Loeffler to speak on adventure as a way of life

    PRESQUE ISLE – Educator and adventurer T.A. Loeffler will discuss her recent climb up Mount Everest and her work in experiential education at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, in Wieden Auditorium as part of the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Distinguished Lecturer Series.     Loeffler, a professor of outdoor recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland who is currently attempting to complete ‘The Seven Summits’ – climbing the highest peak on all seven continents – will speak on More than a Mountain: One Woman’s Everest during her two-day visit to northern Maine.
    Between March 5 and 6, she will deliver her presentation to the community, speak to two university classes, and lead a community snowshoe hike at Aroostook State Park. The trek begins at 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 6, and outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to participate.
    Loeffler has received national and international recognition for her innovative teaching and motivational speaking. She brings 20 years of expertise leading people through significant life-changing experiences to every facet of her work. Her work and adventures have taken her to 35 different countries. In 2006, The Globe and Mail named her “A Class Act” and she received the Association of Atlantic Universities Distinguished Teaching Award. The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport named her to their 2006 Top Twenty Most Influential Women in Canadian Sport and Physical Activity List. She also received the Memorial University Presidents Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2005. The Association for Experiential Education named her the Outstanding Experiential Teacher of the Year in 1999. In the year leading up to her climb up Mount Everest, she spread her message Big Dreams, Big Goals” to more than 10,000 youth in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador.
    “She is a strong voice for women in experiential education, especially adventure recreation, and is an avid advocate and researcher in social justice issues,” Dr. Anja Whittington, professor of recreation, said. “She’s just fun and she’s a huge source of inspiration.”
    The University’s Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 1999. Each year, the UDLS Committee sponsors five to six speakers who come from Maine and other parts of the world representing a range of disciplines and viewpoints. While the emphasis tends to be on featuring visiting academics, it is not exclusively so. The speakers typically spend two days at the University meeting with classes and presenting a community lecture.
    For more information, contact Whittington at 768-9537 or anja.whittington@umpi.edu.