Several students each summer receive Gateway Scholarships from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) for advanced treks in remote parts of North America. These full scholarships are administered annually by the Wilderness Director at UWC-USA. This year, Aveen Khalaf ’26 spent several weeks in Alaska hiking and kayaking.
The experience challenged Aveen to grow and deepened their sense of wonder for the natural world first awakened through the UWC-USA Wilderness Program in the mountains of New Mexico.
“We paddled past glaciers, saw some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen, and spotted wildlife like bald eagles, caribou, and moose. We carried bear spray everywhere we went—it eventually just became part of our gear. One of my favorite memories was seeing the small airplane that flew in to deliver our food rations. As someone who dreams of becoming a pilot, that was such a special moment for me.”
The connection between NOLS and UWC-USA was established by Anders and Rachel Fristedt during their time as Wilderness Co-Directors. Current Director Abby Sussman is pleased to offer students like Aveen—who have demonstrated strong leadership on campus—the opportunity to extend their skills each summer:
Not surprisingly, Aveen found that the physical demands of the Alaskan adventure led to other kinds of growth: “More than anything, the course changed the way I think. Life out there was simple but hard. Back home, life feels easy in some ways but much more complicated. Out there, we didn’t care about our phones, what we looked like, or what we were wearing. We only cared about taking care of each other, finding a place to sleep, eating, and enjoying nature. By the end, none of us wanted our phones back. It was one of the most peaceful and meaningful experiences I’ve ever had.”