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Tanglewood teams with Unity College in unique student experience

(Created: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 5:05 PM EST)

LINCOLNVILLE — For more than 15 years Unity College has partnered with Tanglewood Camp and Learning Center, a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, in a program designed to give incoming college students a head start. NOVA, the wilderness orientation program at Unity College encourages social connections, personal growth, and environmental stewardship while immersed in Maine’s great outdoors.

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Recent NOVA participants embraced the snowy landscape at Tanglewood’s Lincolnville camp. In front from left are Omama Marzuq, Benjamin Gelinas, NOVA Leaders Katie Brackett and Becky Clough. In back from left are Sarah Ingalls, Jonathan Cooper, and Samuel Radcliffe.
This January, 12 incoming freshmen, led by upperclassmen, participated in a four-day winter camping experience at Tanglewood’s Lincolnville camp in the Camden Hills. Students learned basic winter camping and travel skills, prepared meals on a one-burner camp stove, and practiced low impact camping techniques all while sleeping in the camp’s rustic cabins.

NOVA began in 1989 and was designed to ease the stress levels of incoming freshmen by giving them a chance to make friends. The program is offered twice a year at the start of each semester.

NOVA offers more than 20 programs each year including dog sledding in Bethel, learning primitive camping skills in Lake George Regional Park, and camping and hiking in Acadia National Park.

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Unity College student Benjamin Gelinas cooks breakfast over a single burner stove at Tanglewood’s Lincolnville camp as part of NOVA, Unity’s wilderness orientation program.
Participants give back to these host sites by performing service projects to better the facility or clean the environment. Projects at Tanglewood in the past have aided in beautifying the camp and doing much needed trail maintenance and brush clearing.

Rich Bouchard, Tanglewood’s Maintenance Coordinator, who has in the past worked with Unity College, oversees the NOVA program at the camp.

“The service we get in return from this group is tremendous,” said Bouchard. “They accomplish so much in a short amount of time and we are always grateful. We are proud to be able to provide them with an environment for this learning and much needed bonding time.”

Some other recent notable service projects include working to clean up the St. Croix River, doing trail work on the Grafton Loop Trail, and doing brush work and revegetation in Acadia National Park.

“For me, it’s important to partner with agencies that have a past connection with Unity College so the students get a chance to see where their career can go,” said Nicole Caruso, Director of Adventure Experiences for Unity College. “Tanglewood is an organization that is close to our hearts and we have a fabulous connection.”

For more information on all of Tanglewood’s programs visit www.tanglewood4h.org.