As an undergrad studying outdoor education, Andrew Bobilya didn’t aspire to be a professor. He didn’t plan on going into academia. Like many expeditions, his career didn’t follow exactly the path he expected.

Topics: NOLS Mexico, NOLS alumni, NOLS Grad, Baja Sea Kayaking, Live the Dream, outdoor education

When it comes to leadership, whether you're a team member or a designated team leader, if you don’t know what you’re doing it’s going to be difficult for you to get things done

Topics: Expedition Prep, cooking, outdoor education, leadership

Planning to #OptOutside on Black Friday like our partners at REI, but not sure how? Here are a few ideas to get you started!

Topics: Expedition Prep, cooking, adventure, Outdoors, outdoor education, backcountry, Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability

Editor's note: Guidelines from the fourth edition of NOLS' Soft Paths, by Rich Brame and David Cole.

Let's talk waste. When we go somewhere to camp out, we're going to produce garbage and human waste. It's inevitable. What's not inevitable is the way we clean up after ourselves. After all, you wouldn't go into your neighbor's backyard, have a barbecue, and leave all the trash behind, right? (Maybe it depends on how well you get along with your neighbor...)

Topics: Expedition Prep, Backpacking, outdoor education, leave no trace, backcountry

A central part of NOLS’ teaching comes from valuing learning in the outdoors. But while we talk a fair bit about wilderness, the word “nature” is harder to find on the NOLS website and publications (though I have no doubt that it comes up regularly in conversation).

Topics: Live the Dream, outdoor education, leadership

We recently sat down with Dr. Beth Pfannl, Head of School at the American Overseas School of Rome, to discuss the role of NOLS in her own children’s lives. As an educator and administrator, Dr. Pfannl has extensive experience evaluating and managing best practice for student growth and development. In addition to being a member of the Board of Trustees of the European Council for International Schools (ECIS) and the American University of Rome, Dr. Pfannl was given the National Distinguished Principal Award from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and inducted into the Association for the Advancement of International Education Hall of Fame. Two of Dr. Pfannl’s children enrolled in NOLS courses during their summer breaks while in college. In this interview, she describes her family’s experience with NOLS and why she recommends it to international families around the world.

Topics: National Outdoor Leadership School, NOLS Alaska, Educators Notebook, outdoor education, education

Adam Baxter balances his seasonal life with summers as a ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park and fall through spring teaching for the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI). This May in Washington, D.C., he is receiving the "Valor Award" for his part in a rescue operation that took place in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) during the summer of 2013. According to the Department of the Interior website, the Valor Award is "presented to Department of the Interior employees who have demonstrated unusual courage involving a high degree of personal risk in the face of danger.” The story is told in section 3 of this profile.

Topics: National Outdoor Leadership School, wilderness medicine, WMI, instructor, outdoor education, backcountry

Topics: Southwest, climbing, Educators Notebook, instructor, outdoor education, backcountry

 We can feel it in our bones: this year National Park Week, from April 18-April 26, is going to be excellent. It kicks off this weekend, April 18 and 19, with free admission for everyone. That’s right—you can go visit Old Faithful in Yellowstone or walk the rim of the Grand Canyon without paying any money.

Topics: leadership, Backpacking, adventure, Outdoors, Live the Dream, outdoor education, wilderness, backcountry

Topics: leadership, Educators Notebook, outdoor education, education, wilderness

There is a growing concern for the youth of today: will this be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents? Obesity and diabetes are scary realities for many children in the United States, and there are several theories as to why these health issues have become such an epidemic. One major contributing factor is that kids are not spending enough time outdoors and being active. When children spend more time outside, they are not only physically healthier, but they also have an overall higher quality of life.

Topics: Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability, Environmental Stewardship, outdoor education

Students who turn to NOLS for their semester abroad treasure the experience. Wendy Cirko and Cory McDonald both took NOLS semesters as their semesters abroad last year. Both Spring Semester in New Zealand graduates, shared their reflections on the experience and the education with us recently, and we had to share. Learn more about upcoming semesters in New Zealand here.

Topics: Semester abroad, listen, NOLS, leadership, academic credit, self confidence, Behind the Scenes, Semester, outdoor recreation, graduates, active learner, navigation, sailing, future, college, first aid, National Outdoor Leadership School, feedback, communication, Semester of campus, natural resource recreation management, New Zealand, university credit, risk management, Backpacking, environmental studies, kayaking, life-changing, self-awareness, perseverance, degree, outdoor education, wildlife, leave no trace, philosophy, route planning, team member, college credit, education, Salisbury University, wilderness, backcountry

As the final day of the second annual NOLS Faculty Summit began to wind down, the final workshops of the week imparted final insights and discussions.

Topics: cameras, NOLS, navigation, wilderness education, workshop, technology, forum, Faculty Summit, communication, information, radios, GPS, Kindle, Educators Notebook, NOLS.TV, outdoor education, PLBs, distractions, education, wilderness, iPhone

The second of two WFR courses at Småbo AWPE is underway here in Torpshammar, Sweden and a new group of students are quickly learning important wilderness medicine skills. Today's curriculum included how to immobilize and backboard a patient with signs and symptoms of a spinal cord injury and how to package a patient in a litter for evacuation. These wilderness medicine skills also teach students about leadership and teamwork.

Topics: NOLS, Behind the Scenes, National Outdoor Leadership School, wilderness medicine, WMI of NOLS, WMI, outdoor education, Sweden

It's the second official day here at the NOLS Faculty Summit. Distinguished alumni and veteran instructors from around the world are sharing their knowledge and experiences with the rest of the NOLS faculty.

Topics: NOLS, gates richards, dan garvey, john gookin, wilderness education, nols faculty summit, Educators Notebook, nols instructor, outdoor education, jim sibthorp, mark jenkins, ann mills