Jack Burger
Staff Writer
Where are you from?
I am from Santa Monica, California, which is a subset of L.A.
What are you studying?
I am a double major in Classics and New Media Studies.
What is your thesis?
My thesis is a compilation of both of my majors. I translated about one hundred lines of Latin from Ovid’s, “Metamorphoses,” and adapted it into a film, which is going to be screening next week on Tuesday, May 6. It’s going to be great, and I’m really excited.
What do you do for ORC and what has that experience been like so far?
I am the Co-Chair of the ORC, so I am student head of the Outdoor Recreation Committee. I work with students to help plan trips, I run ORC meetings, and I work with staff to make sure that we’re communicating well with what the staff wants and what we want. It’s great, and I do a lot of cool stuff. My experience with the ORC has been phenomenal; I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I started with the ORC doing leader training when I was a sophomore, which gave me a lot of confidence and made me really enjoy getting outside, teaching people skills, and learning how to be a leader. I’ve been using a lot of those skills this year as Co-Chair, and it’s cool to see the flip side of what goes into making this program work.
I understand there is a plan for a new ORC building. Tell me about it. What is it? Where is it going to be?
Yes! There is a really exciting piece of development in the outdoor world. The ORC is getting a center. It’s the old day-care center next to the Glass House. We really want student input on what they want to see in that space and it’s going to be a really cool thing that takes Outdoor Ed to the next level. That is going to be in use next fifth block, so after half block.
What does the future of ORC look like?
I think one of the coolest things about our program is our leadership development. We have trained over 100 Level I leaders, which is the kind of leader that gets to lead NSO trips. We also train a bunch of people to lead backcountry trips, which is really what we are all about. It’s so cool for people to be able to learn about themselves in a completely different way than in the classroom. It is the epitome of the liberal arts experience. I know I have gained so much from those and I just want to share those with other people.
What are your plans after graduation?
I am working for a wilderness company this summer through November and after that I plan to move to Durango, Colorado.
What has been your favorite part about block eight?
Getting to see all of my friends. I was abroad block seven, and coming back, being with everyone, and really feeling the CC community after being away for a little while has been great. Just getting to enjoy it for the last couple weeks.
What is your favorite memory during your four years at Colorado College?
I have hundreds of favorite memories! A lot of them involve being outside with ORC, on trips, and leading trips.
If you could lead an ORC trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Well, I definitely have a little bit of Alaska fever right now. I’ve been working in Alaska for the past couple summers, so right now I would definitely go into the Chugach with a group of fellow ORCers and just have fun in the wilderness and just do our thing.
