Leadership Expedition to the Adirondacks

Leadership Expedition to the Adirondacks

Leadership Programs is excited to announce our third annual Leadership Expedition to the Adirondacks. Students will travel to the Saranac Lakes from August 31 - September 2, 2018, where they’ll test and enhance their leadership skills on a three-day hiking, canoeing and camping trip. The expedition team will paddle during the day and camp at night, covering a total distance of around 15-20 miles.

The primary goals of this expedition are:

• leadership development;
• cohort development; and,
• camping skills development.

Additional key tenets of the trip are:

• this is a "leave no trace" wilderness experience; and,
• this is a cellphone, alcohol, and substance-free expedition so students can be completely present through this shared learning experience.

On this unique expedition, students can expect to: 

• experience both adversity and the natural beauty of the Adirondacks region;
• take turns assuming full responsibility for the entire group; and,
• receive real-time feedback on their leadership and followership efforts.

In short, this is a chance to practice, rather than just talk about, real leadership.

Interested?   
If you are interested in joining this expedition, please carefully review all of the following information and fill out this online enrollment form. Please note that slots will be limited and we cannot guarantee everyone a slot.

Leadership Expeditions

 Logistics

Dates: August 31 - September 2, 2018, with a mandatory gear check and group gear packing session at 5:30pm on August 30. Students must be prepared to leave Ithaca at 6am on Friday, August 31, and should expect to return around 7pm on Sunday, September 2. Transportation is provided.

Eligibility: This expedition is open to all Ithaca-based, full-time residential students studying at Johnson.

Please note: You must be comfortable in deep water and able to swim at least 300 meters without stopping in order to participate. You must also be comfortable hiking for extended periods of time. No other previous canoeing or camping experience is necessary or required.

Program Fees: This expedition is being subsidized by Leadership Programs. Students will need to cover their lunches on the drive to and from the Adirondacks, and will also be asked to pay a non-refundable participant contribution of $100 to join the expedition. All other meals, plus group gear (tents, water filters, canoes, etc.) and sleeping bag and sleeping bag pad rentals for those students who require them will be provided. Some students may have to purchase or rent some individual gear (headlamp, hiking boots, rain gear, etc.) depending on what they already own; this will be at the student's expense. Discounts on rentals at the Cornell Outdoor Education Rental Center will be available for participants. More information will be provided if you are selected for the expedition team.

To learn more about the Saranac Lakes: The expedition team will travel through Upper Saranac Lake and the Lower and Middle Saranac Lakes in the Adirondacks. 

Graduation Credit: All full-time, Ithaca-based Johnson residential students are eligible to use up to 1.5 credit hours from Leadership Skills Program (LSP) and/or Managerial Skills Program (MSP) toward their MBA degree credit-hour requirements.

This LSP workshop is worth 0.3 LSP credits, and will build your skills in the the following 4Cs: 

• Critical Thinking & Decision Making
• Influence/Negotiation
• Leading Diverse Teams
• Coaching/Mentoring
• Consideration
• Being Assertive/Taking Charge

Questions? Please contact Natoshia Spruill, associate director of leadership programs