This month, a group of intellectually curious Radford University students will embark
on a two-week trek exploring remote areas tucked away in Southwest Virginia’s Appalachian
Highlands.
They’ll kayak scenic rivers, navigate unmapped cave systems, hike through deep forests
and discover lost settlements, take a behind-the-scenes peek at a historical theater,
dine with real-life cowboys and learn from rangers, scientists, scholars and locals
who are reshaping how people live, work and think about the area.
RARE Appalachia, now in its second year, is a student-centered, research-focused excursion
in which undergraduate and graduate students conduct their own original research that
is related to their majors along the way. Much of the research focuses on the region’s
ecology, geology and cultural heritage.
The research is impactful. Last summer, during the inaugural RARE Appalachia, psychology
major and U.S. Navy veteran Nick Beach recorded nature’s sights and sounds in order
to build a decompression room in McConnell Library. The purpose of the space is to
offer a stress-reducing environment by creating a relaxing indoor space that is reminiscent
of the outdoors.
Once again, students will have well-planned projects as they begin their learning
adventure.
Leading the way are Radford University faculty, Aysha Bodenhamer, sustainability manager
and sociology professor, and Paul Thomas, a professor of religious studies.
The journey begins May 13 with a few days at the Blue Ridge Discovery Center in Troutdale,
Virginia, before moving on to explore the trail town of Damascus, Virginia. Later
in the week, the group plans to tour of Barter Theatre in Abingdon and visit the Stuart
Land and Cattle Company, where they will tent camp and meet with staff.
Throughout the second week, the Highlander explorers will kayak the Clinch River from
St. Paul, Virginia, and make their way to Breaks Interstate Park. The group will tour
a coal mine before departing for Radford.
