Major: Outdoor Education
Graduation Year: 2017
Choosing to major in Outdoor Education is one of the best decisions I have made in my life. When I applied to the major I had no idea that I wasn’t just deciding what to study. I was about to earn opportunities and connections for life. Through my time in the UNH Outdoor Education program I learned technical skills, such as traditional rock climbing and white water canoeing, as well as leadership and program administration skills. The program's small community provides the opportunity to build strong relationships with faculty members. This unique and important aspect of the program is what I valued the most. Through many leadership and teaching assistant opportunities at UNH, I had confidence to manage and supervise my peers. This ability led to managerial positions throughout my time at school as well as summer jobs.
The skills, courses, and connections I gained at UNH led to me to a full-time job upon graduation. After taking a course about Adventure Therapy my junior year, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to pursue upon finishing school. After guidance from faculty and alumni, I obtained the position of field mentor at Elements Wilderness Program based in Huntington, Utah. This job builds upon many of the skills I had already acquired at UNH, making me have an easier start then most. At Elements I work with teenage boys struggling with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other issues. Using the Utah desert as our setting, our students participate in backpacking as well as climbing/rappelling. While being away from their usual environment students have the space to learn new communication skills, coping mechanisms, and much more. Being a field mentor allows me to fulfill my passions of both living in the outdoors and helping people. Before I came to UNH I didn’t know what wilderness therapy was, and now I can’t imagine doing anything else. Thanks to the Outdoor Education program, I get to live my dream every day.
