Take a group of strangers, put them in some of the most beautiful places in the world, toss in a few challenges, and see how everything shakes out.

Sound like a certain reality television show?

This is actually Adventure WV, an outdoor orientation program at West Virginia University thats gearing up for another summer full of whitewater rafting, backpacking, campingand community service.

Initiated five years ago, Adventure WV was recently ranked first overall among course effectiveness in the Educational Benchmarking Inc. First-Year Initiative Survey of about 50 college first-year seminar courses.

WVU is very unique in that it links outdoor recreation with a University 101 orientation,said program coordinator Greg Corio, noting that Adventure WV is showing better results than other 101-type courses at WVU s peer institutions.

In fact, WVU s program, offered through the WVU Student Recreation Center and part of the Universitys First-Year Experience, ranked in the top 10 for studentssense of belonging and acceptance; satisfaction with the college or university; improving critical thinking and knowledge of wellness, managing time and priorities; increasing out-of-class engagement and connections with peers; and including engaging pedagogy.

Geared for incoming freshmen, Adventure WV mixes outdoor activities with fireside discussions about college life and community service opportunities. As a result, students new to WVU feel at home in Morgantown before they ever step into a campus classroom.

It really makes a difference for them,Corio said.Its a great step into college life.

The summer course challenges studentswhether its rock climbing at Coopers Rock State Forest, hiking at Blackwater Falls, backpacking at Spruce Knob National Recreation Area, whitewater rafting on the Lower New River or exploring the Mountain States many other scenic destinations.

Trained student leaders instruct and guide incoming freshmen while at the same time teach them about residence hall life, academics and how to become more involved and at feel at ease at WVU .

Its a new environment for them,Corio said.We teach them how to be successful at WVU .

Participants in Adventure WV earn 2-3 credit hours, so students not only receive an introduction to college life but also get a full class under their belts before the fall semester begins.

The program is an alternative to University 101, a required orientation course for all freshmen. Students keep daily journals during their trips, write goal letters outlining their expectations for themselves at WVU and submit a reflection paper at the completion of the program.

While the information taught during the program helps with the transition from high school to college, many say the bonds that form among participants make the biggest difference as students adjust to college life.

Just ask former participant Kate Siegrist. She took part in Adventure WV when she was preparing to move from Martinsburg to Morgantown.

Siegrist, who had only been camping one or two times before she enrolled in the program, decided to join Adventure WV after seeing a booth advertising the program at a WVU Day information fair at the Coliseum.

It really opened up a lot of opportunities for me,she said.I never really did a lot of outdoorsy things, but I always wanted to.

Siegrist participated in Explore WV, a segment of the program in which participants spend a week kayaking, sightseeing, rock climbing and participating in other activities across West Virginia.

It was awesome; I met so many great people,she said.Its like a little family you already know when you come to campus.

The program led her to places she never expected she could go. She joined SOAR (Sophomore Outdoor Adventure Reorientation), an extension of Adventure WV, and traveled to Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

Other students have commented:

• Before the Adventure trip, I was worried about all the partying that can occur on college campuses. Now I know that there are so many other alternative ways to have a good time and also that there are other people willing to participate in these activities as well.

• I always wanted to leave West Virginia just to see the world, but this trip made me realize that no matter where I may go, there is no place more beautiful than where I am right now. By attending WVU , Ill get to experience this feeling every day.

• Before this trip, I was worried that I wouldnt be able to keep my priorities straight and I would fall behind in some of my classes, but now I feel much more confident. They told us many ways to stay organized, and if you do fall behind in a class or you are struggling, there are many different ways to get help.

Parents are noticing a positive difference in their students, too.

One parent wrote,Adventure for Andrew was a wake-up call and a growing experience,one parent said.It has prepared him so well, especially for the first couple of days at collegeAs soon as he got home, he started really preparing for school, and he set aside more time for reading and outdoor activities.

Outdoor activities and pointers about college life are just the beginning. Another component of the program is a community service project that helps round out the experience. According to Corio, Adventure WV students are expected to complete nearly 4,000 hours of community service this year. Many of those hours are devoted to Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization building affordable housing for families in need.

Adventure WV doesnt end once fall classes roll around either. Students who completed the summer experience meet twice in the classroom during the fall and even take part in a reunion picnic with other members of the class.

Adventure WV covers all aspects of college life: academic, social and community involvement,Corio said.

Statistics show the program is paying off. The students who went through Adventure WV have had higher retention rates and grade-point averages and completed more course hours than students who didnt go through the program, he noted.

Weve gathered some really big findings,he said.It has a lot of really positive aspects.

There are four separate groups in Adventure WV that students can enroll in: Explore WV, Habitat WV, Backpack WV and Paddle WV. Trips vary from 4-7 days, and costs differ from group to group.

For more information, visit Adventure WVs Web site athttp://adventurewv.wvu.edu/.