MARYVILLE, Tenn. —
Maryville College’s Great Smokies Experience will return in July, and give rising high school juniors, seniors and recent high school graduates an opportunity to take part in a unique learning experience.
The 10-day program gives participants both college credit and a chance to explore environmental issues and sustainability studies while living and learning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The program will take place July 13-24 on the college’s campus and at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a residential environmental learning center located on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Participants who complete the course will earn three hours of credit for the Environmental Issues and Sustainability Studies class from Maryville College.
The first Great Smokies Experience was offered 10 years ago, and since that time, dozens of students have been given an opportunity to look at environmental issues from a liberal arts perspective, all while receiving hands-on experience in the nation’s most visited national park.
Students will spend the majority of the course living in the national park at Tremont, and the remainder will take place on the Maryville College campus and other important Southern Appalachia sites.
This program will include a variety of activities, including mountain hikes, nighttime exploration of the park, kayaking on the Little River and Tellico Reservoir, exploring the Maryville College Woods, and taking part in Mountain Challenge, an on-campus program that seeks to build teamwork, enhance communication and teach problem-solving skills through outdoor experiences.
The deadline to apply is June 1.
For more information, contact Gunnoe at gse@maryvillecollege.edu or visit maryvillecollege.edu/gse.