Outdoor Recreation Leadership

The Outdoor Recreation Leadership Minor provides students pursuing any career path, with an opportunity to increase their employability through the development of leadership skills

Using the outdoors as a learning platform, students engage in classroom and field-based coursework to develop skills in leadership, theoretical knowledge, and teaching that complement their academic major’s area of expertise.  Students interested in professional opportunities in the outdoors learn a wealth of technical skills, group facilitation, and gain an understanding of the significant role outdoor recreation has in the economy, education, physical and mental health, and global awareness.

Our program strives to provide quality learning, facilitation, and teaching opportunities through classroom, outdoor and experiential settings and activities, allowing students to develop leadership skills, strong interpersonal connections, an adventurous spirit, and a sense of place within Fairmont State University and the state of West Virginia. Intrinsic to this, we support the mission of Fairmont State University and the department of Health and Human Performance through our commitment to health and wellness, personal growth, social responsibility, active citizenship, and lifelong learning.

The Outdoor Recreation Leadership Minor (ORL) provides students pursuing any career path, with an opportunity to increase their employability through the development of leadership skills.Using the outdoors as a learning platform, students engage in classroom and field-based coursework to develop skills in leadership, theoretical knowledge, and teaching that complement their academic major’s area of expertise.Students interested in professional opportunities in the outdoors learn a wealth of technical skills, group facilitation, and gain an understanding of the significant role outdoor recreation has in the economy, education, physical and mental health, and global awareness.

View Outdoor Recreation Leadership Minor Academic Map

• The ORL minor is 20 credit hours. 
• For example, majors in Biology will find the ORL Minor particularly helpful since it provides them with practical experience and skills useful in outdoor fieldwork. 
• Since outdoor education is gaining a broader acceptance in public schools, majors in Physical Education may consider ORL as a way to broaden their employment opportunities. 
• Other Teaching Majors who are planning to incorporate outdoor activities and outdoor field trips into their classroom activities will find the ORL Minor a natural and practical addition to their existing course of study.
• Psychology Majors who want to merge therapeutic applications with outdoor activity—such as outdoor team building or youth-at-risk wilderness programs—will find the skills and knowledge gained in the ORL Minor advantageous.
• Majors in a variety of other fields—from English, Business, Community Health, History, Exercise Science to Sociology, and so on—may want to enroll in the ORL Minor courses to prepare themselves for work with community service and volunteer programs such as Boy and Girl Scouts, 4-H programs, church groups, ski patrol, and county search and rescue organizations.
• Finally, some students may want to participate in the Outdoor Recreation Leadership Minor simply because they have an abiding interest and love for the outdoors.  This Minor provides students with life-long skills to enjoy the outdoors safely—and the means to pass on that enjoyment to others.