Recreation hits the road

5/1/08

Catherine Story
Business Manager

One LSC student recently made a trek across the country to start a job at an outdoor adventure program called Deer Hill in Colorado.

“I'm working at deer hill because it's a sweet place with sweet people in a good central location for outdoor recreation activities,” said Seth Gordon, an adventure based program management major who graduated in December.

“I also like their mission to implement service projects into all of their programs to help out usually Native Americans or the USFS which benefits everyone,” Gordon said.

“I’m pretty much using my major to the T,” Gordon said. “I am a manager at an adventure based program.”

“I think working here will improve my leadership skills by being in a managerial position and being an educator to give me a solid foundation for advancing into the adventure guiding realm,” Gordon said.

“I’m always nervous about the responsibility but when I get there it’s a lot of fun,” said Gordon.

Gordon’s jobs at Deer Hill include managing the base camp and being a field instructor. While managing the base camp he is responsible for the group’s food an equipment preparations while they travel. As a field instructor Gordon will be guiding groups through the area for weeks at a time.

Gordon drove across the country with just a few belongings, mainly clothing and recreation equipment that he will need at his new job.

“I was afraid my car would break down,” Gordon said. His Chevy Malibu cost almost $1000 in repairs before he left.

“I was also afraid I would run out of money, which I did,” Gordon said.

With gas prices peaking at $3.69 the trip was a little more expensive than he had anticipated.

“I was excited about seeing places I had never been and visiting friends who had moved to Colorado on the way,” Gordon said.

“I’m not sure if I was a rec. major or just a major wreck,” Gordon said about his college career. That’s a common saying among students in the LSC recreation department.

“I have a real passion for being outside” Gordon said. “I find value in interacting with my natural world and feel that it can help me learn about myself, grow as an individual and find a sense of place and value through a connection with my natural environment.”

Gordon spent four and a half years at LSC preparing himself for his career.