RE 491 - PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT SEMINAR

EXIT PAPER

Included in Comprehensive Exam Part C.

Directions: Respond to each question as honestly, accurately and completely as possible.
At the beginning of the paper include the following information in the order below:
Karyn VanderPloeg
Minor: Health
ORLM Declaration: Winter 2014
Anticipated graduation date: December 2018
Questions:
1. What do you personally hope to accomplish through your work in the Leisure Services
profession?
Being an ORLM student has taught me a lot about how to connect myself and others to the
environment through experiences. This is what I hope to accomplish with the knowledge I
have gained over the years in this program. I want to be an educator by inspiring people
to want to learn more, be creative and have fun doing it. Everyone needs a little leisure in
their life because sometimes life can be overwhelming. I want to work in the Leisure
Service Industry so that I can help people find a little joy and entertainment in their busy
lives. I am not 100% sure if I will be working in parks, guiding or being an educator but I
would love to make connections for people with the natural world. I enjoy working with
kids but I dont think that my main focus should be on them. I feel that kids will more likely
want to make connection to nature where adults dont think they have time or dont have
a care anymore. I would like to show all ages that having skills in play and recreation can
make a positive impact on your life. I can do this through any form of Leisure Service
Profession.
2. What do you see as your strengths as an Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management
senior?
I found my strengths in planning and hands on skills. When we had big projects I had to
put my best work forward to create a great product. I like creating programs and I dont
mind planning trips as well. I find that when I can teach a skill to someone I excel at that
skill. It is easier for me to demonstrate a skill than talk about theories. I love to have
interaction with people so the teaching aspects and personal leadership development that
it took to create these projects helped me grow stronger with those skills. I used to be
afraid of public speaking but now my skills have improved dramatically and I have more
confidence after taking interactive classes. I feel like I have grown in my leadership and
management skills the most which has helped me in my work experiences already.
3. What do you see as your weaknesses as an Outdoor Recreation Leadership and
Management senior?
Field skills is where I would want to develop farther so that I can have more confidence in
demonstrating them to people who have no idea how to use them. Some skills where I
would like to develop involve fixing equipment (stoves, skis, tents, etc.), navigation (map
and compass), and cooking in the backcountry. I had to lead students the summer of 2016
and I felt weak in these areas. Before I lead a group out in the backcountry again I would
like to improve in these areas so that I can teach these skills with more confidence.
4. In what areas would you most like to improve?

I would love to improve more on my technical skills and communication skills. These skills
can always be improved and for me this is where I want to excel. When giving a
presentation, participants will be more engaged if there are strong skills being displayed.
They only way to improve these skills is practice which I hope to have in future jobs. Even
though I would like to improve more on these skills the ORLM program has provided me
with a good base to take with me to the working environment.
5. For each of the following academic skills listed below (a.-j.), complete the following:
i.
Identify your present competency level in each of the following academic skills (Use
poor, fair, good, excellent to identify level)
ii.
Indicate whether or not your present level has improved since your beginning semester.
(Use "improved" or "stayed the same")
iii.
Indicate the academic or "real-world" experiences that have positively impacted your
competency level
List of Academic Skills:
a. Critical/analytical thinking
i) Excellent
ii) Improved
iii) On my winter stewardship course (Re 356) I had time to do a lot of critical/
analytical thing. Each day we had to analyze situations that came up and
demonstrate our critical thinking in making good decisions as a leader. During the
night we had the opportunity to sit and reflect on the decisions that were made
throughout the day. This could be a decision that I made or that others made.
b. Clear reasoning/understanding in each of the following:
1) Logical
i)Excellent
ii) improved
iii) During the stewardship course we had to think logically to make the
experience a safe one. Especially being in the snow you have to take into
consideration your own health and your classmates. In other classes we had
discussions on different models of learning development and leadership roles.
After learning about group development I have a better sense in identifying
patterns of others behaviors.
2) Mathematical
i)Good
ii)Improved
iii) Math has never been my strong subject in school so I didnt really take many
classes regarding it. I have a basic understand of algebra but most of the math
that ORLM taught me was through navigation and unit conversions. The one
math class that I did take that I have improved in was PY 305 - Psychological
Statistics.
3) Scientific [identify the type of science(s)]
i)Good
ii) Improved
iii)ORLM classes like RE 281, RE 250, RE 362, and others that involved
projects/research helped me expand my knowledge in the natural and
environmental sciences. In my division II liberal study courses I took BI 100
which was the study of the fundamental concepts of biology and CH 105 which
looked at the contemporary application and problems in chemistry. I have a wellrounded take on different sciences throughout my time here at NMU.
4) Analogical (ability to discern similarities in some respects between things
otherwise unlike)
i)Excellent/Good
ii) Improved
iii) There have been a few different classes where we had to be analogical. In our
interpretation classes we had to use a resource and find ways to explain them

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

using different methods. In out RE 467 class we did a research and evaluation
essay project that required us to work together and develop a theory, form a
hypothesis and compare two or more demographics about the topic of choice.
5) Metaphorical (ability to compare using a word or phrase associated with one
thing to apply to another)
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii)The interpretation classes have forced me to be creative by using a variety of
learning styles that meets the audiences interests. Also in RE 410 it gave me a
chance to express messages in a way without using words and giving
opportunity to be creative and expressive.
Creative thinking
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii) This major has given me many chances to use creative thinking. Courses like RE
410, RE 251, and RE 381 have provided many assignments where I could express
creativity. These assignments gave room for personalization on the topics. The
programs, games and presentation that we had to do for these classes left us to
choose the type of methods we wanted and had us engage the class using some
sort of entertainment.
Programming
i)Excellent
ii)improved
iii) The main class that taught me about programming was RE 362 Program Design
in Leisure services. From this class I took the information I learned and actually
applied it to my internship at SpringHill camp. I got to run a program all summer
with the campers. Throughout the summer I would change aspects of the program
to make it more enjoyable for the campers and myself.
Risk management
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii) Many ORLM courses address risk management in some form but in RE 251, RE
362, and RE 356 talked about the topic in more depth. There are many different
aspects to risk management so in each of these classes explained different parts. I
learned about the documentation of covering risks for organizations in RE 362. In RE
356 we learned that it doesnt matter if it is an overnight trip or a weeklong trip you
have to address the legal, physical, and psychological risks before leaving. Finally,
in RE 251 we explored all the different types of risks and how the instructor should
handle them if they were to happen.
Interpretation
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii) The two main classes that focused on interpretation both guided and self-guided
was RE 381 and RE 382. Before taking these classes I had never heard of
interpretation as an action. By taking these classes I learned methods of
interpretation and believe that you can use interpretation for many jobs. The two
main building blocks for good education I believe is having passion for the topic and
enthusiasm. Interpretation gives both these aspects and is a good way to capture
the audiences.
Preparation of lessons
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii) Preparation of lessons is a key skill to have going into any career being guides,
educator, or interpreter. Many ORLM classes are focused on teaching these skills
starting with the low level classes like RE 250 and RE 261. The ORLM classes gave
me a lot of practice in writing lesson plans and also critiquing plans. These classes

have taught me that it is good to be prepared and the more lessons you prepare the
better they become. I am way better at creating a lesson now than I was at the start
of this program thanks to the ORLM classes.
h. Presentation of lessons
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii) Many ORLM classes are focused on teaching Presentation of lesson skills starting
with the low level classes like RE 250 and RE 261. The ORLM classes gave me a lot
of practice in writing lesson plans, giving critiques and presenting lessons. These
classes have taught me that it is good to be prepared and that practicing the lesson
before presenting it helps make the lesson run smoothly. I am way better at creating
a lesson now than I was at the start of this program thanks to the ORLM classes.
i. Planning adventure and/or outdoor experiences
i)Excellent
ii) Improved
iii) In my winter stewardship course (RE 356) we went through the whole trip
planning process. Before we headed out into the wilderness for a week we covered
budgeting, food preparation, itinerary, gear distribution and risk management. For
my internship at SpringHill I got the opportunity to plan a proposal for my project. I
planned a trip along the Manistee River Trail.
j. Leading adventure and/or outdoor experiences
i)Excellent
ii)Improved
iii)Leadership is in the title of the major so it is incorporated in many of the ORLM
classes. My skills as a leader have improved a lot through my experiences leading
classmates and observing other classmates lead in the outdoor setting. During the
winter stewardship (RE 356) I got the chance to be leader of the day, which was a
different experience. I learned a lot in that experience and have used what I learned
there at my camp job leading the youth on camping trips. I have also been a ski
instructor so that has also given me a lot of experience leading students in the
outdoors.
6. Write a response to a NMU parents questions, a) What can you do with an Outdoor
Recreation Leadership and Management degree? and b) How does ORLM contribute to
the Leisure Services industry and profession?
a) My typical response to this question usually starts with listing the well know options
like: Parks and Recreation, Park Ranger, working as a guide, and working for a camp.
Many times people often say that I dont need to get a degree to become any of those
things. This is when I go on and say that people in this program can also work in the
ecotourism industry, become an interpreter, fight wildfires, work in wilderness
medicine, and even practice in wilderness therapy.
b) When it comes to the Leisure Services industry and profession the ORLM program
trains us how to connect people with the environment in a fun and engaging way. We
teach how to create a social, physical and psychological connection between humans
and nature. Since the population of people is increasing and the use of resources and
need for land is also increasing it is essential for ORLM students to lead society in a
sustainable way. We are taught how to make these connections in a positive and
emotional way. We use recreation to inspire people and we use interpretation to care
about our plant.
7. A. Using an accepted format, cite the literature and/or texts which you have read related
to the Outdoor Recreation/Leisure Services profession that you believe have the most
meaning or usefulness for you as an entry-level professional.

1) Gonzales, L. (2003). Deep survival: Who lives, who dies, and why. New York: W.W. Norton.

2) Nachmanovitch, S. (1990). Free play: Improvisation in life and art. Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher.
B. Identify why each of the items listed in (7. A.) has meaning or usefulness.
1) After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through
the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out.
A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What
makes the difference? This book has many stories in it that have endurance and
death along with how people get into trouble and how they get out. Through stories it
helps us see how our brain reacts in certain situation and how one can control ones
behavior. Laurence Gonzales describes the "stages of survival" and a survivors spirit.
This book not only applies to surviving in the wild but also to surviving life-threatening
illness, relationships, the death of a loved one, running a business during uncertain
times, and war. This book helps ORLM students see that survival isnt just by chance
but there are ways to be prepared for situations like the one in this book. One needs to
look at the risks and assess the situation.
2) This book Free Play is a great reminder that that inspiration comes from creativity. It
explains why we create and what we learn when we do. There is an energy and joy in
creating art in many forms. This book is meant for people who want to contact, honor
and strengthen their own creative powers. Being an ORLM student one must have
creativity to connect with people and be willing to express ones emotion in different
ways. This book reminds us that inspiration arises from within you and how that
inspiration may be blocked by certain unavoidable facts of life. It shows us that we
must be true to ourselves and our visions.
8. What have you learned about yourself through your experiences and courses in the ORLM
program?
Coming into college I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I went through the first
couple years of college undeclared and just took random classes to try to see what I was
most interested in. Then I found the ORLM major which looked intriguing to me because
who wouldnt want a career where you get to play outside all day. I knew that I loved to be
outdoors and recreational activities based on how I grew up with them so I figured that
would be the right path. This program definitely put me out of my comfort zone and
expanded my skills mentally and physically. Yes, there were a lot of classes where we
played games and had a blast but when it came down to it I learned a lot from all the
projects and real life experiences. Going into this I saw myself as an outdoorsy girl but
after hearing stories and skills that the other students and professors had I felt out of
place. Dont get me wrong I love the outdoors but I felt very far behind on my personal
skills. The higher the level classes are where I felt confident again. We were working more
on more management work rather than physical skills. Although I wasnt the best at the
technical skills I still felt passionate about learning them. I didnt have any leading
experiences other than helping my father lead trips of kayakers down a river for a benefit
auction. This program helped me become a better leader and provided me with
opportunities to lead during class expeditions. I learned more about myself and my limits
by being in this program. I feel that the best way of learning is through experiential
learning because it helps people connect and find a sense of confidence in themselves.
ORLM has taught me to trust in others and to live a life that is meaningful.