COOP XXI

Connecticut College's Outdoor Orientation Program (COOP) is an optional four-day adventure program that takes Tuesday, Aug. 19, through Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. It's a great way to get to know other first-year students before the official Orientation.

The Great Hollow Wilderness School (GHWS), associated with the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut, hosts this modified Outward Bound program. COOP was created to engage you physically, mentally, emotionally and socially, and to help you gain enhanced personal awareness and self-confidence and develop leadership skills and responsibility towards others as well as the environment.

The major activities range from still and whitewater canoeing to technical rock climbing, high- and low-rope course elements, backpacking, and caving through areas of New York state, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Appalachian Trail, St. John's Ledges, the Housatonic River, Candlewood Lake and the 1,500 acres of GHWS will provide the beautiful settings for your COOP experience. There are three COOP trip options: hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail for all four days; hiking the Appalachian Trail for three days and canoeing or caving on the fourth day; and four days of challenge course activities, including rock climbing, caving, canoeing and hiking.

You don't need to be an athlete or have previous wilderness experience to participate in any of these activities — outdoor skills are taught as part of the program. The only thing required is openness to new and challenging experiences.

Space is limited, and registrations will be processed in the order they are received. The deadline for receipt of forms and fee is July 1, 2008. The fee for this program is $525 and includes round-trip transportation from campus, food, accommodations and program costs. Limited financial assistance is available. For information please contact the Office of the Dean of Studies at 860-439-2050.

The registration form can be found here.

Last Modified: Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:31