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.
Chad Osborne for Radford University