This program and the nature of its activities will give students an opportunity to explore one of the most unique island nations in the world. The rugged mountains and black sand beaches, in this land of fire and ice, tell the story of the island’s volcanic origin. The wildlife, national parks, and natural and cultural history are rich with beauty, science, heritage, and folklore. For these reasons, Iceland has increasingly become one of the world’s most sought after and visited tourist destinations.
Tourists seek adventure in Iceland in the form of volcano hiking, ice climbing, rafting, waterfalls, wilderness exploration, wildlife expeditions, ocean kayaing, horseback riding, and more. Softer adventures includes the lure of unique foods, dramatic landscapes, and photography, while crossing paths with puffins, arctic fox, baby goats, and fuzzy lambs along the way.
Increased tourism brings a demand for exhilarating, professional, and safety-focused adventure tourism activities that require skilled outdoor leaders and guides. We will study leadership through the lens of Icelandic outdoor leaders. Along the way, students will have the opportunity to be leaders-of-the-day as well as respectful followers and participants. We will engage the experiential learning cycle in everything we do, with a special emphasis on debriefing and reflection.
Students will tap into outdoor professionals, academic scholars, leadership texts, personal experience, tourism professionals, conservationists, biologists, farm owners, and more. We will build community within our group, build relationships with those we encounter, and challenge ourselves as students and leaders. This program will also include a service learning opportunity where we will explore the concepts of global citizenship, geo- tourism, volunteerism, and sustainable travel practices.