Lesli Marchese, Campus Carrier features editor
Amanda Highfield has taken on the position of assistant director of recreation, where she will primarly focus on the Berry Outdoor Leadership Development (BOLD) program. Highfield is a Berry alumna – she graduated in 2005 with a degree in psychology with the intent to go into counseling.
While at Berry, she was a part of the WinShape Wilderness program as a camp counselor, and it was there that she realized her love of the outdoors. After graduating from Berry, she immediately went on to work for BlueSky Global in Kenya, where she worked her way up to a position as Camp Director .
“While I was there I did all of the things I love – I spent time with adolescents and college students as well, because they served as our camp counselors,” Highfield said. “I got to do climbing and hiking and other camp stuff … but then I got to a point when I knew I wanted more training and more education.”
She then returned to the U.S. to get a graduate degree in youth and family development from the University of Montana. As part of her degree, she completed an internship with the Peace Corps in which she traveled to Rwanda.
After her internship, she went to Georgia State University to finish a degree in counseling. While at GSU, she held a position as a graduate assistant for outdoor recreation, and realized that she enjoyed a job in which she got to combine two important aspects of her life.
“I really started to realize that I was combining the outdoor adventure experience… with the human development and growth and change aspect,” Highfield said.
When she found the opportunity to return home to Rome and Berry, she was excited at the prospect.
“I felt like I would regret if I didn’t see where [this position] went,” Highfield said. “I want to work with these students and be a part of this program.”
Highfield was pleased to find that her position with the recreation department has given her the opportunity to pull from all facets of her education and experiences. “This position combines all of the things I love, what I’m interested in and what I’m good at,” Highfield said.
She is primarily responsible for the BOLD program, including managing the ropes course and maintaining and expanding the program, which has attracted students and community members for more than 20 years.
“I would love to see every student … have some contact with the BOLD program in some way,” Highfield said. “I want to serve the Berry community the best way I can.”
She wants to encourage sports teams, clubs and other campus organizations and worksites to take advantage of what BOLD has to offer in terms of team and leadership development.
Additionally, she is also committed to making the recreation department and BOLD organizations cater to student interests.
“I want to figure out what students want from outdoor recreation and what they want from BOLD,” Highfield said. “I can make plans all day and I can plan for things that I want to do, but if it’s not what students are interested in or what they want to do, then it doesn’t matter.”
Highfield can be found in the BOLD office in Richards Gym.
The Berry recreation department offers students many opportunities outside of BOLD to explore Berry’s campus, such as maps of the hiking and biking trails that cover over 40 miles of campus. There are also maps of Berry’s campsites, disc golf courses and biking trails.
Additionally, students can rent a variety of recreation equipment, including hammocks, kayaks and sports equipment from the recreation office located on the bottom floor of the Cage Center.
To access more information about the programs and services offered through Berry’s recreation department, visit http://www.berry.edu/berryrecreation.