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Nine University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students and their adviser are relishing their experiences from a service trip over spring break to the barrier islands of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Greg Batten, recreation coordinator for the Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) at the UW Oshkosh Student Recreation and Wellness Center (SRWC), was adviser on the trip that coupled service work—mostly clearing hurricane-damaged areas—with recreational pursuits. The group connected with UW Oshkosh alumni human services graduate Matthew Schuster, ’15, who is now the director of the Hatteras Island Ocean Center, and who worked previously for Batten at the SRWC.

“It was a great week,” Schuster said. “We got a lot done.”

clearing brush

He was grateful for all of the help of the UW Oshkosh contingent.

Schuster, who began at the Ocean Center in May of 2015, said a large building that had been damaged by hurricane floodwaters is destined for demolition. During their spring break week, the crew of UW Oshkosh students carried debris to dumpsters and removed the small amount of items that could be salvaged. They also sawed up several large trees that had been downed by hurricanes. The firewood will be used for campfires on the beach during this summer’s programming.

“UWO students are amazing,” Batten said. “They just blew me away with their decision-making and maturity.”

Batten said the nine-student group worked well together, despite not knowing one another before the trip. He said they made it easy for him to supervise the trip.

Instead of more traditional spring break activities, alternative break students volunteer their time to learn about and assist a community.

“Our students are amazing, giving, and care about others,” Batten said, commenting that it was an honor to spend his week alongside the group.

Ashlee Arendt, a senior from East Troy, said the alternative spring break was one of the best weeks of her life.

“It was a little intimidating, going on a week-long trip with eight other students that I had just met,” she said. “However, we got along so well and I could not have imagined a better group.”

Arendt said it was great to be part of a team that made a difference.

Ryan Deloge, a junior from Mequon, who captured the beauty of the Outer Banks with his camera, called the trip “amazing” and said his favorite part was having the opportunity to capture photos of something he doesn’t normally see. He said he learned things about himself and a great deal about how people work in small communities. Deloge said the fact that he didn’t know anyone on the trip added to the experience.

“It’s half the fun getting to really know somebody new over a (one) week period,” he said.

The group was planning to get together this week and Deloge said he is confident it won’t be the last time he will see his trip mates, whom he called “great people.”

Following graduation, Deloge said he intends to seek a career in environmental compliance—helping companies with sustainability.

AB group

Marina Garcia, student trip leader, said everyone contributed to the team dynamics by providing their own skills and talents.

“We all woke up every day in such a great mood and fell asleep with smiles on and knowing we’ll be doing the same thing the next day,” she said. “It was great to bond and get to know such a diverse group of students. Our entire group now hangs out on a regular basis since we got back from the trip. We’ve gone to the movies and have gone out to dinner and we plan on being lifelong friends. I wasn’t expecting to gain eight lifelong friends over this trip but I’m so glad we are. Getting to know each other and work so well in a team was probably my favorite part of the trip.”

Garcia, as trip leader, planned logistics including where they were going to stay, what they would eat and plan activities for the group. She led numerous camping, climbing and outdoor trips during the past five years through the OAC, but the Outer Banks was the first trip out of the state for the OAC.

“Every day we put in some work on the Hatteras Island Ocean Center to help with some damages the hurricanes have caused,” she said. “We were able to learn about the community of the island and economic aspect, which helped open our eyes and hearts to a new community other than our own.”

dismantling beds

Garcia, a Waukesha native who recently accepted a graduate assistant program for fall at the campus recreation center at UW-La Crosse, will be seeking a master’s degree in recreation management. She recommends that everyone try to go on an alternative break trip at least once during their college career.

Schuster, Ocean Center director, is an Oshkosh native. His mother, Connie Schuster, works at UW Oshkosh as records and admissions coordinator in Graduate Studies.

Connie Schuster said she is very proud of her son and how he has grown as a person since declaring his major in human services leadership at UW Oshkosh and being mentored by Batten.

Her son’s journey to North Carolina had an interesting start.

As part of the UWO SRWC staff, Matt Schuster had the opportunity in 2015, to go to a conference in Portland, Oregon. It was at the conference that he met the directors of Hatteras Island Ocean Center. He was able to complete his human services leadership degree at UW Oshkosh by completing an internship at the ocean center. The pair of existing directors were leaving their ocean center positions, and at the end of summer 2015, Schuster was offered the role of director.

Schuster guided 13 interns last summer and will be hiring seven or eight for the upcoming summer season. He has developed programs including “Crabs, Campfires and Constellations” where a group is taught about beach ecology while looking at glittering stars and eating s’mores around a beach campfire.

campfireHe said he enjoys the beach and putting together programs about sea turtles, kayaking or “ocean detectives” where attendees learn about the items found at the beach. He created a display of shells for the Ocean Center that he found during his walks along the beach.

Eventually, Schuster hopes to obtain a graduate degree, with a goal of performing eco-therapy—using water to heal body and mind.

Batten said it was eye-opening to learn about a culture that is resilient, constantly rebuilding hurricane after hurricane, and about the marsh lands and protected species of the Outer Banks. They also learned about the historical significance of the area.

“Matt (Schuster) had so many stories to share, from German spies in WWI to Civil War boats and Blackbeard the Pirate,” he said.

 

 

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Students who were part of the Outer Banks Alternative Spring Break trip:

  • Ashlee Arendt, senior, East Troy, elementary education and special education
  • Ryan Deloge, junior, Mequon, environmental studies
  • Karis Fiedler, sophomore, Oshkosh, biology
  • Marina Garcia, senior, Waukesha, human services leadership
  • Jessa Hahn, junior, New Berlin, nursing
  • Nathan Ochocinski, junior, Woodruff, biology
  • Shannon VanDenEng, first year, Kaukauna, business
  • Josh Wheeler, senior, Sheboygan, business-accounting and finance
  • Taylor Zimmerman, senior, Westboro, social work

Several UW Oshkosh student groups took part in alternative spring breaks

Three UWO Alternative Break service trips took place over spring break, with groups in Guatemala, New York and North Carolina. Each trip had members blogging from their venues, sharing their daily experiences in community services. Information and photos may be seen at the Alternative Break 2017 blog.

A group of UW Oshkosh students also took part in an alternative break trip to Honduras over the break between interim and spring break.

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*Photographs courtesy of Ryan Deloge