{"105021":{"#nid":"105021","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Freshman Wilderness Orientation Program Heads to Alaska","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThis summer, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.crc.gatech.edu\/orgt\/index.php\u0022\u003EOutdoor Recreation at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E (ORGT) in partnership with FASET, will lead up to 10 incoming Georgia Tech freshmen on a 10-day orientation adventure that includes backpacking through the Alaskan wilderness, ice climbing on a massive glacier, fishing for silver salmon in a pristine river, and observing wildlife - all while camping in tents under star-filled skies.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u00e2\u0080\u0099s more to this Alaskan adventure than just roughing it in the great outdoors. Other planned activities include learning important skills like group leadership and effective judgment and decision making. Additionally, students will learn skills such as GPS (global positioning system) navigation, backcountry cooking, identifying flora and fauna, and practicing a leave-no-trace ethic to protect the arctic environment.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u00e2\u0080\u009cWilderness adventure orientation programs have been very popular at colleges for decades. Over the last few years, more and more universities have added these important programs,\u00e2\u0080\u009d says Matt Marcus, Georgia Tech\u00e2\u0080\u0099s Adventure Recreation Coordinator. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u00e2\u0080\u009cThis Orientation program works as a metaphor for entering college. The Alaskan wilderness is a great unknown, and learning the skills to navigate through new adventures is like starting college. Creating a new support system and making friends, finding resources to help with new challenges, and setting achievable goals are the keys to success at Georgia Tech and the keys to success in Alaska\u00e2\u0080\u0099s wilderness,\u00e2\u0080\u009d Marcus adds. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe return on investment is immediate. Students from past trips formed great friendships and still meet as a group on a regular basis - many years later into their college career! A month after the program ended, participating students had the following to say:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u00e2\u0080\u009cI feel like I\u0027m much better at breaking out of my shell as far as meeting and connecting with new people and by trying new experiences.\u00e2\u0080\u009d\n\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u00e2\u0080\u009cIt really helped me mentally prepare for the move to college and having to fend for myself. I was nervous about leaving home, but after this trip I felt really confident in myself.\u00e2\u0080\u009d \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u00e2\u0080\u009cI can think of no better way to begin my college life than going to such an amazing place and meeting other incoming freshmen who like the same things I do.\u00e2\u0080\u009d\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EApplications will be accepted through early July. Space is limited - half of the spots are already filled! \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.crc.gatech.edu\/orgt\/techtreks.php\u0022\u003EClick here\u003C\/a\u003E for more information on this opportunity of a lifetime.\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Heralded as an \u00e2\u0080\u009cepic\u00e2\u0080\u009d experience, Tech Treks Alaska teaches students real-life skills and builds the confidence they need to persevere through the most challenging of transitions. College-bound young adults are placed in one of the biggest, most exciting and rather disorienting environments on earth \u00e2\u0080\u0022 the wilds of Alaska. If this sounds like a metaphor for the freshman year experience at college, then you get it. And so do the instructors and students at Georgia Tech.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Students head to the wilds of Alaska - for orientation!"}],"uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2009-06-02 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:11:33","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2009-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2009-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"105031":{"id":"105031","type":"image","title":"Students flourish on Tech Treks Alaska.","body":null,"created":"1449178174","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:29:34","changed":"1475894723","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:45:23"}},"media_ids":["105031"],"groups":[{"id":"1298","name":"Parent and Family Programs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003ERachael Pocklington\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EParents Program\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=rpocklington3\u0022\u003EContact Rachael Pocklington\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-385-3920\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["rachael.pocklington@vpss.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}