LOCALadk Magazine

35 Winter 2016 LOCALadk Magazine Only a handful of higher education programs in the United States takes adventure sports curricula to advanced levels. The Expeditionary Studies undergraduate degree at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh is one of them. The concept of the Expeditionary Studies program began in the late 90's with the phrase Celebrate Location. Provost Dr. Thomas Moran challenged faculty and staff to provide input for a strategic plan, based in part on the unique location of the campus. Situated less than a mile from the shore of Lake Champlain on a bend in the Saranac River, with the high peaks of the Ad- irondack Mountains to the south and west, there is much to celebrate about the location of SUNY Plattsburgh. For faculty member Dr. Laurence Soroka, celebrating location meant of- fering courses in the outdoors. Dr. Soroka expanded his class- room to include the local rivers, lakes and mountains. In 2004, the Expeditionary Studies major was officially part of the col- lege catalogue. This unique outdoor studies degree is centered on the theme of expeditions. Outdoor journeys in all seasons form the core curricula. Participating students are challenged to develop their ability to take care of themselves - and others - in remote backcountry environments. In addition to general outdoor liv- ing skills, students develop proficiency in the adventure sport disciplines of rock climbing, ice climbing, flatwater and white- water canoeing, sea kayaking, and backcountry ski & snow- board touring, including avalanche safety and rescue. Classroom and field-based courses emphasize the experien- tial integration of thinking and doing. The intellectual aspect of the degree becomes readily apparent when students con- sider the phrase, "don't put your body anywhere your mind hasn't already been!" The culminating capstone course is an independent, stu- dent-led expedition. These expeditions are preceded by a minimum of one semester of planning and preparation, in- cluding researching and writing an extensive expedition pro- posal. Faculty members work closely with students to plan expeditions which provide appropriate levels of challenge. Twelve years of student-led expeditions have included jour- neys on the Mekong River in Cambodia and Vietnam, a circum- navigation by sea kayak of the north coast of Scotland, alpine rock climbing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, and backcountry ski tours in Canada's Yukon Territory. Current students are planning expeditions to South Africa for botany study and climbing, a ski traverse in Finland, a ski traverse in

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