Westminster College offers skiing semester in the Wasatch

Westminster College offers skiing semester in the Wasatch{mosimage}SALT LAKE CITY (February 16, 2005) Westminster College has just announced the introduction of an innovative new study-abroad alternative called “Winter at Westminster.” The program is the first of its kind and unlike anything currently in existence.

Winter at Westminster invites adventure-loving college students from across the country to visit Westminster for a semester, take a full course-load of fully-transferable college credits and participate in unique mountain recreation experiences only Utah can offer.

The program, which is being piloted this winter with a select group of college students from New York, California and Washington, will officially begin in January 2006. College officials expect to enroll around 100 students in the program at that time.

Winter at Westminster participants will be able to experience a schedule chock-full of the best mountain recreation opportunities Utah has to offer, including:

•An interchangeable and unlimited season pass to Alta and Snowbird, the top resorts in America, according to Skiing magazine

•Day excursions for skiing or boarding at six other world-class resorts, including Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, the Canyons, Solitude, Brighton and Snowbasin

•Avalanche classes and on-site field study with Snowbird’s ski patrol team

•Ski Utah’s Interconnect Tour: Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Solitude, Brighton, Alta and Snowbird

•Freestyle and Nordic jumping clinic at the Utah Olympic Park

•Yurt camping and backcountry touring in the Uinta Mountains

•First tracks from the tram at Snowbird and brunch with guest lecturers

•Skiing/riding with an Olympians and ski industry professionals

Additional, more adventurous opportunities exist a la carte for Winter at Westminster students:

•Helicopter skiing in the Cottonwood Canyons

•Snow-cat skiing at Alta’s Grizzly Gulch

•Backcountry touring and snow-cave camping

•Skeleton clinic at the Utah Olympic Park

Westminster President Michael Bassis remarked, “Westminster College wants to maximize the educational benefits that resources like the mountains which surround us and the recreation they afford can provide. Winter at Westminster is one of the initiatives we are developing to help us do that. It is, we think, a perfect blend of solid academic training and creative outdoor experiences. I have spent my entire career in higher education and I’ve never seen a college or university create something quite like Winter at Westminster. It is the uniqueness of the program that I believe will make it a great success.”

Jill Devleming, a current Winter at Westminster participant and junior at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington spoke about what a great experience she’s having in the pilot program this semester. She remarked, “I had never been to Utah to snowboard before this but I’m glad I’m here because some of the resorts near my home in Washington State had to close this season due to lack of snow.” In addition to experiencing the program, Devleming is interning at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and taking classes in economics and art history at Westminster.

Winter at Westminster participants choose from the full academic catalog at Westminster College, Utah’s only private, comprehensive liberal arts college, ranked by U.S.News & World Report as a top tier institution for 10 consecutive years.

Westminster College is in a unique position to offer the Winter at Westminster program because its campus is just 30 minutes away from world-class mountain resorts and the 2002 Olympic venues; 10 minutes away from the cultural offerings of Salt Lake City; and just a day’s drive from 16 national parks and recreation areas. College officials believe students nationwide will benefit from the opportunity to continue their education and experience Utah’s finest winter recreation.

Westminster College, founded in 1875, is a private, comprehensive, liberal arts college dedicated to students and their learning. Impassioned teaching and active learning are the hallmarks of the Westminster experience. The college prepares its students for success through a strong foundation of liberal education combined with cutting-edge professional programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Located where the magnificent Rocky Mountains meet the vibrant city of Salt Lake, Westminster blends classroom learning with experiences presented by its unique location to help students develop skills and attributes critical for success in a rapidly changing world. U.S.News & World Report consistently ranks Westminster in the top tier of regional colleges and universities in the West, and as an excellent educational value. For more information, visit www.winteratwestminster.com.