OSU’s Adventure Leadership Institute Keeps Moving Through COVID

No school escapes the impact of COVID-19. Since the Adventure Leadership Institute’s classes involve a lot of physical activities, it’s had to make more adjustments than most. 

“Climbing areas are separated for bouldering,” Briana Hustoles offered as an example of those changes when interviewed by the Daily Barometer, adding that a “water fountain within the facility was converted to a handwashing station. Handwashing pre-and post-session is required,” while as with all drinking fountains, drinking from this one was prohibited for the duration of the pandemic. Hustoles is the Associate Director of Marketing, Communications and Events for Recreational Sports for the ALI. 

Although, as the name implies, the ALI is centered on physical activities, it’s not primarily a gym. As Director Josh Norris puts it, “ALI programs offer intentional, purposeful and directed experiences that enhance learning and contribute to Oregon State University students’ educational development.” 

As has been the case with many areas of life, finding ways to work around the need to provide more services remotely has had the added benefit for ALI of allowing them to serve people they couldn’t serve at all before. 

Operations Co-Ordinator Emily Abrams told the Baro, “We are constantly innovating our programs to meet the needs of students that are currently unable to live in Corvallis by providing virtual experiences.” 

Aubrey Olsen, an OSU student, said about the ALI’s Rock Climbing I class, “All students have to wear masks and social distance from one another during class time. The masks, although necessary, can make climbing more difficult, and social distancing makes it harder to make new friends.” 

In the Winter term, the ALI is offering for-credit courses such as Hiking, Local Trails, Bouldering, Rock Climbing I, Mountaineering I, Mountaineering II, Wilderness First Aid, Bush Craft, and Snow Travel and Camping. It will also offer non-credit courses like Lead Climbing in the Gym, Efficient Climber’s Toolbox, Self-Rescue, and Wilderness First Aid.  

Finally, the ALI isn’t discounting the possibility that vaccine distribution may change the situation so quickly that it could be possible to adjust the program schedule. According to Abrams, “[The] ALI will continue to adapt and evolve to the realities of the moment and provide students with experiential learning opportunities.”  

By John M. Burt 

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