Leadership at Macomb Plateau

The Leadership at Macomb Plateau (L.A.M.P.) student retreat aims to grow strong leaders and smarter community members from diverse backgrounds. After participating in the program, we hope that students will be better equipped to handle complex social and environmental issues after an experience steeped in natural and cultural history.

This retreat prioritizes selecting students from groups underrepresented in outdoor-oriented fields and focuses on encouraging leadership and outdoor skills. Participants have the chance to meet experts in the fields of science, conservation, traditional knowledge, and local environmental issues, ensuring a well-rounded experience that goes beyond outdoor adventure! We hope participants will go on to pursue their dream jobs, be they environmental science and engineering, non-profit outreach and advocacy, natural history education, public lands and natural resource management, climate science, or outdoor recreation and guiding.

Group selfie with first LAMP retreat students. Photo by Alex Wong.

Group selfie with first L.A.M.P. retreat students. Photo by Dr. Alex Wong.

What do students do in the L.A.M.P. program?

  • Learn skills to survive, be comfortable in, and love the outdoors through planning, learning, and taking leadership over tasks necessary to thrive at a remote-field based camp.
  • Develop transferable technical skills through participation in scientific research, including drone mapping and vegetation monitoring, to be used in land and resource management decisions. 
  • Gain academic exposure to natural and cultural history topics including boreal forest and tundra ecology, plant, bird, and mammal ID, tracking, traditional ecological knowledge, history of conservation and extraction, oil pipeline development and engineering, and more.
  • Build teamwork and trust by operating in a group environment with shared goals working together to overcome scientific and environmental challenges. Students will build on their existing strengths and develop an expedition mindset that emphasizes being an active team member that focuses beyond one’s own needs to positively influence the group. 
  • Connect with Alaskans from a variety of backgrounds involved in natural and cultural resources and environmental science, building exposure to a wide range of career paths and opportunities.
  • Benefit from physical remoteness and unplugging from a connected lifestyle, while developing a sense of exploration and reflection that fosters mindful learning.

Registration opens in Spring 2025! Join the Adventure Borealis email list to stay tuned.