Pacific Challenge, a private company that offers college students for-credit trips to places around the world, will be recruiting for its winter-term trip to New Zealand and Australia at the upcoming ASUO Fall Street Faire.
The company, which has taken University students overseas and provided them upper-division credits for more than a decade, operates yearly trips that include jumping from planes, scuba diving, riding Harley Davidsons, rock climbing and more.
Students get the opportunity to receive as many as 12 upper-level credits in international studies and/or environmental studies. Opportunities for independent studies are also available.
Leaving early in January and returning in March, the company is leading 18 people on a two-month journey through the north and south islands of New Zealand, as well as the east coast of Australia.
Since the company was started in 1985, it has taken more than 1,000 undergraduates and graduates from across the country overseas on similar programs.
While anybody can attend the trip without receiving credit, there are optional, non-traditional classes available. By taking classes that include hands-on research and cultural interaction, keeping a journal, group study sessions and discussions, students can receive upper-level credits, according to Pacific Challenge’s Web site.
Pacific Challenge owner Dave Wright, who got his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University, said the best part of his job is watching people have fun and challenge themselves in the outdoors.
“It’s great watching people develop group dynamics and self-confidence,” he said.
Allison Hartlage, who went to New Zealand and Australia in January, said she learned more in that one
semester than she had any other semester in school.
“The program teaches you a lot about yourself through experiential education,” she said. “You walk away from the experience and you are able to use what you learned; you really absorb the knowledge because you apply it directly to your life.”
University ethnic studies major Hillary Sites has had many traveling experiences prior to signing up to take the trip to New Zealand and Australia with Pacific Challenge.
“I like that we could take classes related to international exposure and how to relate to other people in the world,” she said. “It was really beneficial doing this while outside of the classroom setting.”
Sites also enjoyed the ability to complete the classes and workload on her own, and the availability of guidance if she needed it.
Aside from the possibility of earning college credit while traveling through the natural wonders of New Zealand and Australia, participants are given the knowledge and equipment to challenge themselves in a wide range of outdoor activities, including rafting and kayaking in white water, soaking in natural hot springs, enjoying scenic hikes, camping, skating, mountain biking, skydiving, laying on beaches, swimming with dolphins, surfing, riding Harley Davidsons, bungee jumping, jet boating, scuba diving, repelling, rock climbing and more. Participants’ experience level does not matter because qualified leaders and faculty teach any needed skills.
Pacific Challenge offers other trips as well, which start at different times of the year. Destinations include Southeast Asia, Nepal, South America, Japan and even places in the United States. Trips — whose lengths vary — are full of different activities.
After the set amount of time with Pacific Challenge, different travel extensions are offered that include more in-depth pursuit of particular activities, such as scuba diving, sailing or surfing.The program also offers the possibility of internships.
To find out more information on Pacific Challenge, visit its Web site, www.pacificchallenge.org.
Tara Murphy is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.