This year is Madi Thurston’s first time at Women’s Base Camp as a student and as a leader. However, she is no stranger to leadership training at the University of Idaho.
The application for Women’s Base Camp opened on Jan. 28 and has nine spots available. This leadership training runs Feb. 15 through 17 with two mandatory pre-trip meetings.
Thurston is an alternative service break coordinator and is one of the student leaders for the base camp this year. She’s participated in UI Women’s Lead and multiple ASB trips.
This year Women’s Base Camp will be held at Fields Spring State Park, in Anatone, Washington, Thurston said.
“I volunteered to go because I have always wanted to experience Base Camp. I have heard so many great things about it and how impactful it has been for many women. Programs like these involving leadership and service have influenced my college career immensely, and so I want to give back and help other students have that experience too,” Thurston said.
Attending the base camp as a student leader interested Thurston because she is interested in women’s leadership programing and making space for women to develop their leadership skills.
“The main themes will be, first and foremost, leadership skills, specifically being leaders as women. This is a theme throughout the trip and there are constantly activities to help participants learn what kind of leader they are and what a leader even is,” Thurston said.
Jackie Sedano, program coordinator for the Women’s Center and advisor for the trip, said a goal of the program is to show that anyone can be a leader and leadership has no one set definition.
“I think a lot of it is leadership skills, but I think a lot it is reframing what leadership is, because a lot of folks have the conception that leadership is something people are born with,” Sedano said.
On the first day of the trip students have an orientation, the second is a day of service and the last day is snowshoeing. The camp is free for students to attend Sedano said.
Sedano encourages students to apply because even though there are only nine slots, schedules change and there is always a chance of going.
“Even though spots may be filled, plans change for people. And it typically happens every year that you know, folks are maybe not able to make it anymore,” Sedano said.
Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kalinelson6