Montreat College

Dr. Andrew Bobilya
Department Co-Chair, Associate Professor of Outdoor Education

Dr. Andrew Bobilya joined the Montreat College faculty in 2005. He earned his B.S. in Outdoor Recreation from Montreat College and an M.S. in experiential education at Minnesota State University at Mankato. He holds a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in outdoor education and recreation from the University of Minnesota.

Prior to working at Montreat College, Dr. Bobilya was an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He’s also served as a program coordinator, trainer, and wilderness and adventure program instructor for a variety of outdoor and adventure programs. Dr. Bobilya currently teaches in both the undergraduate outdoor education program and the master’s in environmental education. His teaching includes a variety of leadership, outdoor education, and technical skills classes including: Survey of Outdoor Education, Research Methods, Administration and Management, Current Issues, and Whitewater Kayaking. In addition, Dr. Bobilya developed and coordinates the Wilderness Leadership Certificate (immersion semester) program, and is a certifying instructor with the Wilderness Education Association.

Dr. Bobilya is an active writer and researcher; he has published over 20 articles and has contributed to three books since 2002. In addition, he has delivered over 50 presentations at various conferences and research symposiums. He and fellow Montreat professors Kalisch and Daniel also maintain a research partnership with the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Dr. Bobilya serves as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership (JOREL), and is a member of the Association for Experiential Education board of directors. He and his family enjoy playing outside together and sharing the love for God’s creation that has been so instrumental in his growth.

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Dr. Brad Daniel
Professor of Biology, Environmental Studies, and Outdoor Education, Outdoor Education Department Co-Chair

Dr. Brad Daniel has been on the faculty of Montreat College since 1984. He earned his B.S. from Appalachian State University in biology and experiential education, his M.A. in biology with an emphasis in ecology, and he also holds an M.S. in outdoor education from Northern Illinois University. Dr. Daniel received his Ph.D. in environmental studies at Antioch University. While teaching at Montreat, Dr. Daniel also worked as an adjunct faculty at Antioch University from 1998–2005. His work experience also includes chairing the Christian Wilderness Leadership Coalition Board and cofounding Blue Ridge Backcountry, a Christian wilderness program.

On teaching, Dr. Daniel shares, “Teaching is the art and craft of engaging the heart and mind in order to encourage the full realization of God-given potential. It extends beyond the facts and figures. It is more than just mastery of content. It is the act of investing one’s life in students in order to encourage their mental, emotional, and spiritual growth.”

As someone with a passion for teaching, Dr. Daniel has received multiple honors and awards, including the 2011 Professor of the Decade Award (2001–2010) at Montreat College; the 2008 Montreat College Dean’s Award; the 2003 David Park’s Distinguished Professor Award; the 1996, 1997, and 2006 Who’s Who Among America’s College Teachers; and the 1985, 1988, 1991, 1995 Teacher of the Year Award at Montreat College, which is given by both students and faculty. Dr. Daniel has also published numerous articles. His most recent publication is titled Nighttime Adventures: Exploring and Appreciating the Mysteries of the Night by Leading Walks After Dark, which was published in Green Teacher, Issue 93.

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Dr. Dottie Shuman

Professor of Outdoor Education and Environmental Education

Dr. Dottie Shuman arrived at Montreat College in 1996. She has a B.S. in recreation with nature interpretation from Cortland State University, an M.S. in recreation and parks from Penn State University, and a Ph.D. with a concentration in environmental education from the University of Idaho.

Dr. Shuman teaches courses including Survey of Environmental Education Curricula, Environmental Policy and Law, Teaching Methods, Environmental Interpretation, and coordinates the Master of Science in Environmental Education program. She was a codeveloper of the MSEE program, and also developed a wilderness/science program called CLIMBE (Center for Learning and Investigation in Mountain Backcountry Ecosystems) at Montreat College.

Dr. Shuman has worked in the field of outdoor and environmental education since the late 1970s. Some of her previous positions have included park ranger in Denali National Park and the C&O Canal in Maryland; a forest interpretive ranger in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, and the Hells Canyon recreation area in Oregon and Idaho; a downhill ski instructor in Colorado; and director of environmental education at the Camp Greenkill YMCA in New York.

Dr. Shuman shares, “I teach Environmental Education because I don’t want anyone to miss the glory of our Lord in creation. It is important for me to open the eyes of my students, so that they can open the eyes of the people that they work with in the future!”

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Mr. Ken Kalisch
Associate Professor of Outdoor Education

Ken Kalisch has been teaching at Montreat College since 2008. He serves as the coordinator for the Outdoor Ministry major and the Leadership minor. Professor Kalisch is widely known in the field of outdoor education due to his lifelong commitment to wilderness programming and camp ministry. He has written a popular textbook for leadership training titled The Role of the Instructor in the Outward Bound Educational Process. In addition, he has contributed to his profession over the years by conducting leadership training programs, presenting at numerous conferences, and writing journal articles.

Prior to arriving at Montreat, Professor Kalisch served for 30 years at Wheaton College’s Honey Rock campus in northern Wisconsin as an assistant professor of Christian education and kinesiology, as well as a year-round program manager. Among many long-standing programs he developed, the High Road Wilderness Program served thousands of teenagers, youth at risk, college students, and adults.

Professor Kalisch is pleased to serve at a liberal arts college that is committed to being “Christ-centered, student-focused, and service-driven.” He enjoys living in the North Carolina mountains and having the opportunity to share his Christian faith, God’s creation, and the adventure of outdoor expeditions with college students. His three favorite outdoor activities are backpacking, mountaineering, and canoeing.

Professor Kalisch is married to his wonderful wife, Fran. Together, they have had the privilege to raise and homeschool six children, all girls except for number five.

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Mr. John Rogers
Adjunct Instructor, Director of the Team and Leadership Center

John Rogers came to Montreat College in 2006 with more than 20 years of experience in facilitation and Christian ministry. He holds a B.S. and an M.S. from Middle Tennessee State University. John previously worked at the Navigators, an international inter-denominational missions organization founded by Dawson Trotman and headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO.

John’s experience includes founding Trip Outfitters Outdoor, where he worked as a gear distributor and program consultant. He also brings a rich background that includes being part of the Glen Eyrie Conference Center program team as the head of adventure programming. John has worked with a variety of adventure, team building, and leadership training organizations, including SOAR, Inc.; Western Carolina University Parks and Recreation Management; Eagle Lake East Camp; Eagle Lake Camp Colorado; McMinn County Baptist Association Camp; the Clyde M. York 4-H Training Center; Campus Recreation at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU); the Continuing Education department at MTSU; the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation department at MTSU; and Muscular Dystrophy Association summer camps. John also served as a college campus minister at Bellaire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, TN.

John grew up in the small community of Calhoun, TN. Community and family are important to him. He and his wife Laura have two children: Savannah and Dakota. John enjoys sea kayaking, white water paddling, mountain and road biking, rock climbing, board games, dogs, and friends. He claims to have the best job at Montreat College, working with the community and the students.

Dr. Tom Smith
Executive Director of SUMMIT Adventure

Dr. Tom Smith began a career in adventure education in 1983 after an injury limited his success playing professional racquetball. He’s spent a great deal of time in various mountain ranges throughout the U.S., Canada, and Ecuador, as well as on rivers and lakes in the Boundary Waters and Quetico Provincial Parks. Professor Smith teaches from a passion to see students become better friends with Jesus and push themselves out of their comfort zones into places of learning and growth. He demands the same in himself as he continues his own outdoor pursuits as a climber, skier, and cyclist—and as he serves others in various ministry settings.

Dr. Smith loves being a hands-on father to three boys, and they spend much time together exploring God’s creation while camping, backpacking, hiking, and climbing. He has remodeled two houses out of necessity, and he recently began to teach himself how to play the drums, much to the chagrin of his family and neighbors.