An atmosphere of sound learning can often be created in the middle of the lush green wilderness just as readily as it can be found in the red brick buildings on the Hill. By combining opportunities to practice leadership in real-world settings with dynamic outdoor activities, unique and engaging learning experiences can be implemented anywhere, allowing our students to thrive in diverse environments and develop transformative skills. During the end of July, Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest Vinton Bruton IV and Director of High Adventure Scott Schmolesky led a leadership expedition Compass course in Sawtooth Range, Idaho, from July 22 to August 2, that combined High Adventure, Compass, Global Education, and the Wilson Center and offered students the opportunity to grow as leaders and build upon their character.
“From my viewpoint, the trip was more than just a wilderness adventure—it was a leadership expedition where the students took charge,” Bruton said. “Scott and I spent a few days on campus preparing them with the essential skills, and they did an excellent job absorbing everything.”
The exceptional partnership between High Adventure and the Wilson Center proved beneficial for the students before they set out. Prior to the expedition, students underwent extensive training, including CPR/wilderness first aid, map reading, gear handling, a fly-fishing clinic, and coursework readings. William Gardner ’25, who participated in the expedition and has wilderness experience from various trips, including his time in South Africa during the summer of 2022, noted, “Practicing wilderness medicine in simulated emergencies provided a great leadership learning opportunity by requiring us to coordinate responsibilities, such as building splints and monitoring vitals. Additionally, the training allowed everyone to gain their Wilderness First Aid certification.”
Schmolesky, who led the first aid training, added to William's sentiments, “The reality was that they would have to use these skills in a backcountry setting, so the stakes were not theoretical, they were quite real. I believe that had an impact on how they approached the training.”
The trip, part of Interdisciplinary Studies 185: Expeditionary Leadership (INDS 185), provided students with opportunities to test their leadership skills in real-world scenarios. Each day, three students would take on different roles: leader of the day, assistant leader, and medic. Each student would spend 72 hours in a leadership position, managing different tasks and being evaluated by their peers.
“We wanted the students to make a lot of decisions,” Bruton said. “They would decide how fast we would go, when to start, when to finish, where to camp, and what route to take, becoming fully immersed as leaders throughout their time in the wilderness.”
Leaving early from Richmond International Airport on July 22, the group was poised for a trip full of backpacking and flyfishing in Sawtooth Range, which is renowned for its stunning scenery, featuring towering granite peaks and narrow glacial valleys. With hundreds of rugged peaks—50 rising over 10,000 feet—and nearly 400 alpine lakes scattered across its rocky landscape, the area offers dramatic views. It also contains secluded valleys rich with large stands of trees. Wildlife thrives in lush meadows, and numerous fish species inhabit the thousands of streams that feed four major rivers.
The group kicked off their adventure with a visit to the Idaho Angler Fly Shop and other local stores to gather fishing gear and supplies before driving over two hours to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, where they started their journey at a trailhead 5000 feet above sea level. The group hiked many miles each day, encountering a variety of wildlife such as elk, mule deer, grouse, and sandhill cranes, while catching plenty of cutthroat trout and taking in the scenic views. Beyond their time spent hiking and fishing, the group engaged in daily debriefing sessions to reflect on leadership styles, assess what was effective, share their experiences, and review their goals.
“There is something unique to be learned when you bring students into an austere environment, where they must depend on one another for their needs,” Schmolesky said. “It challenges you in many ways, physically, psychologically, and even emotionally. Needless to say, it was interesting to observe the different leadership styles as the decisions had real-world impact on the group.”