News
New Adirondack Program combines academics and the outdoors
By Jasmine Murray ’18
October 1, 2015
The new Hamilton Adirondock Program (HAP) gives students the opportunity to learn from notable Hamilton professors while gaining outdoor experience in the Adirondacks. Many students who are passionate about environmental studies or the environment have flocked to this program seeking to find a deeper connection to the outdoors. However, though there is a strong pull of science-affiliated students, the program promotes inclusivity for all students. For instance, the program beckons diverse students of wide-ranging majors who have an interest to learn about issues surrounding the Adirondacks, and a strong willingness to immerse oneself in the wildness. The program’s focus is on local environment issues.
Launched in the fall of 2015 and founded and directed by Janelle Schwartz, professor of comparative literature and environmental studies, the Adirondack program is a 15 week, semester-long program that provides academically rigorous classes to students with outdoor engagement in one of America’s natural national treasures, the Adirondack Park. Similar to other Hamilton study aboard programs, students who attend will take the academic load of four classes, taught by Hamilton professors. Yet, over the course of the semester, while being taught by familiar faces, students are exposed to new ones: guest speakers of the Adirondack Park will contribute and facilitate healthy discussions.
Outside of the traditional forms of study, students will be taught essential outdoors skills and participate in activities such as camping and hiking. In addition, as one of their course requirements, students are expected to participate in an internship which will involve them with a local organization within the park. The students also have access to important figures associated with the park such as past presidents and connected organizations. It is hoped that at the conclusion of the program students will use their newfound awareness for self-growth, but most importantly, for positive societal impacts.
Alexa Merriam ’17, a current student of the new program, shared her personal experience and thoughts about HAP. Merriam began by explaining that students are encouraged to be independent, but also interactive with their community and environment. “By being a part of the HAP inaugural semester, I have so much freedom to shape my education, and how I spend my time outside of the classroom,” she said.
Highlighting the student’s interaction with the environment, Merriam explained that, ironically, this engagement leads to the personal development of self where one’s core beliefs come to the surface.
“We, the students, source our food and manage our own sort of COOP, participate in lectures, have all different internships in local towns and orchestrate our own projects all with the intent of getting to know this place: the Adirondack. By becoming intimate with our natural surroundings, we are learning a lot about who we essentially are and what we value.”
Another student, Kianee De Jesus ’17, expressed her fond sentiments of the program as she pointed to the Park’s beautiful surrounding features. “After a long day of work at the farm, the library, the animal shelter, the wildlife refuge, there have been multiple times where we have looked at the mountains from our house and uttered, ‘We are so lucky to be here.’ I am amazed at what this program does for us and it’s even more rewarding to know we chose to be here.”
Rachael Wilkin ’16 shared a similar notion of appreciation. “The academic and extracurricular experiences I’ve had in just the first month of the Adirondack Program have been unparalleled and immensely rewarding. Working at Essex farm has thus been holistically invigoration and wonderfully exhausting.”