Ithaca College

The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies is accepting applications for the Outdoor Adventure Leadership Immersion Semester Program (OAL ISP). The current OAL ISP is a 90-day collaboration with the Colorado Outward Bound School that focuses on outdoor leadership, teaching, and character development. This Spring 2014 study away semester includes 18 credits distributed over six courses ranging in topics from expedition organization, planning, and leadership to environmental ethics, wilderness medicine and wilderness literacy.

 While the OAL ISP is a requirement for all OAL majors, it is open to all majors and minors (no previous outdoor experience necessary). The OAL ISP also functions as a concise (one semester) minor for students in other departments and schools at Ithaca College looking for transferable leadership, educational, and character development skills.

During the OAL ISP, students are exposed to multiple adventure pursuits including skiing, winter backpacking, rock climbing, canyoneering, white water rafting, and backpacking in Colorado, California, and Utah. In addition to technical skill development, students are eligible for national certifications including a Wilderness First Responder and a Leave No Trace Master Educator certification (certifications are dependent upon instructor assessment and passing applicable exams).

To apply for the OAL ISP please complete the application found on the

following webpage:  

https://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/depts/rls/docs/oal/OALISPApp/  

or request a copy from the Marie Abb (mabb@ithaca.edu), the Administrative Assistant, in Smiddy 321, and return to the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, 321 Smiddy Hall by April 30th 2013. Please feel free to contact the department with any questions or email Patrick Lewis (plewis@ithaca.edu), current field instructor with the OAL ISP (though he’ll be on the river for the next month and won’t be able to respond until April 20th). 

In order to learn more about the program, peruse this webpage

https://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/depts/rls/,  and to view the current OAL ISP experience including photos and a GPS tracker visit our Facebook page: Ithaca College Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Marie Abb at mabb@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3335. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.