Many colleges offer more than just academics and sports these days. How about a waterfront program where you can kayak, take out a boat, participate in rescue programs, and sail? For free. Or an outdoor program that offers mountain hiking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, scuba…with free gear rental? Well, read on.
Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL has an incredible waterfront program. They also offer a sailing team, and a Search and Rescue which works with the Coast Guard. Eckerd: “The facilities, located on Frenchman’s Creek, include the Wallace Boathouse, an Activities Center, multiple docks and a boat ramp. Additional resources available are a fleet of sailboats, canoes, sea kayaks, sailboards, and multiple power boats used for water skiing, fishing, special trips, etc.. A unique feature of the Waterfront is the Eckerd community members’ ability to use the facilities without membership in a club or organization.” Eckerd also offers instruction in a variety of water sports. Check it out if you like being on the water!
The University of Redlands in Redlands, CA has an active Outdoor Program known as the OP, with a Rental Shop that is free to students. Numerous trips are offered every year, and students can “rent” their gear from The Rental Shop for school or private trips. The OP also holds workshops, guest speakers, and classes to teach outdoor skills. The OP teaches “Leave No Trace” ethics when it comes to the outdoors. Every fall new freshmen have the opportunity to take part in a First Year Journey, a five day outdoor adventure! If you like the great outdoors and want to participate in frequent outdoor adventure trips, you need to look at Redlands!
Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR has great access to the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors: cross-country skiing, backpacking, whitewater sports, sea kayaking, and hiking. The group also offers seminars and films on outdoor topics. Trips are planned by the Outdoor Program and generally include food, transportation, organization, group equipment, and personal equipment such as wetsuits, rain gear and backpacks. There are organized trips frequently, so you should take a good look at Lewis and Clark.
Do you enjoy sailing? New College, a small liberal arts college located on Sarasota Bay in Sarasota, FL offers a great sailing program. In order to take out one of their numerous sailboats onto Sarasota Bay, you must first pass a basic seamanship test, and you must join the New College Sailing Club. Not a hardship!
I will continue to update you on schools with great outdoor programs! Feel free to comment and tell me about programs, as well!
I agree that Lewis and Clark has a world class program. In my brief stay at Lewis and Clark college I became a student assistant and gained skills and experience that I applying to my new major: Recreation Administration. If Lewis and Clark had a Recreation major I would still be there.