St. Lawrence’s Adirondack Semester gave Annalise Grueter ’12 a deep connection to place and an appreciation for living simply. The program immerses students in a yurt village on Lake Massawepie called Arcadia, located an hour from campus.

“The Adirondack Semesteris about discussing how humans interact with the rest of the natural world as well as determining what our place is and what our impact should be,” Annalise says.

The Aspen, Col., native and graduate of Aspen High School participated in the program during Fall 2011, something she wanted to do since the pre-orientation backpacking trip she went on as a first-year student. “It’s a unique experience,” she says. “Other schools have field semesters similar to the Adirondack Semester, but they move from place to place instead of settling and deeply connecting with one area.”

During the Adirondack Semester, students don’t have access to telephones, computers or television. “The reflection and introspection that comes with fewer distractions is a welcome relief from the bustle of campus,” she says.

The English major also has an outdoor studies and German double minor. She is a member of the sorority Chi Omega, secretary of the Nordic Ski Club, a copy-editor for the student newspaper The Hill News, and was a member of the Environmental Action Organization.

Annalise cites another backpacking trip led by the Outdoor Program during her sophomore year as one of her favorite memories at St. Lawrence. “We hiked several Adirondack High Peaks in snowshoes during an April weekend heat wave that brought sunshine and 70-degree weather,” she says. After graduation, Annalise plans on honing her backcountry skiing and climbing skills while pursuing jobs in marketing and publishing before looking into graduate schools.

--Lettie Stratton ’12