
Andrew J. Bobilya, Ph.D.
(828) 357-5611
Director of Training and Education,Co-founder
Dr. Andrew Bobilya oversees the training and education initiatives of 2 Nature TREC. He is also involved in fundraising, marketing, community outreach and program evaluation and research.
nd
BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY
I have served as a college professor, wilderness trip leader and conducting staff trainings for over twenty years.
EDUCATION AND DEGREES
Ph.D. - Education / Emphasis in Recreation, Park and Leisure Studies, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 2004
MS - Experiential Education, Minnesota State University - Mankato, Minnesota, May 2001
BS - Outdoor Education, Montreat College - Montreat, North Carolina, December 1996
RELATED EDUCATION
North Carolina Outward Bound School
8-day sea kayak instructor training in the Outer Banks costal area of NC, June 2006
Wilderness Education Association
10-day Advanced Professional Short Course in the Sierra Mountains of California, August 2004
North Carolina Outward Bound School
14-day wilderness course instructor training,May 2002
Wilderness Medicine Institute - Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, November 1994
Wheaton College - Wheaton, Illinois
Wilderness Leadership Practicum, HoneyRock, Three Lakes Wisconsin, Summer 1996
Summer Leadership School, HoneyRock, Three Lakes, Wisconsin, Summer 1993, 1994
National Outdoor Leadership School - Lander, Wyoming, Fall 1994
Twenty-one day sea kayaking course in Baja California
Discovery Wilderness Practicum - Montreat College - Montreat, North Carolina, May 1993
Twenty-one day wilderness course in the mountains of Western North Carolina
Colorado Outward Bound School - Denver, Colorado
Twenty-one day multi-environment course in the Cataract Canyon and Henry Mountains of Utah, Summer 1992
CERTIFICATIONS
Wilderness Medical Institute of NOLS - Wilderness First Responder
American Heart Association – CPR for the Professional Rescuer
Wilderness Education Association – Certifying Instructor Level II – 2004 - present
Leave No Trace – Master Educator (completed 2017); Trainer (completed 2005)
National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians - Emergency Medical Technician – 1994 - 2001
Wilderness Medical Institute – Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician – 1994 - 2001
Boy Scouts of America - Eagle Scout – Awarded April 1987
AREAS OF INTEREST
Wilderness Learning
Experiential Education
Personal Growth and Human Development
Adventure Education
Wilderness Solitude
Autonomous Student Experiences
Spiritual Experiences in Nature
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Association for Experiential Education (AEE)
Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE)
Coalition for Education in the Outdoors (CEO)
Leave No Trace (LNT)
Wilderness Education Association (WEA)
LEADERSHIP
Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership (JOREL)
Editor in Chief (2010 – 2018)
Regular Reviewer (2009 – present)
Coalition for Education in the Outdoors Biannual Research Symposium
Reviewer (2014, 2016)
Journal of Experiential Education (JEE)
Regular Reviewer (2005 – present)
American Camp Association (ACA)
National Conference Research Symposium Regular Reviewer (2005 - 2011)
Association for Experiential Education
Symposium on Experiential Education Research (SEER) Co-Chair (2017- 2018)
SEER Reviewer (2006 – present)
Program Accreditation Reviewer (2015 – present)
International Association Board of Directors Member (2005 – 2012)
Annual International Conference Selected Papers and Abstracts Reviewer (2004-present)
Heartland Region Council Member (2002 – 2005)
Heartland Region Treasurer (2002, 2004, 2005)
Treasurer for the Council of Regional Chairs representing the Association’s eight regions (2003 – 2005)
Heartland Region Council Chair (2003 – 2004)
Heartland Region Conference Planning Committee Member (2003, 2004, 2005)
Southeast Region Conference Planning Committee Member (1996, 2015)
River’s Way, TN
Risk Management Committee Member (2008 – 2010)
One World Adventures, AL
Board of Directors Member (2008 – 2013)
Friendship Ventures – Annandale, Minnesota (2001 – 2003)
Volunteer recreation facilitator for persons with disabilities during weekend respite program
National Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society – Minnesota State University (2000 – 2001)
Advisor for undergraduate student leaders within the honor society and coordinated annual events
Cedar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department – Cedar Mountain, North Carolina (1997 – 2000)
Served as a volunteer fireman and responded when needed to assist in emergency situations
Southern Transylvania County EMS – Cedar Mountain, North Carolina (1997 – 2000)
Assisted on local emergency response as a certified Emergency Medical Technician
Greater Greenville YMCA – Greenville, South Carolina (1998-2000)
Camping and Youth Development Committee memb
AWARDS AND HONORS
Western Carolina University
College of Education and Allied Professions Dean’s Research Award (2017)
College of Education and Allied Professions Legislative Teaching Award (2017)
Association for Experiential Education
Servant Leader Award for the International Association – 2013
Rebecca L. Carver Award for the Southeast Region - 2011
Montreat College Academic Dean’s Faculty Award
May 2008 – Montreat, North Carolina
Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scholarship Recipient – Fall 2002
RECENT PRESENTATIONS
Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B., & Faircloth, W.B. (2020, February). The Psychology of Risk and 21st Century Wilderness Program Participants. Session presented at the International Conference on Outdoor Leadership, Three Lakes, Wisconsin.
Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Bell, B., Stremba, B., & Mitten, D. (2018, November). 10th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Orlando, Florida.
Hobbs, W., Martin, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2018, October). Publishing isn’t just for academics. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Snowbird, Utah.
Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2018, October). Exploring perspectives on optimal challenge and risk. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Snowbird, Utah.
Meltzer, N., Faircloth, A. J., & Faircloth, W.B. (2018, January). Effects of Participation in a Semester Boarding School on Student’s Biophilic Expressions. Paper presented at the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors 14th Biennial Research Symposium, Martinsville, IN.
McCole, D., Bobilya, A. J., Lindley, B. & Holman, T. (2018, January). An Investigation of Parents’ Perceptions of the Value of a Summer Camp Experience. Paper presented at the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors 14th Biennial Research Symposium, Martinsville, IN.
Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2017, October). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Experiential Education. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Shirilla, P., Coulson, E. (2017, October). 9th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2017, October). 21st Century Program Participants: Can We Achieve the Same Outcomes with Different Levels of Risk? Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Faircloth, W. B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2016, October). There’s two ways to count your change: An exploratory investigation of retrospective pre and true pre. Paper presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference: Symposium on Experiential Education Research (SEER), Minneapolis, MN.
Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2016, October). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Experiential Education. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. H., Lindley, B., Allison, P., Hunt, J., Shirilla, P., Coulson, E., Speelman, L., Frazer, L. (2016, October). 8th annual trends and issues in outdoor education programs panel discussion. Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2016, October). 21st Century Program Participants: Can We Achieve the Same Outcomes with Different Levels of Risk? Session presented at the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Bobilya, A. J., Lindley, B. R., Faircloth, W. B. & Holman, T. (2015, November). A Qualitative Analysis of Participant Learning and Growth Using a New Outward Bound Outcomes Instrument. Paper presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Research Symposium, Atlanta, GA.
Bobilya, A. J., Kalisch, K. R., Daniel, B. & Middleton, G. (2015, November). Nurturing the Spirit in Our Staff and Participants: Spirituality and Outdoor Adventure Programming. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Daniel, B., Kalisch, K. R. & Bobilya, A. J. (2015, November). Should wilderness program staff always accompany their participants? Three views. Session presented at the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education Conference, Atlanta, GA.
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Publications
Meltzer, N. W., Bobilya, A. J., Mitten, D., Faircloth, W. B., & Chandler, R. (2020). An investigation of moderators of change and the influence of the instructor on outdoor orientation program participants’ biophilic expressions. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-020-00051-w
McCole, D., Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T. & Lindley, B. (2019). Benefits of summer camp: What do parents value? Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership, 11(3), 239-247. https://doi.org/10.18666/JOREL-2019-V11-I3-9672
Meltzer, N. W., Bobilya, A. J., Faircloth, W. B., Mitten, D. & Chandler, R. (2018) The effect of an outdoor orientation program on participants biophilic expressions. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 21(2), 187-205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-018-0013-x
Bobilya, A. J., & Faircloth, W. B. (2017). Exploring Course Outcomes Utilizing A New Outward Bound Outcomes Instrument. Research in Outdoor Education, 15, 114-136.
Rude, W. J., Bobilya, A. J., & Bell, B. J. (2017). An investigation of the connection between outdoor orientation, campus involvement, sense of community, and thriving. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education and Leadership, 9(2), 197-216.
Faircloth, W.B., Bobilya, A.J. & Ewert, A.W. (2016). The North Carolina Outward Bound School Course Impression Survey: A Psychometric Investigation. Research in Outdoor Education, 14, 1-20.
Book Chapters
Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B., Kalisch, K. R. (2015). Autonomous Student Experiences: Are They Too Risky for Today’s Outdoor Adventure Program? In Black, R. & Bricker, K. (Eds.), Adventure Programming and Travel for the 21st Century (pp. 353-357). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Bobilya, A. J., Holman, T., Lindley, B. & McAvoy, L. H. (2015). Changing Landscapes: Trends in North American Adventure Programming. In Black, R. & Bricker, K. (Eds.), Adventure Programming and Travel for the 21st Century (pp. 11-17). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Daniel, B. & Bobilya, A. J. (2012). Guarding Safety Without Compromising Learning: The Value of Unaccompanied Components. In Martin, B. & Wagstaff, M. (Eds.), Controversial Issues in Adventure Programming (pp. 220-226). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Bobilya, A. J. & Daniel, B. (2011). The Life of Eleanor Duckworth. In Smith, T. & Knapp, C. E. (Eds.), Sourcebook for experiential education: Key thinkers and their contributions (pp. 73-79). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
Bobilya, A. J. & Daniel, B. (2007). The basics of backcountry camping. In Goldenberg, M. & Martin, B. (Eds.), Outdoor Adventures: Hiking & Backpacking (pp. 179-210). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Bobilya, A. J. (2005) Wilderness, solitude and monastic traditions. In Knapp. C. E. & Smith, T. (Eds.), Exploring the Power of Solo, Silence, and Solitude (pp. 61-74). Boulder, CO: Association for Experiential Education.
Bobilya, A. J., McAvoy, L. H. & Kalisch, K. R. (2005) Lessons from the field: Participants’ perceptions of a multi-day wilderness solo. In Knapp. C. E. & Smith, T. (Eds.), Exploring the Power of Solo, Silence, and Solitude (pp. 103 – 120). Boulder, CO: Association for Experiential Education.
Other Publications
Bobilya, A. J., Daniel, B, Kalisch, K. R., & Lindley, B. (2009). Lessons from the Outward Bound Solo: Intended transfer of learning. Conference Proceedings of the 2009 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership sponsored by the Wilderness Education Association. Bradford Woods, IN.
Bobilya, A. J., Kalisch, K. R., Daniel, B, & Lindley, B. (2009). Benefits and strategies for facilitating solitary reflection on W.E.A. courses. Conference Proceedings of the 2009 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership sponsored by the Wilderness Education Association. Bradford Woods, IN.
Holman, T., Bobilya, A. & McAvoy, L. (Spring/Summer, 2008). Trends and issues in outdoor adventure programming: Perspectives from practitioners and scholars. Taproot, 18(1), 17-24.
Bobilya, A. J. (contributor) (2007). Outdoor Experiential Leadership: Scenarios Describing Incidents, Dilemmas and Opportunities. In Smith, T. & Allison, P. (Eds.). Tulsa, OK: Learning Unlimited.
Daniel, B., Bobilya, A. J. & Kalisch, K. (2006). The life significance of the wilderness solo and strategies for intentional solo design: A summary of two studies. The Journal of the Wilderness Education Association. 18(3), 11-18.
Bobilya, A. J. (2004). An investigation of the solo in a wilderness experience program. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, 2004) Digital Dissertations, AAT 3129201.
INTERESTS AND HOBBIES
Hiking, canoeing, whitewater kayaking and rafting, backpacking and playing with my family outdoors.
COURSES DEVELOPED AND TAUGHT:
Graduate
Research Methods
Thesis/project
Dissertation
Undergraduate
Wilderness Education – Summer Travel Course
Expedition Management and Leadership
Program Planning and Evaluation
Introduction to Outdoor Pursuits
Mini Internship in Parks and Recreation Management
Capstone Internship in Parks and Recreation Management
Facilitating Outdoor Education Experiences
Wilderness Journey Practicum
Whitewater Kayaking
Advanced Whitewater Kayaking
Administration and Management in Outdoor Education
Conference and Event Planning
Outdoor Programming and Leadership: Expedition Management
Outdoor Programming and Leadership: Kayaking
Pre-Internship
Survey of Outdoor Education
Backpacking
Current Issues in Outdoor Education
Challenge Course Facilitation
Leadership and Group Dynamics
Wilderness Journey for First Year Students
Outdoor Living Skills
History and Philosophy of Outdoor Education
Foundations of Faith and Learning
Outdoor Recreation Management
Adventure Programming Skills and Concepts
Leisure and Human Development
Outdoor and Camp Leadership
Orientation to Leisure and Recreation
Wilderness and Adventure Education