The campus is on a two-hour delay today due to inclement weather.

Dr. Laura Alexeichik

Dr. Alexeichick, an experienced adventure education scholar with over a decade of teaching at institutions including Houghton University and Indiana University, specializes in areas such as liminality, transformative learning, and sense of place. She has directed Houghton’s EPIC Adventures program and the Arctic Studies Immersion Semester.

What is your favorite thing about working at Montreat?
I have really enjoyed how welcoming everyone is at Montreat and the intentional community gatherings of the faculty.

What are your hobbies or interests?
Anything to do with the water – whitewater kayaking or rafting, kayaking on the lake, or sea kayaking; Sailing; Paddleboarding; finding and jumping off waterfalls, hiking, and camping. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, and anything spontaneous.

Do you have a favorite restaurant in the area?
You can’t go wrong with The Trailhead’s State Street Chicken or corn pudding, but I really like the environment and setting of The Bush.

What is your favorite thing to do or see in the area?
I love that Catawba Falls is so close with great swim spots, but I also enjoy heading up the Blue Ridge Parkway towards Black Balsam Knob because all of the hikes in that area are fantastic.

Degrees

Ph.D. Leisure Behavior with focus on Adventure Education (Indiana University Bloomington)
M.Ed. Higher Education in Adventure Education (Westminster College)
B.S. Recreation and Leisure Studies (Houghton University)

Bibliography

  • Alexeichik, L.D. (January 2018). Into the Desert: Cultural Awareness and Understanding through Experiential Learning in Oman. Houghton College Faculty Lecture Series, Houghton, NY.
  • Alexeichik, L.D. (November 2016). Into the Desert: Considerations of Liminality and Communitas in a Multi-Cultural and Experiential Immersion Program. 2016 Association of Outdoor Recreation & Education (AORE) International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
  • Alexeichik, L.D., Ewert, A.W., Allison, P. (October 2014) Transcendent Experiences and Settings: The Role of Activity and Setting in Experiential Education. Association for Experiential Education (AEE) International Conference, Chattanooga, TN
  • Alexeichik, L.D. (November 2014). I Came Back Different”: A Narrative Analysis of Change and Transformation in the Desert Wilderness of Oman. 2014 International Adventure Conference Fjord, Sogndal, Norway
  • Alexeichik, L.D. (2014). Considering the Aspect of Reentry in a Non-Traditional Semester-long Off-Campus Program. Indiana University 2014 Adventure Research Symposium, Bloomington, IN.
  • Alexeichik, L.D. (2013). The Space Between: Using Liminality in Adventure Tourism to Consider Identity, Risk & Reentry. 2013 International Adventure Conference. Isle of Skye, Scotland, U.K.