SOLE (Student Outdoor Leadership Experience)

The SOLE Experience:

Campus Recreations SOLE program is an in-depth leadership program that teaches Mocs the technical skills needed to get outside as well as the soft skills to lead and educate others in a backcountry setting. Each SOLE cohort will learn to kayak, bike, climb, and backpack. SOLE participants can also expect to learn how to manage group dynamics, manage risk in the backcountry, and teach outdoor technical skills.

Benefits and Outcomes of the SOLE Experience:

• Students who fully participate in the SOLE will be eligible to work as UTC Outdoors Trip Leaders the following semester
• SOLE participants learn outdoor skills such as kayaking, backpacking, and climbing
• Throughout the SOLE experience, participants learn valuable outdoor leadership skills,  including risk management strategies, the logistics of planning outdoor adventures, strategies to develop positive group dynamics, and wilderness leadership theories 

SOLE Expectations:

•  SOLE students are expected to participate in all sessions, including all day-trips and overnight-trips
• To join the SOLE program, you do not need to have extensive amounts of outdoor experience and technical skills. However, you should have a strong passion for hiking and spending time outdoors and be willing to push yourself outside of your comfort zone.

Explore the Fall 2024 SOLE Experience:

SOLE Trip Shadowing

SOLE students will register for two DAY trips of their choosing. These trips should be decided on early in the semester, as our trips usually fill up quickly. On each trip, SOLE students will observe and help trip leaders as needed to get experience with participants on trips.

SOLE Monthly In-Services

The SOLE semester will consist of four in-services, one per month, averaging two hours in length. These meetings will cover both hard skills and soft skills. SOLE students should participate in all four meetings.

August (August 29, 5-8 pm)

· Hard Skill Topic : Watersports equipment and deep-water boat rescues (lake session)

· Soft Skill Topic : Risk Management / Functions of a trip leader

 

September (September 25 and 26, 5-6:30 pm, 6:30-8 pm)

· Hard Skill Topic : Trailer Training

· Soft Skill Topic : None

 

October (October 24, 6-8 pm )

· Hard Skill Topic: Camp cooking equipment (including water filtration, stoves, etc.)

· Soft Skill Topic: Delegating tasks as a trip leader

 

November (November 14, 6-8 pm)

· Hard Skill Topic: All things Backpacking

· Soft Skill Topic: Trip planning

SOLE Culmination Trip

The SOLE culmination trip will take place on Friday, November 22 through Sunday, November 24.

The end of the semester will result in all SOLE students working together to plan a two-night trip. Backpacking, overnight canoeing, or multi-day climbing trips are all a possibility for this weekend.

If you have any questions about our outdoor adventures,

please contact the Coordinator of Outdoors:
 

Lisa Hancock

Phone:  (423) 425-5671

Email:  [email protected]