Students representing 11 different states met with Steve Morrison, coordinator of Gap Programs and Rex Waters, dean of student development, in the Denver airport and flew to Wyoming to begin the first part of the program, a 26-day wilderness expedition with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

Students participated in an Elon orientation to the program, including sessions from the upcoming and on campus orientation students entering campus more traditionally will experience in the coming weeks. Students got to meet the other students with whom they will be spending the semester, talked about what it means to be in a community they will create and be a part of, learned about the honor code and signed the pledge committing themselves to uphold it, discussed a reading about engaged learning, and completed a lab on engaged learning. Students even received acorns symbolizing the beginning of their Elon journey.

Through a NOLS orientation, students and an instructor reviewed and picked up necessary equipment for their expedition, measured food rations for their meals, and learned how to pack their backpacks among other learned skills and behaviors necessary for a successful expedition.

Once complete, the students will travel across the United States stopping in four different communities for weeklong service-learning projects. After a fall break, students will finish their first semester as Elon students in a six-week study abroad homestay program in Costa Rica. They’ll receive credit for COR 110: The Global Experience, four credits under the Civilization heading within the Elon Core Curriculum, and one of two required Experiential Learning Requirements (ELRs) that all students need in order to graduate.

Participating in the semester are Cora Abdoo, Brett Ball, Martin Bigatti, David Cocoziello, Sophie Faxon, Devon Funt, Joseph Gray, Cedrik Lendal, Ali Leroy, Aaron Marsh, Daniel Martinez, Megan McKeighan, Anna Rogers, Ginna Royalty, and Becca Surprenant. or .

By scrambling over rocks on an 8.8 mile hike, canoeing 7 miles down a river, painting walking railing at the greenway and painting picnic benches, playground equipment, parking rails, and benches at Lake Arrowhead in Luray, Virginia, 13 incoming students chose to jump start their college experience in a positive way in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

Elon’s Discovery Program, a first-year summer experience program offered by the Office of New Student Orientation and Transition, familiarizes incoming students with Elon’s campus and helps them develop outdoor and team-building skills before they begin classes in the fall. This year, the program was led by student facilitators Colleen Fitzpatrick ’17 and Logan Quackenbush ’17. Steve Morrison, coordinator of Gap Programs, and Craig Schmitt, an instructor in the Department of Sport and Event Management, served as advisers.

In total, approximately 79 miles were hiked through scenic fields, over boulders, around lakes and to the tops of mountains. Students learned about their leadership styles, how to work with others, Leave No Trace principles, and how to live comfortably in the wilderness, among other life lessons. They also examined their environment as they hiked their course, learning about edible and medical plants, other plants native to the area and which ones to stay away from for various reasons.

 “I have had a great time with NOLS and I think every last one of us has grown from this experience,” freshman Riley Aparicio writes. “NOLS has taught me that personal growth is a never-ending process.”

Freshman Muriel Zino adds that she has “a new found confidence in (her) own abilities and skills.”

Upon preparing to finish the expedition, Laura Brockington writes: “We had to wake up at 5 this morning so we could be at the trailhead in time for the bus.  It was an incredibly bittersweet hike because we all knew it was the end.  I’m so sad to be leaving the wilderness and our instructors but I can’t wait to continue on this journey, especially since I’ll still be with my Gap family.”

Students will be joined by faculty and staff over the next 5.5 weeks to travel across the country performing week long service projects while learning about the changing issues facing our country.

With stops planned in South Dakota, Missouri, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C.,

Follow our experience on facebook (Elon Gap Semester Program) and twitter (@ElonGapPrograms)

Students will spend 24 days on a wilderness expedition focused on leadership, teamwork, outdoor skills, and environmental ethics with the National Outdoor Leadership School. After the students complete their NOLS course, they will see the country as they travel to four different U.S. cities to complete week-long service learning projects. Students will finish the semester in a 6-week study abroad homestay program in Costa Rica.

By scrambling over rocks on an 8.8 mile hike, canoeing seven miles down a river, cleaning a sports park, irrigating a water drainage channel, painting two small bridge floos, and clearing various flower beds at the town of Luray’s greenway, 19 incoming students chose to jump start their college experience in a positive way in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.

Elon’s Discovery Program, a first-year summer experience program offered by the Office of New Student Orientation and Transition, familiarizes incoming students with Elon’s campus and helps them develop leadership and team-building skills before they begin classes in the fall. This year, the program was led by student facilitators Kim Lilienthal ’14 and Jessica Jones ’16. Steve Morrison, coordinator of Gap Programs, and Jon Burr, an instructor in the English department, served as advisers.

On June 24, within minutes of arriving on campus, the students quickly learned how to trust and depend on one another while participating on the low-ropes course of the Elon Challenge Course. There, they learned concepts that would bring them together for a positive, unified week.

The Discovery program traveled to Luray, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley and conquered the trails of Old Rag Mountain. Accompanied by their student facilitators and advisers, the group hiked nearly nine miles, working together through a rock scramble to a 3,291 foot summit, where they encountered some of the most beautiful scenery Virginia and the East Coast has to offer.

Participants also strengthened teamwork and communication skills during a 7-mile canoe ride down the Shenandoah River and explored the history of the local Luray Caverns.

Amidst developing leadership and teamwork skills, the students put these skills to work as they assisted the Town of Luray Parks and Recreation in performing a variety of service projects as the town prepared for their annual Fourth of July celebration weekend. The students took this opportunity to learn from each other, practice necessary skills for beginning their college careers and giving back to the town that has been hosting the Discovery Program for 12 years.

Beyond adventures through the wilderness and service, upperclassmen facilitators guided new students on discussions, ranging from involvement opportunities, the Elon Honor Code, academic rigor and being an active contributor in the Elon community.

Despite only spending one week with each other, the students gained trust and formed friendships that will last forever. Determination—and pushing through obstacles—helped each participant realize that even though college is a significant transition, they have peers who will be a support during their transition.

Participants wrote in their evaluations: “I can do anything I set my mind to and everyone is awesome no matter their background;” “I learned that I can be a leader and follower as well as I am able to step out of my comfort zone;” and “I conquered many fears—climbing, trust falls, talking openly with people and canoeing with new friends. Camping was a fairly new experience but now is one that I am more comfortable with.”

For these 19 first-year students, getting ready to start a new chapter in their life, Discovery helped ease worries about roommates, friendships and learning about academic expectations before coming to Elon. In a way, their first glimpse at college life was a discovery, through leadership, service, discussion and teamwork.

Discovery participants included Jane Baffi, Emily Clerkin, Jeff Crowell, John Curtis, Chloe Donohoe, Caroline Fernandez, Joshua Fritz, Graham Goslin, Meghan Greene, Stephen Idol, Turner Kendall, Matt Kerr, Jack Pasi, Grace Pressley, Katherine, Prusator, Lauren Sollenberger, Jordan Solomon, Dimitrios Vlahos, and Ashlyn Vogelsang.

College is the beginning of many new experiences. Challenges such as living on your own, sharing a room, deciding a major, and meeting new friends aren’t always as easy as they seem. By scrambling over rocks on an 8.8 mile hike, canoeing 9 miles down a river, clearing a trail and a flower bed, 20 incoming students chose to jump start their college experience in a positive way.

Elon’s Discovery Program, a first-year summer experience program of the Office of New Student Orientation, familiarizes incoming students with Elon’s campus and helps them develop leadership and team-building skills before they begin in the fall. This year, the program was led by student facilitators Christine Fortner ’15 and Dan Sheehan ‘15, advised by Steve Morrison, coordinator of Gap Programs and Ashley Pearson, associate director of Admissions.

On June 24, within minutes of arriving on campus, the students quickly learned how to trust and depend on one another while participating on the Elon low-ropes course. Here, they learned concepts that would bring them together for a positive, unified week.

The Discovery program traveled to Luray, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley and conquered the trails of Old Rag Mountain. Accompanied by their student facilitators and advisers, the group hiked nearly nine miles, working together through a rock scramble to a 3,291 foot summit, where they encountered some of the most beautiful scenery Virginia and the East Coast has to offer.

Participants also strengthened teamwork and communication skills during a 13 mile canoe ride down the Shenandoah River and explored the history of the local Luray Caverns.

Amidst developing leadership and teamwork skills, the students put these skills to work as they assisted Lake Arrowhead Recreational Park to clear a lakeside trail for hikers and remove growth from a flower bed, making it easier for visitors to walk around the lake and to enjoy the Park. The students took this opportunity to learn from each other, practice necessary skills for beginning their college careers, and giving back to a campground that has been hosting the Discovery Program for more than ten years.

Beyond adventures through the wilderness and service, upperclassmen facilitators guided new students on discussions, ranging from involvement opportunities, the Elon Honor Code, academic rigor, and being an active contributor in the Elon Community.

Despite only spending one week with each other, the students gained trust and formed friendships that will last forever. Determination, and pushing through obstacles, helped each participant realize that even though college is a significant transition, they have peers who will be a support during their transition.

One participant wrote: “Discovery was a truly unique and eye-opening experience for me. Through challenging myself and my peers to break our own boundaries, I was given the tools to lead and build strong relationships.”

For these 20 first-year students, getting ready to start a new chapter in their life, Discovery helped ease worries about roommates, friendships, and learning about academic expectations before coming to Elon. In a way, their first glimpse at college life was a discovery, through leadership, service, discussion, and teamwork.

Discovery participants were: John Dargan, Anna DeDufour, Kirstie Deprey, Tyler DiLoreto, Sara Dunlap, Claire Fox, Emily Ann Galloway, Morgan Goldstein, Brett Gubitosi, Tanner Hamilton, Hattie Hoskins, Conor Janda, Jessica Jones, Ryan Kenney, Anna Patterson, Davis Rumley, Maggie Shoemaker, Theresa Sullivan, Elizabeth Van Hise, and Max Whelan