Stories

2024 US Instructor In Training Cohort at the start of their instructor course: top, left to right, NOLS field instructor Jerick Lee, NOLS field instructor Elsie Freland, Matt Medina, Dane Gare, Amber Davis, and bottom left to right, Alison Sikowitz, Vicky Albores, Yessi Aguilar, and Jianna Kaufman The U.S. NOLS Instructor-in-Training (IIT) Program is a…

NOLS grad Claire Burgeson shares her study abroad experience in Baja through stunning photos of beaches and wildlife, local practices and food, and more.

NOLS gap year expedition grad Luna Rosal gives insight into both the fun and challenges she experienced on a NOLS gap year.

A snap, hasty decision in college led me to attend NOLS. Usually a calculated person, l changed my life course in about 60 seconds.

National Outdoor Leadership School graduate and artist, Dori Bergman, talks about how her outdoor adventures inspire her artwork.

Camper life comes with some challenges; however, it’s the most freeing thing I have experienced since my gap year, and I can’t recommend the experience highly enough to anyone interested.

When I say 2020, what comes to mind? Pandemic, quarantine, fear, loneliness, job loss, online overload. It was February 2020 when I began my journey with NOLS, and I’m so glad that I did.

Out of the blue, a tip from an old mentor pointed me towards NOLS as an alternative, and maybe more fitting, way to continue my education.

Stretching myself right to the limit, day after day, and finding camaraderie in that challenge gave me a new sense of capacity and bravery as we attempted to climb Cerro Nora.

5 Gap Year Myths Debunked - Worried that a NOLS gap year expedition is beyond your reach in terms of timing, finances, or technical skills? Guess again!

Discover why the NOLS Wilderness First Responder course is transformative, equipping you with skills, confidence, and a new perspective on handling accidents.

Over 55 years, we've learned the value of NOLS isn't in accomplishments so much as the way a NOLS education inspires and empowers our graduates to act, as we see in these alumni stories.

In 1990, two people started a business that was remarkable for 2 reasons—most important because the business was dedicated to teaching wilderness medicine. Read on and celebrate NOLS' anniversary with 30 years of wilderness medicine history.

What do Marc Randolph, Jimmy Chin, José González, Knight Campbell, and Kit DesLauriers have in common? Listen to their stories to learn how NOLS influenced their trails to success.

Artist Alina Drufovka on Being a Latina Backpacker, NOLS Fellow, and Turning COVID into an Opportunity for Art

Enjoy reading our posts with advice for parents, role models in outdoor education, and all things focused on getting others outside

We are committed to highlighting the inspirational and brave work of those in the NOLS community serving others in need during this crisis

An open conversation with NOLS Instructor and Environmental Stewardship Coordinator Jonathan Williams.

Instructor Navarana reflects on what it means to practice patience and compassion in the face of adversity, using outdoor experiences to frame her learning.

Reflecting on seasonal transition, NOLS instructor Jonny Hepburn shares lessons learned during ski season and how they might apply to spring adventures.

Sometimes being a good leader means admitting you don't know the answer, a lesson Carolyn Highland learned on her outdoor educator course in the Absarokas.

See why a former camp counselor thinks all camp staff should have wilderness medicine trainings!

On an Alaska backpacking and sea kayaking course, NOLS grad Caroline Dooley realized that hiking like a girl is something to celebrate. Here's why.

The NOLS Tanzania Scientific Expedition is a unique opportunity to design and implement a scientific research study—and summit Mount Kilimanjaro!