“Recognizing that students build leadership and other skills through student life programs, we introduced the Outdoor Leadership & Education co-curricular program. Enhancing leadership skills has become a more intentional focus of athletics, fraternity and sorority life, student government, and campus programs as well,” said President Kent Trachte, Ph.D. The OLE program is available to every Lycoming student — even outdoor novices — and provides all necessary equipment for adventures off campus. Activities are designed to provide experiences that will help carry students through college and into successful careers and graduate school. Furthermore, OLE collaborates with faculty and athletic coaches across campus to help students form group development strategies. Pre-pandemic, the men’s basketball team participated in a hiking excursion — in the rain — which helped them learn how to navigate a challenging environment as a team. The Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences works in conjunction with OLE to provide unique opportunities. For example, a past marine biology May Term course allowed students to help scientists gather data on coral reefs and sea turtles by learning how to scuba dive. Instructor Candidacy School OLE also offers Instructor Candidacy School (ICS). This training prepares student leaders to guide their peers on outdoor trips and group development programming. OLE instructors must have a consistent commitment to growing outdoor and risk management skills, as well as learning how to best help other students to grow as a result of the programming. Training includes weekly discussions about leadership, group and risk management policies, and critical thinking. At the end of this semester-long training, students gain a nationally recognized certification in Wilderness First Aid and are eligible to apply for a paid OLE instructor position. To be a successful candidate requires a passion for leadership and helping others. ICS is not designed to be easy, but it is designed to be rewarding. “The skills our students acquire as instructors allow them to grow and leverage what they are learning through the program, ultimately impacting both their academic experience and college career,” said Anthony Molinaro, OLE director. “Outdoor Leadership & Education at Lycoming is more than an experience; programs are designed to be meaningmaking opportunities for students,” said Daniel Miller, Ed.D., vice president for student life and dean of students. “Whether it is hiking, biking, paddling, bouldering, or camping, students have the opportunity to connect with nature while learning a great deal about themselves and working with others as they navigate the activity. In doing so, their overall experience is enhanced, which increases student persistence and aids in the College’s retention efforts.” participated as an OLE instructor while a student at Lycoming and assumed the role of program coordinator upon graduation. He is currently in the Teaching Assistant Program in France, a competitive opportunity to teach English to students of all ages, where he is placed in southern France in the Académie de Toulouse at a secondary school. The lessons I learned in grit and perseverance in OLE have really proved useful throughout my time abroad. There have been plenty of times where something has gone wrong, and as a foreigner in this country, it can be hard to find resources that would otherwise be easy to access back home; however, by calmly taking stock of my situation as I did often as an OLE instructor, I've been able to not only thrive but enjoy the journey. Evan Armstrong ’21 11 www.lycoming.edu
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