When recruiting students for admission, many colleges visit high schools, hold open houses and maybe set up a booth at graduation ceremonies. But Fort Lewis College really knows how to encourage aspiring minds to hit the books: They hit the slopes.
As part of Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort’s Winter Festival during a busy Martin Luther King weekend, FLC representatives were on hand Saturday to show visitors what many students do to blow off steam between classes.
Dave Kerns, alumni director for FLC, said the holiday weekend was an ideal time to remind people that FLC is just down the hill from the ski area.
“This is one of Purg’s busiest weekends,” he said, “so we have an incredible amount of people from New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas coming up, and those are primary markets for us.”
The school set up tents at what locals call “the beach,” a sunny, slopeside area just off chairlift 1, for a meet-and-greet. School mascot Skylar the Skyhawk rubbed elbows and shook hands as crowds watched adrenaline-fueled skiers and snowboarders launch off a 14-foot jump and land softly in an enormous inflated air bag. Alumni band Elder Grown grooved out what saxophonist Sam Kelly described as “funky, alternative college rock,” for the masses, against a backdrop of the sun-drenched east Needles range of the San Juan Mountains.
FLC public affairs officer Mitch Davis said Durango’s proximity to the mountains and deserts of the Southwest is a key attraction for students, who in turn build Durango’s community.
“Location is one of our main selling points at the college,” he said. “It brings people here, a certain kind of student that we really enjoy.”
He described FLC students as adventurous and fun-loving.
“And for some, even after they graduate, they stick around,” he said.
Admissions counselors provided information about academic programs and student life at FLC, and the college Outdoor Pursuits program promoted what it has to offer from campus.
“What’s unique is that OP gives students the opportunity to get outdoors, even if they’re not familiar with it,” said OP staff member and student Luke Kobilan. The OP program can outfit students with the equipment they need for their own adventure, or students can join OP for guided trips into the wild, tackling mountains, desert canyons or even international trips.
“Our leaders have the skills and experience,” Kobilan said. “They can safely lead people into the backcountry.”
Admissions counselor and alumnus Ben DeVoti said he appreciated his college experience at FLC, and he hoped to give visitors and locals alike what he called “a Durango day” at the mountain.
“With a lot of schools, it seems like you can get lost,” he said, “but at FLC, you’re appreciated as a student.”
Kerns said it was a great way to be visible and to show prospects what student life is all about, as he motioned to the throngs of skiers lining up for the lift.
“It’s just an opportunity to let everyone know that FLC is the crossroads of adventure and education,” he said. “You can be jumping off a kicker into an airbag 30-minutes away from your classroom.”
bmathis@durangoherald.com
