Lakeland University Students Gain Real-World Public Lands Education Through Western U.S. Trip

How Experiential Learning Brings Classroom Concepts to Life

>Traditional lecture-based education has its place, but nothing compares to standing at the base of a monument, hiking through ancient caves, or observing bison roaming freely across vast prairies. Lakeland University recognizes this reality and actively integrates travel-based learning into its curriculum. The recent Western U.S. trip exemplifies how student experiential learning can transform academic understanding into lasting knowledge and personal growth.

For prospective students evaluating colleges, the availability of immersive learning opportunities should be a significant factor in the decision-making process. Programs that combine theoretical study with hands-on exploration produce graduates who are not only more knowledgeable but also more adaptable and confident in their abilities to engage with complex real-world issues.

Submit your application today to explore opportunities for experiential learning at Lakeland University.

Structure of the Public Lands Travel Study Course

The nine-day journey to western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming was not a casual sightseeing tour. It represented the culmination of a carefully structured honors and seminar course that ran throughout the spring term. Before ever leaving Wisconsin, students engaged with foundational concepts through classroom sessions and local field visits to public lands near the Lakeland campus, including the Henschel Museum in Elkhart Lake.

This preparatory phase ensured that students arrived at each destination with contextual knowledge, allowing them to ask better questions and make more sophisticated observations. The course design reflects best practices in experiential education: preparation, immersion, and reflection.

Interdisciplinary Approach to Complex Topics

What made this course particularly valuable was its interdisciplinary framework. Co-taught by Professor of Religion Karl Kuhn, Ph.D., and Associate Professor of Composition Alexis Piper, Ph.D., the curriculum drew from natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. This approach mirrors how real-world challenges actually exist—they do not fit neatly into single academic departments.

When students examined the history of the Black Hills, they considered geological formation, Indigenous spiritual significance, colonial expansion, economic exploitation through mining, and contemporary management debates. This multifaceted perspective is exactly what employers and graduate programs seek in candidates: the ability to synthesize information from multiple domains.

Key Destinations and Educational Experiences

The itinerary included locations that most Americans recognize by name but few truly understand. Each site served as a classroom where students could directly engage with the material they had studied.

Badlands National Park

The dramatic layered rock formations and fossil-rich terrain of the Badlands provided an ideal setting for discussing geological time, paleontology, and the ecological resilience of species adapted to harsh environments. Students could observe firsthand how erosion reveals millions of years of Earth’s history while supporting unique ecosystems.

Black Hills and Custer State Park

Staying within Custer State Park allowed students to experience daily interactions with wildlife, including bison herds, wild burros, pronghorn antelopes, and bighorn sheep. The Wildlife Loop and visits to Sylvan Lake and the Coolidge Mountain Lookout offered perspectives on land management strategies that balance recreation, conservation, and economic interests.

Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial

These two monumental sites, located relatively close to each other, present starkly different narratives about American identity, Indigenous sovereignty, and the politics of memory. Students explored the controversial history of Mount Rushmore—including its construction on land sacred to the Lakota people—while also learning about the ongoing Crazy Horse Memorial project, which centers Indigenous perspectives and employs Native artists.

Wind Cave National Park and Bear Lodge (Devils Tower)

The guided cave tour at Wind Cave introduced students to subterranean ecosystems and the geological processes that create such formations. Bear Lodge, known to many as Devils Tower, provided a powerful context for discussing Native American sacred stories and the tension between scientific explanation and spiritual significance. The site remains sacred to multiple Indigenous nations, and students examined how public land management can either respect or undermine these connections.

Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how Lakeland University integrates travel and field experiences into academic programs.

Student Research Presentations in the Field

Perhaps the most pedagogically sophisticated element of the course was its final project structure. Rather than writing traditional research papers submitted to professors, students presented their findings at the actual sites relevant to their topics. This approach demanded that students connect abstract research to concrete places and communicate their findings to peers in an environment where the subject matter was immediately visible.

Topics That Reflect Contemporary Debates

The presentation topics chosen by students demonstrate the course’s engagement with current and often contentious issues:

• Native American Sacred Stories: Examining how Indigenous spiritual traditions understand and relate to specific landscapes, particularly in contrast to Western scientific frameworks.
• Stream Restoration on Public Lands: Analyzing the ecological and political challenges of rehabilitating waterways degraded by mining, agriculture, or development.
• Decimation and Restoration of Bison Herds: Tracing the near-extinction of American bison and contemporary efforts to restore herds to public lands.
• Gold Mining in the Black Hills: Exploring the economic, environmental, and cultural consequences of extractive industries in ecologically and spiritually significant areas.
• Jurisdictional Issues for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: Investigating how public land jurisdiction creates enforcement gaps that disproportionately affect Native women.
• Lakota Claims to the Black Hills: Examining the legal and moral arguments for return of lands taken in violation of treaty agreements.
• History and Controversy of Mount Rushmore: Analyzing the monument’s creation, its political context, and ongoing debates about its meaning.
• Hunting in National Parks and on Public Lands: Evaluating the role of hunting in wildlife management and conservation funding.

These topics are not merely academic exercises—they reflect active policy debates, legal disputes, and cultural conflicts occurring right now across the United States. Students who can engage thoughtfully with such issues possess skills highly valued in environmental policy, law, education, nonprofit work, and public administration.

Student Perspectives: Beyond Academic Learning

While the educational outcomes were substantial, students consistently emphasized the personal and interpersonal dimensions of the experience. Junior Samantha Klusman highlighted the social bonds formed during the journey, noting that the group evolved from classmates into something closer to family. For students who may feel isolated or disconnected in traditional classroom settings, intensive shared experiences can create lasting friendships and support networks.

Senior Kaiden Dopp focused on the historical significance of the locations visited, particularly their importance to both U.S. and Native American narratives. This dual awareness—the ability to hold multiple historical perspectives simultaneously—is a sophisticated cognitive skill that develops through precisely this kind of immersive education.

Senior Emily Hansen articulated perhaps the most comprehensive takeaway: the trip changed how she understands and appreciates nature. Learning the history of each location deepened her connection to place. This kind of transformative experience is what distinguishes education that merely informs from education that shapes identity and values.

Have questions? Write to us! We are happy to discuss experiential learning opportunities at Lakeland University.

Faculty Insights on the Value of Public Lands Education

Professor Kuhn expressed particular appreciation for witnessing students’ sense of wonder at natural beauty and their genuine engagement with diverse experiences. This response suggests that exposure to natural environments can counteract the numbness and distraction that many students report in their daily lives.

Professor Piper observed significant personal development among participants, including students she had known for years who “bloomed into curious, competent, compassionate and confident” versions of themselves during the trip. She also noted students’ “profound and genuine passion” for the course material, from Indigenous environmental ethics to the psychological benefits of nature exposure.

These faculty observations align with substantial research on the benefits of nature exposure and experiential education. Studies consistently show that time in natural environments reduces stress, improves cognitive function, and enhances creativity. Combined with the social bonding and intellectual challenge of travel-based learning, these effects can be transformative for student development.

Practical Considerations: Funding and Accessibility

Travel-based courses often raise concerns about cost and accessibility. The Lakeland University Western U.S. trip was funded through a combination of student contributions, fundraising efforts, and direct gifts designated for student travel. This model demonstrates that immersive learning experiences need not be exclusive to students with significant financial resources.

For prospective students and families evaluating colleges, it is worth asking about the availability and funding structures of travel study courses. Institutions that have established mechanisms for supporting student travel demonstrate a commitment to making experiential learning accessible rather than treating it as a luxury add-on.

What This Means for Prospective Students

The Lakeland University public lands course illustrates several principles that should matter to anyone considering college options:

Learning happens best when it connects to real places and problems. Reading about bison restoration is informative; standing in Custer State Park watching a herd move across the prairie while discussing the historical and ecological context creates understanding that sticks.

Interdisciplinary thinking is increasingly essential. The complex challenges graduates will face—in environmental policy, business, healthcare, education, or any field—do not respect academic department boundaries. Education that models interdisciplinary approaches prepares students for reality.

Personal growth accompanies intellectual growth. The faculty and student testimonials make clear that this trip changed people, not just their knowledge base. Confidence, empathy, perspective-taking, and the ability to form deep connections with diverse peers are outcomes that matter for life beyond college.

Public lands are a vital educational resource. America’s network of national parks, forests, monuments, and other public lands represents an unparalleled asset for learning. Colleges that utilize these resources effectively provide students with experiences impossible to replicate in any classroom or laboratory.

Taking the Next Step

If the kind of education described here appeals to you—if you want to learn by doing, to connect classroom concepts to real places, to develop alongside peers who become friends—then Lakeland University deserves serious consideration. The public lands course is one example of how the institution approaches education: with intentionality, creativity, and a commitment to student growth that extends beyond test scores and credit hours.

Professor Piper expressed the hope that students would leave the course understanding “how interconnected and vital public lands and the natural world are, and that we all have a responsibility to protect and stand up for public lands and other natural areas in our democracy.” This kind of civic education—rooted in direct experience and critical thinking—prepares graduates not just for careers but for informed citizenship.

Explore our related articles for further reading about academic programs and student experiences at Lakeland University.

For students ready to pursue an education that includes experiences like the Western U.S. public lands trip, the first step is reaching out. Learn about admission requirements, financial aid options, and the full range of experiential learning opportunities available. The classroom is only the beginning of where learning can happen.