Aug. 2, 2004
Contact:
Gordon Ovenshine: 724-738-4854; gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu
32-FOOT
TOWER LATEST ADDITION TO SRU LEADERSHIP
COURSE
SLIPPERY
ROCK, Pa. – The Executive Leadership Course at Slippery Rock
University includes a new component – a 32-foot tower for
climbing, rappelling and rope bridge exercises. Students, community
groups, teachers and business professionals use it for leadership
training, team building and problem solving.
Completed this month, the tower is the 17th
outdoor station at the 25-acre course, near the university’s
Ski Lodge. Other activities include obstacle and wall-climbing
courses.
The
tower promotes team dynamics. Participants work together, promoting
trust and group communication, said SRU’s Ken Howard of the
Executive Leadership Program. Instructors encourage participants to
identify core values, reflect upon their ethical standards and
question assumptions or behaviors that are inconsistent with their
standards.
“It’s all about the value of teamwork and
different styles of leadership,” Howard
said.
Two sides of the tower include mountain-climbing style
hand-and-foot hold. Participants scale the tower with rope support.
They climb stairs and ladders, negotiating obstacles along the way.
They also use the rope bridge to “walk” from a nearby
pole to the tower.
SRU’s Division of Lifelong Learning sponsors
the leadership course. It is ideal for corporate camps and
conferences, student workshops and management seminars. Everything
a group needs for enrichment is on site: obstacle and rope courses,
a climbing wall, rappel tower, pavilions, camping areas and
interconnecting trails. Groups lease the course and lodge at Rock
Apartments. SRU can provide trainers and
educators.
Various
packages are available, from half-day to two-day camps. Contact:
Ken Howard at 724-738-4481.