phone and computer, trying to tie knots in a wet rope. Earlier in the year, when she signed up for the STEP Student Expedition with NOLS Professional Training, Alaska sounded like fun. Now she was miserable.
But there was no other option—the tent had to be set up—so Stephanie kept working.
Later, while sitting around a fire, the students on Calderon’s course talked about the difficulty of completing tasks in inclement weather. One student explained that, although she was challenged by the weather, Calderon’s positive demeanor prevented her from complaining.
“This set the attitude for me. [I realized] the importance of remaining positive, no matter how bad things are, because it impacts other people’s actions,” explained Calderon, who quickly fell in love with NOLS.
Stephanie (far right) on a beach in Alaska. Photo credit: Tracy Baynes
When she returned and started college at the University of Arizona, the lessons learned on the expedition served Calderon well.
“Having experience living in close quarters [on course] made it a lot easier to live in a dorm. NOLS taught me the necessity of communicating about things that aren’t working,” said Calderon. “On course, you couldn’t run away to your room—you had to deal with it there.”
The following summer, Calderon returned to STEP as an intern, where she was surprised to find herself acting as a role model to the students. This rewarding experience, combined with continued correspondence with NOLS instructor Lynn Petzold, inspired Calderon to pursue further work with NOLS.
STEP Student Expedition 2006. Photo credit: Tracy Baynes.
In May, Calderon will start a fellowship at NOLS Pacific Northwest. She hopes this experience will eventually lead to an instructor course.
“If I could be as amazing an instructor as Lynn and have a powerful impact on other lives … that would be great!” Calderon said.
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on Apr 24, 2012 in the following categories: Alaska, Leadership, Professional Training
Notes from the Field: Phil Henderson’s first weeks at Everest Base Camp
NOLS senior field instructor and Rocky Mountain River Base Manager Phil Henderson has reached Everest Base Camp and continues to report back from his expedition on Mount Everest. The following are his first notes from Everest Base Camp:
Phil Henderson
March 30: We are now in the high alpine environment. Hiking over the shoulder of the terminal moraine on the Khumbu Glacier, we passed an area where Chortens have been built to honor some of those who have lost their lives in the Himalayas—a reminder of the dangers we face, and the risks we take to travel and climb here.
As I passed a series of Chortens, I recognized a name forever etched in the big granite stone: Scott Fischer, 1996. The stone is painted white, and the letters are painted black. The stone is covered with fresh prayer flags, a sign that he is remembered each year. As I walk past this spot I am reminded of the people who have been, or could be, in my shoes.
The fact that I am here is a result of time spent working, skiing, climbing, watching, or just listening to people with much more experience than me, people who took the time to help me gain the skills and experience to make this journey.
Everest Base Camp
April 3: Third day in Everest Base Camp (EBC): Spent yesterday getting installed (our base camp crew is amazing). We are actually camping on the glacier, so the rocks and ice need to be moved to make flat spots. Our Nepali crew makes everything possible. The Khumbu Icefall is fixed, so we will be ready to climb after the Puja [prayer ceremony] in a few days. Lots of serac falls again last night, I think this will be a nightly occurrence.
Clockwise: Panuru Sherpa (our Sidar) from Phortse, AnKaji Sherpa from Makalu, Tendi Sherpa from Solukhumbu, Phil Henderson and Mingma Sherpa from Taksindu.
April 7: Last night was a rough night. It snowed a few inches and I had a headache, but was better in the morning. Another acclimation day spent hiking around EBC. Met with Luanne at the medical clinic, and chatted with David Brashears for a brief moment.
We made more adjustments to our establishment, and enjoyed the warm morning weather. Since we are camped on an active glacier things move. Slowly, but they do move. I hear rocks moving on the glacier at night, as well as big seracs falling and avalanches that wake me from sleeping.
We often have discussions about why we climb mountains, or go on expeditions. Camaraderie is built within the group—in our case this also means our Nepali staff. But the sharing of stories, emotions, in sickness and in health is truly the bigger reason. Standing on the summit will be but a few glorious minutes within months of time spent with the group, eating laughing, and being cold. Yeah, sound like a NOLS course? Similar, but we get to drink scotch and watch movies in base camp at night.
April 10: The average daytime temp is around 47 degrees; however, with the solar gain it can get up to 80 degrees in my tent during the day, and the nighttime temps are dropping to about 21 degrees and below. Base camp life consists of getting up around 6:30 (cold!), breakfast around 8, and then group discussion for the day. Sometimes we need to scrape rock from the south-facing slope of ice that feeds our water pool to keep it full. Daily maintenance of personal tents—they melt out as well, lunch around noon, and maybe go bouldering on the ice-fall or hike around Manhattan (base camp central).
Permalink | Posted by Mike Hepler on Apr 16, 2012 in the following categories: In The News, Instructor News, Leadership, Southwest
Allison Bergh on Astronauts and the Arctic
Allison Bergh, a long-time instructor for NOLS and NOLS Professional Training, got her start in outdoor education as a river guide. While she loved the wilderness aspect the job, Bergh soon realized that she wanted to be an educator rather than a guide.
“In 1994, armed with enthusiasm, limited backcountry experience (but a huge passion for rivers and river trips), and a desire to learn, I applied for a NOLS instructor course,” Bergh said.
Today, in addition to teaching for NOLS, Bergh is the co-owner of a leadership development business that she started with another NOLS instructor, Kat Smithhammer.
“I have my work with NOLS and NOLS Pro to thank for developing my skill set, confidence, and leadership capabilities to where I am now successfully running my own business," said Bergh. “Being a new business owner takes up most of my professional time, but I still work a few courses a year for NOLS Pro because I love it so much.”
Overlooking the Mountain River in the Artic. Photo credit: Allison Bergh
One of the reasons Bergh loves NOLS Pro is the clients. As Bergh notes, “[I get to work with] astronauts... need I say more?” But she does, emphasizing that the amazing people on NOLS Pro courses are what keep her coming back.
“I have been introduced to some amazingly talented, interesting, passionate, and hard-working people through my NOLS Pro work. I have yet to run into a client who doesn’t feel as if they have something to learn about being a more effective communicator, or becoming better at using situational leadership.”
When asked about a story that highlighted the efficacy of NOLS Pro courses, Bergh went back to NASA astronauts.
“[We were] sitting on the side of a canyon in southern Utah, trying to decide whether we were going to head up into a slot canyon with a rainstorm brewing. It was a defining decision-making moment for the group, with relevancy from the canyons of Utah applying to work up in space. I appreciate the learning that goes on during our courses because it feels real and tangible to our clients’ everyday work life.”
NOLS instructors Betsy Treadway, Allison Bergh, and Kathy Brown traveling in the Arctic. Photo credit: Allison Bergh
Bergh doesn’t see herself as having a sole “great accomplishment” in the outdoors.
“I would describe it more as an appreciation for being a competent outdoors person who has strong decision-making and communication skills. [This allows me to] access remote places on the globe safely and travel within them with groups of friends. I canoe in the Canadian Arctic with a group of girlfriends every few years, and those are some of the best weeks of my life. I have NOLS to thank for refining my leadership and team skills so that I have friends who continue to want to go to the Arctic with me!”
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on Apr 3, 2012 in the following categories: Instructor News, Leadership, Professional Training
Wharton, Wilderness, Wall Street
Six years after completing a Wharton Leadership Venture Winter Expedition with NOLS Professional Training, Daniel DiBiasio still remembers every campsite. He also remembers, word-for-word, the feedback he received about his role as Leader of the Day. It was the honesty of the critique that resonates the most with DiBiasio, who frequently applies these skills at his job on Wall Street.
“[As Leader of the Day], people may have agreed with your decisions during the day, but once the authority has been relinquished, the feedback you get is very honest. For this reason, it’s tangible feedback, not theoretical—which is more valuable than what you tend to get in the classroom,” said DiBiasio.
“I think of that feedback and the [process] almost every time I make a decision that impacts one or more employees, particularly how I gather information and then implement change,” noting the NOLS leadership curriculum helped him develop the leadership role he plays today. “The feedback initially pushed me pretty far outside my comfort zone, but without that knowledge I would certainly not be as effective a leader.”
Photo credit: Brad Christensen
Although the similarities between a backpacking expedition and the business world may seem tenuous, DiBiasio believes otherwise.
“What you’re really doing [in business] is managing people,” he said.
Whether it’s on Wall Street, or in the wilderness, the effective management of people requires clear communication. As DiBiasio found, outdoor leadership makes this lesson tangible, which increases its effectiveness.
“Of all the things I learned at Wharton, some of the most valuable lessons happened with NOLS and Wharton Leadership Ventures,” commented DiBiasio.
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on Mar 29, 2012 in the following categories: Leadership, Professional Training
Chris Beeson on Leadership Lessons in the Wilderness
As a sophomore in college, Chris Beeson went backpacking with his school’s outdoor program and fell in love with the type of education that occurs outside.
“After that, I went through the school’s leadership program and started leading trips for the outdoor program. This experience made me realize what I wanted for a career: to work for NOLS,” said Beeson, who became an instructor in 2000.
Chris Beeson in the Cascades. Photo Credit: Chris Beeson
Over the past two years, Beeson’s work for NOLS was primarily instructing Professional Training courses. Beeson says this experience was particularly rewarding because of the clients.
“Clients on NOLS Professional Training courses come to NOLS as an intact team with a defined purpose or goal. This shared commitment allows for deep learning to take place faster; in four to six days the client can get to the same place (developmentally) as students on standard-length NOLS courses,” said Beeson.
Working with the clients at NOLS Pro inspired Beeson to return to school. With his own goal defined—to learn more leadership tools and expand his set of frameworks—Beeson is now working toward a Master’s in education, focusing on organizational learning and leadership development, at Harvard University.
For Beeson, the importance of NOLS Professional Training courses stems from the curriculum’s applicability to a range of organizations. One client that Beeson believes embodies this flexibility is the Building Goodness Foundation.
“On the surface, it’s not the most natural fit: Building Goodness is an organization that builds houses and community structures in areas like Haiti, while NOLS operates in the wilderness. But the long-standing relationship between NOLS Pro and Building Goodness demonstrates that the NOLS model for risk management and leadership is transferable beyond the wilderness,” explained Beeson. “Because the material is tangible for everyone, NOLS can effect bigger change in society."
Beeson teaching in the New Fork Valley, Wind River Range, Wyoming. Photo Credit: Chris Beeson
When asked about an outdoor-related achievement, rather than referencing a personal triumph, Beeson noted the accomplishments of students on one of his NOLS courses.
“Of all the open enrollment courses, Backpacking Adventures often produce the highest learning outcomes. Kids that age [14-15] just soak up knowledge. Ours was a group of high-energy kids who were a ton of fun. [I enjoyed] seeing how much they changed and grew, especially over the long independent student group expedition,” remarked Beeson. “Hearing their stories at the end made me really proud of all that they had accomplished.”
For Beeson, group accomplishments have greater significance than personal triumphs, particularly in an outdoor setting.
“In the end, I love the bond with friends and community that results from time spent outdoors,” he said. “There is such potential for deep relationships and deep learning.”
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on Mar 28, 2012 in the following categories: Instructor News, Leadership, Professional Training
Lakeside Leadership Initiative
Earlier this month, students in the Lakeside Leadership Initiative (LLI) at the Lakeside School in Seattle participated in the first of four leadership seminars, which are being run by NOLS Professional Training.
While the Lakeside School has a long history of ensuring its students have ample opportunity to fill leadership roles--notable alumni include Bill Gates and Paul Allen--the Lakeside Leadership Initiative seeks to teach students the skills necessary to thrive in these roles.
“We want students to learn how to lead in a way that enhances the values we hold as a community, and to have the skills and practical knowledge to understand how to move a group towards that goal,” said Bryan Smith, Upper School assistant director and NOLS graduate.
“NOLS, a respected nonprofit outdoor education school, was chosen because Lakeside liked its proven professional training program, which provides the same kind of leadership training as it teaches in its back-country wilderness expeditions.”
Learn more about the school and the Lakeside Leadership Initiative here: http://www.lakesideschool.org/podium/default.aspx?t=204&nid=769080
Permalink | Posted by Alison Hudson on Mar 28, 2012 in the following categories: Alumni, Leadership, Professional Training
