Bearly Graduated | Spring 2023
The inaugural edition of TRAiLS' semesterly alumni newsletter | written by Owen Averill
Welcome to TRAiLS’ new guide alumni newsletter! My name is Owen Averill (he/him, junior) and I am the current Vice President. We created this newsletter to show you our organization’s continued impact on the GW community as well as to update you on what graduates are up to. Before we start: if you’re interested in attending an alumni trip over Veteran’s Day weekend, fill out this form. Alright, let’s dive in!
The Trail Guide:
I. Spring 2023 Rundown
II. New Accomplishments
III. Photo Highlights
IV. Alumni Spotlight
V. Senior Goodbyes
VI. Fall 2023 Preview
VII. Opportunities to Support TRAiLS
I. Spring 2023 Rundown
Spring 2023 was an amazing time to be a TRAiLS guide. Under the leadership of President Leo Kehagias (he/him, junior), TRAiLS organized 39 trips, which alone served 400 community members.
Additionally, under Community Engagement Facilitator Sophie Rosenthal (she/her, junior), TRAiLS put on eight General Body Meetings for the campus community, including a Field Day, an instruction session on gas stove cooking, and an open mic night.
Training and Recruitment Coordinators Zane Peterson (he/him, junior) and Sylvia Cassidy (she/her, sophomore) helped welcome 15 new guides to TRAiLS through a months-long recruitment, application, and training process. Thanks to them, new guides are trained in our Hands-On Hard Skills (HOHS) Test and will receive their Wilderness First Aid and CPR certifications in the fall. We’ll introduce them in our fall semester newsletter.
Furthermore, TRAiLS has also worked to make the outdoors a more welcoming place. Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DIA) Coordinators Arlo Smaldone (they/them, sophomore) and Jackie LaBruzzo (she/her, senior) worked hard on providing resources to accommodate dietary restrictions as well as updating our land acknowledgment procedure. Moving forward, DIA will also become a larger committee instead of two positions as we work to foster a more collaborative environment.
Events and Services Coordinator Ava Thompson (she/her, sophomore) also revamped TRAiLS’ annual Outdoor Adventure Week to celebrate Earth Day by increasing our campus footprint and highlighting our resources. She also put on our amazing end-of-year celebration, Boots and Suits:
II. New Accomplishments
TRAiLS got as ambitious as ever over the Spring 2023 semester, putting on a skydiving trip for the first time. Led by Zane Peterson (he/him, junior), Vivi Mehren (she/her, senior), Lily Marks (she/her, sophomore), this trip made every other guide extremely jealous. Here’s a picture:
That’s not all. We were successful in running our first guide retreat since COVID-19 at Camp William B. Snyder in Virginia. The trip helped us equip new guides with the hard skills required in TRAiLS.
Last, we are thrilled to report that TRAiLS raised $10,000(!!!) over the spring 2023 semester from the Luther Rice Advisory Council, a group of alumni who donate to student organizations. This money will be directed toward fee waivers to reduce trip costs for participants who cannot afford our programming.
III. Photo Highlights:
IV. Alumni Spotlight
This spring, we’re checking in with newly graduated Trey Walker (he/him), who moved on from GW in the fall. I asked him a few questions over the phone:
🟢 So Trey, what have you been up to?
“After graduation, I went up to work the winter in northern Minnesota working as a health officer and outfitting officer for a dog sledding and cross country ski program. Shortly after that I became the Canadian Director for Northern Tier High Adventure, one of four high adventure bases for the Boy Scouts of America. We lead wilderness canoe trips that last seven to nine days, and I personally overlook two separate operations in Canada.”
🟢 What’s been your favorite part about postgrad?
“My favorite part about postgrad has been having work and doing something that I really enjoy being able to do: to turn a passion for the outdoors into a living.”
🟢 In hindsight, how do you think that your undergrad experience was shaped by TRAiLS?
“For me TRAiLS was a huge part of my undergrad experience. It really gave me an outlet to do something I love, an opportunity to develop my leadership, and a group of people to act like a family at GW. So it had a huge impact and it has a huge impact into what I’m doing today.”
🟢 What’s your favorite TRAiLS memory?
“I would have to say that running the Gauley River during Gauley Fest was my favorite TRAiLS memory. It’s a close tie with that and the canoe trip over New River [Gorge] this past fall break. But starting the Gauley River off the night before with some of the clearest skies I have ever seen — which, the stars are super clear up [in Canada] — but they were immaculate and I watched the participants see the haze of the Milky Way for the first time. And then running some sick five class white waters the next day was incredible.”
🟢 What’s something our new guide class should know coming into the organization?
“Take advantage of the opportunity. Do stuff that you want to see happen, propose trips that you might think are a long shot. That Gauley River trip — I never expected it to actually happen, but to have the opportunity to run the Gauley through GW TRAiLS and lead some of the trips I got to lead was incredible. So get out there and actually propose trips to your passion and take advantage of the experience you have.”
🟢 Is there anything else that you want to tell the TRAiLS community?
“GW TRAiLS is a huge part of where I am today and I’m very thankful for it. I miss everybody dearly. Also, if you’re looking for a job, give me a call.”
V. Senior Goodbyes
All good things must come to an end… Join us in bidding adieu to our Spring 2023 graduates, who each picked three words to describe their TRAiLS experiences:
Yoni Altman-Shafer (he/him) — adventurous, communal, dependable
Lizzie Benjamin (she/her) — informative, challenging, exhilarating
Rachel Brown (she/her) — community, outdoors, learning
Sam Carlisle (she/her) — formative, empowering, TRAiLStastic
Maya Deshpande (she/her) — supportive, growth, collaborative
Jackie LaBruzzo (she/her) — adventure, loving, learning
Lucas Laingen (he/him) — enlightening, rewarding, fulfilling
Emily Levin (she/her) — meaningful, challenging, wonderful
Elena Mantilla (she/her) — enlightening, messy, tender :’)
Vivi Mehren (she/her) — adventure, growth, confidence-building
Here is a video tributing TRAiLS and seniors’ contributions to our program. Seniors, thank you for your leadership and support. You will be missed!
VI. Fall 2023 Preview:
Under the leadership of President-Elect Liz Hartmetz (she/her, junior), TRAiLS guides will return in August to prep for Adventure Bound, the freshman pre-orientation trip. During her term, Liz aims to prioritize:
Scaling up campus fundraisers
Incorporating the new DIA committee into leadership and normal procedures
Developing a comprehensive guide handbook
VII. Opportunities to Support TRAiLS
GW TRAiLS aspires to provide the best possible outdoor connections for the GW community. We provide important mental and physical health benefits, and work to serve everyone, from first-time hikers to experienced backpackers. To help us in our mission, please consider donating to TRAiLS through our tax-deductible link below.
Impact:
$12.50: helps us provide a 50% fee waiver for our standard trip cost
$25: helps us provide a full fee waiver for our standard trip cost
$50: helps us provide two full fee waivers for our standard trip cost
That’s all for our first newsletter. Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions or comments don’t hesitate to reach out. See you on the trail (or in your inbox in the fall)!
Warmly,
Owen Averill
Vice President, GW TRAiLS