Wilderness Education and Outdoor Leadership AA

Units: 90 units

Lake Tahoe Community College’s Wilderness Education and Outdoor Leadership Program challenges the status quo by thinking and educating differently. We do this, so you can develop your leadership, technical, and teaching skills to be an impactful leader. Your classroom is Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada, a premier wilderness environment. Come and join us: the mountains are calling! The purpose of the Wilderness Education and Outdoor Leadership (WEOL) Program is to provide opportunities to cultivate premier leaders who primarily operate in a wilderness environment. In addition, the WEOL program fosters lifelong learning, develops responsible stewardship of wilderness resources, and encourages civic engagement. Both national and internationally recognized industry certifications (such as National Association for Search and Rescue, American Avalanche Association and American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, American Mountain Guides Association, International Rafting Federation and American Canoe Association to name a few) are imbedded within the elective WEOL Employable Skills Certificates. The program accomplishes this by taking a holistic and experiential approach to all aspects of education within the curriculum. Our emphasis is on every student achieving their full potential while maintaining the highest technical standards. What you gain: *Leadership & Management Skills *Judgment and Decision-Making Experience *Risk Management Skills *Technical Skills *Teaching & Guiding Skills *Environmental Stewardship & Civic *Engagement Principles *Program Planning & Implementation Skills *Organizational Leader What you can do: *Wilderness Trip Leader *Professional Guide *Search and Rescue (SAR) Professional *Ski Patroller *Ranger / Wilderness Interpreter *Wilderness Educator / Coach *Forest Service / Natural Resources Manager *Wilderness Naturalist *Transfer to four-year university and continue your education Challenge yourself to achieve your full leadership potential while serving others.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Develop, evaluate and apply appropriate leadership and communication styles, experiential learning, leading, guiding and coaching, and mental performance methods.

• Differentiate between various land management organizations, protocols for use, and implement appropriate sustainability principles.

• Identify and engage with the various historical and contemporary organizations that have influenced wilderness education and the outdoor adventure industry.

• Demonstrate a mastery of skills to include efficient movement skills, effective application of technical equipment, and safe implementation of systems.

• Apply critical thinking, good judgment, and sound decision-making when managing risk and assessing legal implications of wilderness activities.

• Understand and apply operational management and entrepreneurial methods as they apply to the wilderness education and outdoor adventure industry.

Program Requirements