In PRTM 3910, a trip through Osceola National Park enables students to build community and experience nature while forming leadership and outdoor skills
During Clemson University’s 2026 spring break, six undergraduate students traded a traditional week off for an eight-day backcountry expedition through Osceola National Forest in northeast Florida. By navigating blackwater rivers, forests and wetlands in one of the Southeast’s last remaining longleaf pine ecosystems, the students developed leadership and outdoor skills far beyond the traditional classroom.
Abby Perrin M ’27, a graduate student in Clemson’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM), developed the course from her research on the psychological and emotional effects of disconnecting from technology in backcountry environments.
“I was inspired to teach this course because the backcountry has taught me more about the world and myself than any other classroom,” Perrin said.
Alongside Perrin, co-instructor and PRTM undergraduate Sarah Moore ’26 led classes, guided hiking groups and mentored students during the trip. Together, they applied the wilderness leadership principles they learned through the National Outdoor Leadership School, a nonprofit leader in wilderness education.
The trip began with building essential backcountry skills, including purifying water, selecting campsites, pitching shelters and cooking on backpacking stoves. Leadership roles rotated throughout the expedition, giving everyone the opportunity to guide hikes and make key decisions that often pushed them beyond their comfort zones.
“This expedition class is different from a traditional college course because the learning and the test are happening at the same time, all the time,” Perrin said. “The backcountry offers authentic challenges in an environment with no outside distractions, and that’s a powerful combination that can really teach people about who they are and what they are capable of.”
After hiking more than 20 miles through the forest, the group learned to canoe on the Suwannee River, where they observed Gulf sturgeon, great blue herons, egrets and cormorants while studying biodiversity and the importance of protecting the natural world.
Reflection was just as important as the physical journey. Through daily journaling, discussions about leadership styles and one-on-one mentoring with Perrin and Moore, students celebrated growth and strengthened their understanding of outdoor leadership. Letters to their future selves encouraged them to carry those lessons long after returning home.
For first-time backpacker Megan Finley ’26, those moments of reflection became one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of the experience.
“I would think carrying a backpack full of stuff and hiking would be the hardest part, but it wasn’t. My mind and getting in my head were what gave me the hardest time,” Finley said. “You’re out in the woods with nothing but time and space to sit and think about everything. Knowing I had people around me that really cared helped me get out of my head.”
Through hands-on exploration, leadership experiences and time spent immersed in nature, students gained a deeper appreciation for environmental stewardship while building lasting connections with one another.
“The main goal of the trip was to connect students to themselves, each other and the natural environment we are traveling through,” Perrin said. “I hope that people come away from the trip feeling more confident about their ability to live well outdoors and feel more connected to who they are, their strengths as a leader and the ways they can keep growing as a person.”
PRTM 3910
Backcountry Expedition & Leadership is one of many experiential learning opportunities offered through Clemson’s Leisure Skills Program. Other courses encourage students to explore places such as the Clemson University Forest, Lake Hartwell and the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.
