BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

I have served as a college professor, wilderness trip leader and conducting staff trainings for over twenty years. 

 

EDUCATION AND DEGREES

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        Ph.D. - Education / Emphasis in Recreation, Park and Leisure Studies, University of Minnesota, 

        Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 2004

        MS - Experiential Education, Minnesota State University - Mankato, Minnesota, May 2001 

        BS - Outdoor Education, Montreat College - Montreat, North Carolina, December 1996 

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RELATED EDUCATION 

North Carolina Outward Bound School                        

        8-day sea kayak instructor training in the Outer Banks costal area of NC, June 2006   

Wilderness Education Association                             

       10-day Advanced Professional Short Course in the Sierra Mountains of California, August 2004

North Carolina Outward Bound School                        

       14-day wilderness course instructor training,May 2002

Wilderness Medicine Institute - Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, November 1994 

Wheaton College - Wheaton, Illinois

        Wilderness Leadership Practicum, HoneyRock, Three Lakes Wisconsin, Summer 1996

        Summer Leadership School, HoneyRock, Three Lakes, Wisconsin, Summer 1993, 1994

National Outdoor Leadership School - Lander, Wyoming, Fall 1994                

       Twenty-one day sea kayaking course in Baja California

Discovery Wilderness Practicum - Montreat College - Montreat, North Carolina, May 1993

       Twenty-one day wilderness course in the mountains of Western North Carolina

Colorado Outward Bound School - Denver, Colorado                     

       Twenty-one day multi-environment course in the Cataract Canyon and Henry Mountains of Utah, Summer           1992

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CERTIFICATIONS

Wilderness Medical Institute of NOLS - Wilderness First Responder 

American Heart Association – CPR for the Professional Rescuer 

Wilderness Education Association – Certifying Instructor Level II – 2004 - present

Leave No Trace – Master Educator (completed 2017); Trainer (completed 2005)

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians - Emergency Medical Technician – 1994 - 2001

Wilderness Medical Institute – Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician – 1994 - 2001

Boy Scouts of America - Eagle Scout – Awarded April 1987

 

AREAS OF INTEREST

Wilderness Learning

Experiential Education

Personal Growth and Human Development

Adventure Education

Wilderness Solitude

Autonomous Student Experiences

Spiritual Experiences in Nature

 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 

Association for Experiential Education (AEE)

Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE)

Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO)

Leave No Trace (LNT)

Wilderness Education Association (WEA)

 

LEADERSHIP

Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership (JOREL)

      Editor in Chief (2010 – 2018)

Regular Reviewer (2009 – present)

Coalition for Education in the Outdoors Biannual Research Symposium

       Reviewer (2014, 2016)    

Journal of Experiential Education (JEE)

       Regular Reviewer (2005 – present)

American Camp Association (ACA)

       National Conference Research Symposium Regular Reviewer (2005 - 2011)

Association for Experiential Education

       Symposium on Experiential Education Research (SEER) Co-Chair (2017- 2018)

       SEER Reviewer (2006 – present)

Program Accreditation Reviewer (2015 – present) 

        International Association Board of Directors Member (2005 – 2012)

        Annual International Conference Selected Papers and Abstracts Reviewer (2004-present)

Heartland Region Council Member (2002 – 2005)

Heartland Region Treasurer (2002, 2004, 2005)

Treasurer for the Council of Regional Chairs representing the Association’s eight regions (2003 – 2005) 

Heartland Region Council Chair (2003 – 2004)

Heartland Region Conference Planning Committee Member (2003, 2004, 2005)

        Southeast Region Conference Planning Committee Member (1996, 2015)

River’s Way, TN

        Risk Management Committee Member (2008 – 2010)

One World Adventures, AL

        Board of Directors Member (2008 – 2013)

Friendship Ventures – Annandale, Minnesota (2001 – 2003)

        Volunteer recreation facilitator for persons with disabilities during weekend respite program

National Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society – Minnesota State University (2000 – 2001)

Advisor for undergraduate student leaders within the honor society and coordinated annual events

Cedar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department – Cedar Mountain, North Carolina (1997 – 2000)

        Served as a volunteer fireman and responded when needed to assist in emergency situations

Southern Transylvania County EMS – Cedar Mountain, North Carolina (1997 – 2000)

        Assisted on local emergency response as a certified Emergency Medical Technician

Greater Greenville YMCA – Greenville, South Carolina (1998-2000)

        Camping and Youth Development Committee memb

 

AWARDS AND HONORS

Western Carolina University

        College of Education and Allied Professions Dean’s Research Award (2017)

        College of Education and Allied Professions Legislative Teaching Award (2017)

Association for Experiential Education

        Servant Leader Award for the International Association – 2013

        Rebecca L. Carver Award for the Southeast Region - 2011

Montreat College Academic Dean’s Faculty Award

May 2008 – Montreat, North Carolina

Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation – Minneapolis, Minnesota

        Scholarship Recipient – Fall 2002

 

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B., & Faircloth, W.B. (2020, February). The Psychology of Risk and 21st Century Wilderness Program Participants. Session presented at the International Conference on Outdoor Leadership, Three Lakes, Wisconsin.

 

Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Bell, B., Stremba, B., & Mitten, D. (2018, November). 10th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Orlando, Florida.

 

Hobbs, W., Martin, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2018, October). Publishing isn’t just for academics. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Snowbird, Utah.

 

Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2018, October). Exploring perspectives on optimal challenge and risk. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Snowbird, Utah.

 

Meltzer, N., Faircloth, A. J., & Faircloth, W.B. (2018, January). Effects of Participation in a Semester Boarding School on Student’s Biophilic Expressions. Paper presented at the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors 14th Biennial Research Symposium, Martinsville, IN.

 

McCole, D., Bobilya, A. J., Lindley, B. & Holman, T. (2018, January). An Investigation of Parents’ Perceptions of the Value of a Summer Camp Experience. Paper presented at the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors 14th Biennial Research Symposium, Martinsville, IN.

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Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2017, October). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Experiential Education. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.

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Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Shirilla, P., Coulson, E. (2017, October). 9th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.

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Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2017, October). 21st Century Program Participants: Can We Achieve the Same Outcomes with Different Levels of Risk? Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.

 

Faircloth, W. B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2016, October). There’s two ways to count your change: An exploratory investigation of retrospective pre and true pre. Paper presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference: Symposium on Experiential Education Research (SEER), Minneapolis, MN.

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Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2016, October). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Experiential Education. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

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Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Allison, P., Hunt, J., Shirilla, P., Coulson, E., Speelman, L., Frazer, L. (2016, October). 8th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

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Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2016, October). 21st Century Program Participants: Can We Achieve the Same Outcomes with Different Levels of Risk? Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

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Bobilya, A. J., Lindley, B. R., Faircloth, W. B. & Holman, T. (2015, November). A Qualitative Analysis of Participant Learning and Growth Using a New Outward Bound Outcomes Instrument. Paper presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Research Symposium, Atlanta, GA.

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Bobilya, A. J., Kalisch, K. R., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2015, November). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Outdoor Adventure Programming. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Atlanta, GA.

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Daniel, B., Kalisch, K. R. & Bobilya, A. J. (2015, November). Should wilderness program staff always accompany their participants? Three views. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Atlanta, GA. 

 

PUBLICATIONS 

Refereed Publications

Meltzer, N. W., Bobilya, A. J., Mitten, D., Faircloth, W. B., & Chandler, R. (2020). An investigation of   moderators       of change and the influence of the instructor on outdoor orientation program participants’ biophilic    expressions. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-020-00051-w

 

McCole, D., Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. & Lindley, B. (2019). Benefits of summer camp: What do parents value? Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership, 11(3), 239-247. https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2019-V11-I3-9672 

 

Meltzer, N. W., Bobilya, A. J., Faircloth, W. B., Mitten, D. & Chandler, R. (2018) The effect of an outdoor orientation program on participants biophilic expressions. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(2), 187-205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-018-0013-x

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Bobilya, A. J., & Faircloth, W. B. (2017). Exploring Course Outcomes Utilizing A New Outward Bound Outcomes Instrument. Research in Outdoor Education, 15, 114-136.

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Rude, W. J., Bobilya, A. J., & Bell, B. J. (2017). An investigation of the connection between outdoor orientation, campus involvement, sense of community, and thriving. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership, 9(2), 197-216.

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Faircloth, W.B., Bobilya, A.J. & Ewert, A.W. (2016). The North Carolina Outward Bound School Course Impression Survey: A Psychometric Investigation. Research in Outdoor Education, 14, 1-20.

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Book Chapters

Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B., Kalisch, K. R. (2015). Autonomous Student Experiences: Are They Too Risky for Today’s Outdoor Adventure Program? In Black, R. & Bricker, K. (Eds.), Adventure Programming and Travel for the 21st Century (pp. 353-357). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 

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Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T., Lindley, B. & McAvoy, L. H. (2015). Changing Landscapes: Trends in North American Adventure Programming. In Black, R. & Bricker, K. (Eds.), Adventure Programming and Travel for the 21st Century (pp. 11-17). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

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Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2012).  Guarding Safety Without Compromising Learning: The Value of Unaccompanied Components.  In Martin, B. & Wagstaff, M.  (Eds.), Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming (pp. 220-226).  Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 

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Bobilya, A. J. & Daniel, B. (2011).  The Life of Eleanor Duckworth.  In Smith, T. & Knapp, C. E. (Eds.), Sourcebook for experiential education: Key thinkers and their contributions (pp. 73-79). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.    

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Bobilya, A. J. & Daniel, B. (2007). The basics of backcountry camping. In Goldenberg, M. & Martin, B. (Eds.), Outdoor Adventures: Hiking & Backpacking (pp. 179-210). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

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Bobilya, A. J. (2005) Wilderness, solitude and monastic traditions. In Knapp. C. E. & Smith, T. (Eds.), Exploring the Power of Solo, Silence, and Solitude (pp. 61-74). Boulder, CO: Association for Experiential Education.

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Bobilya, A. J., McAvoy, L. H. & Kalisch, K. R. (2005) Lessons from the field: Participants’ perceptions of a multi-day wilderness solo. In Knapp. C. E. & Smith, T. (Eds.), Exploring the Power of Solo, Silence, and Solitude (pp. 103 – 120). Boulder, CO: Association for Experiential Education.

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Other Publications

Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B, Kalisch, K. R., & Lindley, B. (2009). Lessons from the Outward Bound Solo: Intended transfer of learning. Conference Proceedings of the 2009 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership sponsored by the Wilderness Education Association. Bradford Woods, IN.

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Bobilya, A. J., Kalisch, K. R., Daniel, B, & Lindley, B. (2009). Benefits and strategies for facilitating solitary reflection on W.E.A. courses. Conference Proceedings of the 2009 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership sponsored by the Wilderness Education Association. Bradford Woods, IN.

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Holman, T., Bobilya, A. & McAvoy, L. (Spring/Summer, 2008). Trends and issues in outdoor adventure     programming: Perspectives from practitioners and scholars. Taproot, 18(1), 17-24.

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Bobilya, A. J. (contributor) (2007). Outdoor Experiential Leadership: Scenarios Describing Incidents, Dilemmas and Opportunities. In Smith, T. & Allison, P. (Eds.). Tulsa, OK: Learning Unlimited.  

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Daniel, B., Bobilya, A. J. & Kalisch, K. (2006). The life significance of the wilderness solo and strategies for intentional solo design: A summary of two studies. The Journal of the Wilderness Education Association. 18(3), 11-18.

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Bobilya, A. J. (2004). An investigation of the solo in a wilderness experience program. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, 2004) Digital Dissertations, AAT 3129201.

 

INTERESTS AND HOBBIES

Hiking, canoeing, whitewater kayaking and rafting, backpacking and playing with my family outdoors.

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COURSES DEVELOPED AND TAUGHT:

Graduate

Research Methods

Thesis/project

Dissertation

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Undergraduate

 Wilderness Education – Summer Travel Course    

 Expedition Management and Leadership

 Program Planning and Evaluation 

 Introduction to Outdoor Pursuits 

 Mini Internship in Parks and Recreation Management

 Capstone Internship in Parks and Recreation Management

Facilitating Outdoor Education Experiences 

Wilderness Journey Practicum 

 Whitewater Kayaking 

 Advanced Whitewater Kayaking 

Administration and Management in Outdoor Education 

Conference and Event Planning 

Outdoor Programming and Leadership: Expedition Management 

Outdoor Programming and Leadership: Kayaking 

Pre-Internship 

 Survey of Outdoor Education 

 Backpacking 

 Current Issues in Outdoor Education 

 Challenge Course Facilitation 

 Leadership and Group Dynamics 

 Wilderness Journey for First Year Students 

 Outdoor Living Skills 

 History and Philosophy of Outdoor Education 

 Foundations of Faith and Learning 

 Outdoor Recreation Management 

 Adventure Programming Skills and Concepts 

Leisure and Human Development 

 Outdoor and Camp Leadership 

 Orientation to Leisure and Recreation 

Wilderness and Adventure Education