For some, graduating The Immersion is just the start. Year 2 supports students in looking toward what is next in their work and life after completing The Immersion. Whether you need a reset after attending The Immersion years ago or you are a new graduate who wants to dive deeper into skills and togetherness, Immersion Year 2 is ready to welcome you back to Linne Doran.
What would it feel like to reconnect with the core routines of your Wilderness Awareness School student experience and continue your nature connection journey? Do you want to learn with a small and intimate group of like-minded people?
Year 2 will be comprised of:
- Class days and field trips specifically designed for Immersion Year 2 students will deepen core routines and skills through three primary curriculum areas (see below)
- Second year students will participate in some class days and field trips with the first-year Immersion students, fostering a strong and dynamic community.
- Community “dirt time” – designed and structured to cultivate an embodied practice
Take a look at the 2023-2024 schedule here!
Year 2 Core Curriculum Areas
Natural & Cultural History of the Pacific Northwest
Students will step further into learning about the ecological landscapes and culturescapes of our region. This area of curriculum will study ecology, ornithology, bird language, wildlife tracking, botany, and cultural studies.
Potential class days: Marine and Island Ecology, Pacific Northwest Geology, Snow Tracking, etc.
Bushcraft & Outdoor Skills
This area will take students much further into bushcraft, survival, and other outdoor living and traveling skill sets. It will include advanced work with fire, shelter, campcraft, navigation, food and water procurement, and wildcrafting.
Potential class days: Bow Crafting, Large Animal Processing, Stone Tools, etc.
Leadership, Awareness, & Self Discovery
Students will continue their practices of core routines, self-awareness, embodiment, justice awareness, and communication and group process work. This component aims to leave second-year graduates more connected to who they are and how they may maximize their potential in this world.
Potential class days: Continued Leadership, Embodiment Work, Exploration of Equity in Nature Connection.
Program Logistics
- The Immersion Year 2 will begin in early September and end in late May/early June
- This cohort will have a maximum of 14 students, with an average student/teacher ratio of 7:1
- Class will typically be held Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with occasional Fridays as well
- The year will include several day trips and overnights to various Puget Sound and greater Northwest locations of interest
- Home study assignments will be given out throughout the year. Examples include personal projects, self-directed trips, volunteer opportunities, and citizen science projects
- Tuition for this program is $9,850 with a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 due upon enrollment
- The Immersion Year 2 is now approved to take GI Bill benefits and we can accept international graduates with student visas. We’re excited to welcome veterans and grads from abroad!
Meet Your Instructors
Kyle Schultheis (He/Him)
Kyle grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where he spent much of his time exploring the oak savanna landscape. He earned a BS in Geology from Chico state university before spending four years in the military, serving overseas and in snowy upstate New York. Upon exiting the Army, he spent several years living off-grid in a canvas wall tent in the Pacific Northwest and began a new path exploring nature-connected and holistic ways of living.
A graduate of Wilderness Awareness School’s Immersion program and multiple other year-long and seasonal wilderness skills programs, Kyle has been practicing bushcraft and naturalist skills intensively since arriving in Washington in 2016. He enjoys spending all hours of the day and night in every season living outside and helping others find what brings them alive in the natural world.
Brooke Nelson (She/Her)
Brooke grew up exploring the woodlands, valley farms, sagebrush steppe, and salty shores of the Pacific Northwest. After earning a BA in Literature from the University of Washington, she developed a passion for the sea and spent years working for marine conservation organizations. After her attention shifted to life on land, she attended Alderleaf Wilderness College, where she earned certificates in Wilderness Skills Education and Ecology, Wildlife Track & Sign (Level III), and Permaculture Design. She then worked as the program coordinator of Alderleaf’s yearlong Advanced Wilderness Skills Program. In 2019, Brooke attended the Nature Connected Coaching program at Earth Based Institute. She is the former admissions coordinator of The Immersion at Wilderness Awareness School and is a graduate of the Nature Instructor Training program. She loves wandering the wilds with people who marvel at the same things she does – animal tracks, native plants, bird calls – and sharing curiosity about all we find.
Ready to Join?
If you’re a graduate of The Immersion and interested in participating in The Immersion Year 2, apply here. Enrollment is open on a rolling basis until the program is filled.
To view more information, click here. To schedule a call, email Marcus Reynerson at [email protected]