Mount Union College - Unonian Yearbook (Alliance, OH)

Page 19 text:

strongly tied to this exper- ience is the opportunity for growth and personal learn- ing on the part of the stu- dents who participate. This is exciting to watch and facili- tate. |have been involved in no other single experience that seems to have the po- tential for personal growth than the wilderness trip has. It pushes people beyond their self-imposed limits. The changes in such important personal characteristics as self-confidence of belief in oneself, ability to work to- gether effectively as a member of a team and leadership skills are quite sig- nificant. I've seen some dra- matic changes in such char- acteristics over the years and this, probably more than any one single factor, influ- ences my decision to contin- ue this program. The third major influence on my decision is the oppor- tunity this experience gives me to meet students on a more personal level — the chance to really get to know them in a way that classroom experiences by themselves seldom offer. Be- ing able to have such rela- tionships was a primary moti- vator of mine for going into to be involved in the exper- ience. And as long as there are students who feel the same way, the trip will con- tinue to be offered. the teaching and counseling professions and for taking a position at a small college. This factor helps make the whole educational process more enriching for me and certainly more enjoyable. These, then, are the fac- tors that most influence my decision. At present, the payoffs seem to outweigh the costs and so | continue Steve Kramer Once again, unpredictable Ohio weather — 70° and sunny on November 2 and 30° and windy on November 4. Quote of the Day 8 12 86 Dr. Kramer: “You guys want to hear some- thing funny?’’ Group of 10: (in unison) “What?” Dr. Kramer: “All of those pictures I’ve been taking are no good, | didn’t have any film in the camera.”

Page 18 text:

Experience .. . Beyond the Classroom | pee done the ness Trip f the past ele have be 25 when I've y seri- Ously juestion: Wi ig this?’’ The question seems to loom es- pecially large during some of the more trying moments of a trip — perhaps we’ve en- dured a lot of bad weather, or are having more than our usual share of difficulties, or Mr. Ragosin drying his pants, the hazards of rustic living. ye group isn’t functioning very well together or maybe I'm just feeling tired from all the responsibility that | feel. It seems that | feel these things at least a few times on each trip. And so each year, after the trip is over, | find myself considering the same ques- tion: Do | really want to do it again The answer is not always easy to come by. There are inevitably a lot of hassles in- volved in the planning and implementation phases of the trip. It also takes a lot of time and energy away from other pursuits that are also important to me — family, friends, other job-related re- sponsibilities, etc. And so | weigh these costs against the payoffs that the trip of- fers. For one thing, | find the op- portunity to live for a short period of time in the wilder- ness a personally enlivening experience. Not only does it force me to get back to ba- sics in my style of living and realize the simplicity of life, but it confronts us with such beauty and evidence of our interconnectedness with alll forms of life that it leaves me with a renewed sense of who | am and where | fit in. This is a hard thing to explain in words — it is something | feel. But | really enjoy this as- pect of the trip and | like to see students come to a simi- lar appreciation for the po- tential to be found in nature. A second thing that | greatly appreciate is that Quote of the Day: 8 12 86 Dr. Kramer: “Ya know, I’ve had more SAE’s on this trip than from any other fraternity. | don’t know why that IS Chris Underation: “That’s because SAE’s can’t find jobs in the summer.”’ Mike Maloney: “I’m glad you said it because | wasn’t going to.”

Page 20 text:

sses parents with a smile at credit for revitalizing WRMU after the . . . . . . . . . + Members of the Class of 1987.