Introduction

The Outdoor Leadership Studies minor prepares students for careers tied to public lands, conservation, sustainable recreation, and community resilience — a growing land-based workforce serving New Mexico and the Southwest. Graduates work with land management agencies, conservation organizations, outdoor industry employers, and the communities whose well-being depends on healthy landscapes, watersheds, and forests.

WNMU’s proximity to the 3.3 million-acre Gila National Forest, the Gila Wilderness, Gila Cliff Dwellings, several State parks and cultural landscapes offers a place-based foundation few universities can match. Through inquiry-based, experiential, and applied coursework, students examine how people, place, ecosystems, and working landscapes connect, and they develop the practical knowledge and stewardship perspective needed to engage in complex land and resource challenges.

Students build skills in outdoor leadership, risk management, communication, group dynamics, and field-based problem solving – competencies that are valued across conservation, natural resource management, outdoor recreation, environmental education, and community resilience work. Partnerships with state and federal agencies, nonprofits, local governments, and community organizations create opportunities for internships, practica, and service learning that connect coursework directly to the land and the workforce.

Graduates are prepared to pursue graduate study or enter a land-based workforce that supports healthy ecosystems, responsible recreation, resilient communities, and the long-term stewardship of New Mexico’s working landscapes and public lands.

Learning Outcomes

The Outdoor Leadership Studies program engages students in a variety of field-based and classroom curricula. The four major student learning outcomes (leadership, stewardship, communication, and technical skill development related to natural resource careers) categorize the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through coursework.  The program outcomes are assessed through a variety of projects and assignments and direct demonstration of skill competence.  All students submit an e-portfolio during their capstone course which demonstrates evidence of competence for each learning outcome.

Leadership

• Plan, lead, and debrief an outdoor experience or field-based project from start to finish
• Apply ethical, safety, and professional standards in outdoor leadership scenarios
• Analyze complex problems by integrating multiple perspectives and proposing reasoned, defensible solutions

Stewardship

• Explain ecological concepts and apply them to interpret conditions in the working landscapes of the Southwest
• Apply environmental ethics and social justice frameworks to analyze case studies and field scenarios
• Assess the environmental impacts of recreation, land use, and management decisions on cultural resources, ecosystems, watersheds, and communities
• Implement stewardship practices appropriate to specific outdoor and natural resource contexts

Communication

• Produce clear written and oral communication for professional audiences, including reports, proposals, and presentations
• Translate technical and ecological concepts for community members, agency partners, and program participants
• Facilitate group experiences that engage participants across differences of background and experience
• Reflect on personal performance in field and professional settings, identifying strengths and areas for growth

Technical Skills

• Conduct risk assessment and management for outdoor activities, including documenting hazards, mitigation strategies, and emergency response plans
• Demonstrate proficiency in field methods and equipment relevant to outdoor leadership and natural resource work
• Apply sound judgment and decision-making in dynamic field conditions, articulating the reasoning behind choices made

Core Courses

Please see the official degree plan  for additional details.

OLST 2110. Skills for the Outdoor Leader.

OLST 300. Introduction to Outdoor Leadership.

OLST 305. Wilderness First Responder.

OLST 400. Outdoor Risk Management.

Degree Plans

Official Degree Plan – Outdoor Leadership Minor
This minor complements a variety of baccalaureate degree programs. Component courses provide broad content knowledge related to outdoor industry professions and introduce students to the wide array of outdoor careers

https://catalog.wnmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=2340&hl=%22outdoor%22&returnto=search

Outdoor Leadership Certificate
This 16-hour fast track certificate provides a  career pathway to meet the needs of entry-level positions in a variety of outdoor industry careers.

https://catalog.wnmu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=2535&hl=%22outdoor%22&returnto=search

Advisor Contact

Dr. Kathy Whiteman
Email: whitemank@wnmu.edu
Office: Harlan Hall 122
Office phone: 575-538-6253