Passages: Helping College Students Matriculate through Outdoor Adventure (original) (raw)

Since 1985, freshman entering the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, have embarked on a 3-day outdoor adventure program as part of their orientation experience prior to their first semester. Most of the 700-800 freshmen entering the university participate in the program titled "Passages." While half of the group is on Passages, the other half remains on campus, engaged in academic advising, registration, and a seminar on writing, reading, and critical thinking. Then the groups switch. About 20 percent of the students choose to go backpacking, while the remaining students select a base-camp experience for their Passages experience. Upperclassmen that serve as Passages leaders receive leadership training for 3 months. Training sessions cover the goals of the program, how to lead group discussions and handle various problems, conservation and environmental ethics, first aid, and CPR. Freshmen evaluatir'ns of the program indicate that the experience increases self-sufficiency and helps develop a sense of community among the students. There has been a significantly higher rate of freshman-to-sophomore retention and a lower rate of academic probation at the end of the freshman year since Passages began, compared to previous years. The program also has a significant positive impact on student leaders. An appendix outlines program activities. (KS)

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