The Sanborn Gap Semester is designed to bring people together into a strong, supportive community to discover how to make the outdoors an integral part of their lives. Challenges in an outdoor group environment provide the perfect classroom for people looking to gain crucial skills for success in both academic and professional spheres.
While many grapple with distanced academic learning and decreased social opportunity, the Sanborn Gap Semester offers a solution. We’ve been building powerful communities at the Colorado Outdoor Education Center for over 70 years. These 64 days are a chance to find:
Meaningful experiences in the outdoors are a launchpad for opportunity both personally and professionally.
Whether you end up pursuing a career in the outdoor industry or simply embed a passion for the outdoors into the rest of your life, you’ll learn how to navigate the world of opportunities available to you.
A supportive community and direct mentorship are the foundation for immense personal growth through intentionally curated, challenging experiences. Tackling these challenges will require us to hone essential skills:
The skillset developed through outdoor learning in the gap semester environment is relevant far after our course ends. These 21st century skills developed and strengthened on the gap semester empower participants in all aspects of their social, academic, and professional lives.
Our goal at the Sanborn Gap Semester is to do more than simply provide a opportunity for challenge in the outdoors. Each of our staff professionals has found our lives deeply enriched by the personal bonds, self-growth, and leadership opportunities inherent in outdoor experiences. To us, success is giving you the tools you need to take your experience at Sanborn out into the world.
Empowerment is a big word for us here. At the end of the Sanborn Gap Semester you will feel empowered to see yourself thriving and contributing to your community back home. We are committed to ensuring this experience will enrich the trajectories of each of our participants.