The body fuels the mind, so the saying goes, and getting ones mental juices flowing through physical activity is the idea behind an outdoor orientation program for incoming freshmen at West Virginia University.

The Student Recreation Centers Outdoor Recreation Center is offering three summer activities plus year-round events as part of its Adventure West Virginia program. Each orientation program is accepting 24 students, and the registration deadline is Thursday, June 19.

“This is an opportunity for new students to explore the outdoor recreational resources around WVU , develop strong friendships with other incoming freshmen, build outdoor skills and foster individual growth,”said Greg Corio, a graduate student in recreation, parks and tourism resources and one of the programs coordinators.

The three summer activities are:

• Paddle West Virginia, July 15-20. This water-based program will help develop rowing skills and culminate in an overnight paddling trip down a West Virginia river. Participants will also explore several outdoor attractions in West Virginia. Cost: $350.

• Backpacking West Virginia, July 22-27. Participants will spend five days trekking through the Monongahela National Forest, rock climbing at Coopers Rock State Forest and visiting other West Virginia outdoor sites. Cost: $350.

• Explore West Virginia, July 30-Aug. 5. This introduction to unique spots in West Virginia includes rock climbing, a three-day backpacking trip and white water rafting on the New River. Cost: $400.

Participants in each program end their days around a campfire for”debriefings,”Corio said.

“You process daily experience and how it relates to your school year and everyday life,”he said.”We also talk about the next days itinerary and how to prepare for it. Its such an open setting.”

Besides the summer activities, participants will reunite throughout the academic year for various events, Corio said. These include an”aloha”picnic at the start of the fall semester, a free climbing wall class, an October adventure of the groups choice and an April backpacking trip.

The benefits of outdoor adventure programs for incoming freshmen go beyond the one week spent together in the outdoors, Corio said. Several studies have shown that students who participate in similar programs at other schools post higher first-year grade point averages, display better social skills and are more likely to stay in school, he noted.

“The strong bonds the students make during the summer carry over into the school year,”he added.

The summer adventure programs are the latest activities offered through the Outdoor Recreation Center, Corio said. This years activities have included white water rafting on the Rio Grande in Big Bend, Texas; backpacking in the Grand Canyon; and paddling the Colorado River through Moab, Utah.

For more information about the Adventure West Virginia outdoor orientation programs, contact Corio at 291-0403 or go to http://www.sa.wvu.edu/studentrecreationcenter/awv/ .