Scott

Kress

Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism
Wasaga Beach

I entered LU as a mature student. I had tried college a couple of times with little success. It was just not for me. Hearing of the Outdoor rec program at LU gave me hope that the third time would be the charm; and it was.

I chose LU because of the Outdoor Rec program, but also because of its location. I wanted a new experience away from my home and Thunder Bay provided a rich outdoor environment in which to learn and play. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at LU and in Thunder Bay. Those four years were very informative for me and I can trace my first step at LU to where I am today. My fellow classmates were great and the Profs were helpful and friendly. I felt I got to know many of my Profs beyond just a teacher-student relationship and would often go climbing and paddling with them. 

My education at LU allowed me to get a position with Outward Bound in Canada, the USA and Mexico as an instructor and leader of corporate development programs. I also took my LU learning further and started to teach rock and ice climbing and guide mountaineering expeditions.

I now run Summit Team Building, which I founded in 1997. We run team-building programs for corporate teams throughout Canada and in the USA. I have been teaching in the MBA and EMBA programs at the Odette school of Business, the Rotman School of Management, and the University of Edinburgh. 

I continue to guide and climb having summited Everest in 2008 and completing the 7 Summits in 2011. I currently guide ill and injured Canadian soldiers on wilderness expeditions as part of an initiative through True Patriot Love. We have been to Nepal and the North Pole and our next expedition in January of 2016 will be to climb Mt Vinson in Antarctica.

LU and the Outdoor rec program gave me more than I could have ever imagined and I don’t know where I would be today if I did not take this step.