BUILDING

This part of TCB's work utilizes TBC's knowledge and skills developed in both the other areas and manifests them in a wilderness adventure format creating unique programs and trips that not only wow the participants through their physical, emotional and spiritual engagement with a wilderness environment but also facilitate solid experientially reinforced leadership skills:

• Creating College and University adventure programs
• Organizing group wilderness treks in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India
• Risk assessment of existing College and University wilderness program

Creating a First-Year Wilderness Adventure Orientation Program (FYWAO)

Tom C. Breznau has been involved in the Kalamazoo College LandSea Program (L/S) for 100 incoming first-year students since 1981.  He has been the Director of the program since 1992, when about 50 students went on L/S.  One example of his success with this program and it’s participants is the story of an incoming college freshman who went on L/S and eventually created a copy of L/S at Trinity College in New Hampshire.   This came about in 2005 when the then president of Kalamazoo College left to become president of Trinity College. He thought so much of L/S and Breznau’s mentoring of this student (who had evolved from participant to L/S leader to graduate, to coordinator, to Assistant Director of L/S) that he took this person with him to Trinity and in 2005 created Quest, a duplicate of the LandSea Program at Kalamazoo College.

What could a first-year wilderness adventure program do for your College or University?  How could you go about creating such a program as the successful ones at Kalamazoo and Trinity College? Below I have outlined a process designed to create a FYWAO at a College or University.  Of course it could be modified to create a wilderness adventure program not specifically for first year students, or for College credit like at Earlham College, or for employees of an organization.  

1. Benefits:
1. Improved retention
2. Accelerated student maturation and development
3. Strong, deep, lasting relationships between classmates
1. New social support group in place prior to first class
4. Builds positive, enduring relationship to institution
1. FYWAO participants predisposed to be active alumni
5. Effective marketing tool for institution
6. Program can be self-supporting – including financial aid

1. Phase I (Develop a customized plan)
1. Research most appropriate mission-attuned alternative programs
1. Create models
2. Create implementation time-line and budget 
3. Marketing plan,
4. Staffing proposal including job descriptions and qualifications
5. Leader selection process
2. Appropriate alternative sites

1. Phase II (Decision to create a FYWAO)
1. Select model and wilderness site and negotiate outfitter relationships
2. Transportation plan and budget
3. Complete equipment inventory, budget and supplier contacts
1. Program owned equipment list
2. Individual participant equipment list
4. Develop Marketing Documents
1. Brochure
2. Web-site
3. Letters to students
5. Detailed program policies and guidelines statement
6. Create first year detailed timeline

1. Phase III (First-Year Execution)
1. Finalize dates, develop outfitter relationships and reservations
1. Finalize transportation arrangements
2. Admissions staff: informational workshop
3. Finalize and produce marketing materials, letters and forms
4. Mail letters and create information management systems
5. Select staff and leaders
6. Purchase Equipment
7. Develop Participant Manual
8. Train Staff

Train Leaders & arrange Wilderness First Aid workshop

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ADVENTURE TREKS TO NEPAL, TIBET, BHUTAN & INDIA

TCB offers customized treks to Nepal and the Himalayan Mountains with a visit to Everest Base Camp as well as treks to the best of Tibet, Bhutan and India.  In partnership with Adventure Thirdpole Treks (P) Limited of Kathmandu, Nepal, the best trekking group in Nepal, TCB ENTERPRISES can organize a complete trek for your group including air arrangements to any of the trekking destinations in these picturesque countries. For more information, click on the below links:

Welcome Page • Everest Region • Annapurna Region • Bhutan

RISK ASSESSMENT

Information coming soon.

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