Outdoor Leadership Series
Our Outdoor Leadership Series offers University Scholars a variety of ways to develop their leadership skills, challenge themselves and gain confidence with the new and unknown. All trips offered through our Series feature small groups and are led by experienced guides. Group discussion and individual reflection play an important role in each experience. From hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains to kayaking the Outer Banks, from exploring the depths of Roberts Cave to hang gliding at Kitty Hawk, our students can participate in a wide range of trips that stretch their curiosity, communication, and courage. To see pictures from our recent trips, visit our Scholars Scrapbook page.

The events associated with the Outdoor Leadership Series are directed at the following three objectives:

• To give students a venue to explore their curiosity of the natural world
• To foster students' confidence with the uncomfortable and unfamiliar
• To cultivate students' understanding of themselves and their capacity for compassion in relating to others

Upcoming OLS Trips:

1) Sea Kayaking North Carolina's Core Banks
Friday, September 25 - Sunday, September 27
Application is due Friday, September 4th by 5pm
Applicants will be notified by Wednesday, September 9th at 5:00pm
Cost: $50
Trip Overview: Just south of Ocracoke Island and the Outer Banks of North Carolina are a remote chain of barrier islands called Core Banks. As part of Cape Lookout National Seashore, there are no bridges to or developed roads on these islands. Because boating is the only way to access these islands, they are a wilderness setting in terms of vegetation, animal life, exposure to the elements and land usage history. These topics will be discussed during the weekend, and participants will be expected to read brief descriptions about the significance of each of them. We will leave Friday, September 25th at 12:00pm promptly, drive to Harker’s Island, load our gear into boats and depending on the weather, embark that evening. We will paddle most of the day on both Saturday and Sunday (which can be physically strenuous), and will return to NCSU by 11:00pm, on Sunday September 27th. Click here for more information and an application.

2) Fall Break Black Mountain Crest Wilderness and Service Learning Experience
Wednesday, October 7 - Sunday, October 11
Application is due Wednesday, September 23rd by 5pm
Applicants will be notified by Friday, September 25th at 5pm
Cost: $30
Trip Overview: We will leave promptly at 12:00pm Wednesday, October 7th and head to the Bowlen's Creek trailhead near the beginning of the Black Mountain Crest. The climate, vegetation and views of the Black Mountain Range are some of the most diverse and beautiful found in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (and the trip includes walking over Mt. Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi). The only way to access the vast majority of this region is by foot, and therefore we will backpack on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and return to the town of Black Mountain on Saturday, October 10th. We will then spend Saturday and Sunday volunteering at the Veteran's Rehabilitation Quarters, serving homeless veterans. Click here for more information and an application.

Previous OLS Trips:

1) Mountains to Sea Trail/Wilson Creek Wilderness Backpack (See photos here!)
April 3 - 5, 2009
North Carolina's Mountains to Sea Trail runs over 1000 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge on the Outer Banks. 10 of us backpacked through one particularly beautiful (and water filled) section of this trail from Ripshin Ridge near Linville Gorge to Beacon Heights at the base of Grandfather Mountain. An introduction to wilderness travel for adventurous students in the unique Wilson Creek watershed, this trip was filled with opportunities to get to know other University Scholars, personal reflection, sensible challenges, and laughter.

"I was challenged physically through many miles of hiking! I also developed myself further as a person and as a leader. I constantly found myself stepping in at times to help others. I was surprised by the friendships that were made on this trip. Everyone became very close, and I really liked that."
- Pasha Whitmire, first year Textile Engineering major

2) Mexican/U.S. Border Wilderness and Service Learning Experience (See photos here!)
February 27 - March 8, 2009
This trip integrated a 4-day wilderness experience in the 8000 ft. mountains of Saguaro National Park with a 5-day service learning experience in the border region of southern Arizona and Northern Mexico. 10 University Scholars backpacked in the Rincon Mountains: understanding the nature of the desert, how they responded to it and getting the know each other; then spent 5 days with governmental and non-profit organizations on both sides of the border learning about economic, historical, legal, and practical aspects of border and immigration issues, including service in a variety of contexts.

"Backpacking first (before service-learning) did a couple of things: 1) Everyone got to know each other and that made things easier/more open during the 2nd half of the trip. 2) We could relate to the desert (and migrants) and its affects on the body. 3) The terrain drastically changed, as did the opinions we heard, places we went, and languages that we spoke. 4) It didn’t matter what we looked like, what we ate, or where we slept, because we had just lived in the desert for 4 days. 5) We all couldn’t walk afterwards, and we joked about it."
- Kenzie Mcbride, third year Civil Engineering major

If you have questions about the OLS trips, please feel free to contact Bengt at 513-0704 or bengt_carlson@ncsu.edu.