From Classroom to Career: PWSC Students Build Outdoor Leadership Skills Through Pangaea Adventures

From Classroom to Career: PWSC Students Build Outdoor Leadership Skills Through Pangaea Adventures
Learning Leadership in Alaska’s Outdoors

In Valdez, Alaska, where mountains meet the ocean and outdoor experiences are part of everyday life, learning to guide requires more than knowing the landscape. It requires learning how to work with people, adapt to changing situations, make decisions in the field, and create meaningful experiences for others.

For Prince William Sound College students Franklin Westlake and Ben Hall, this summer has been an opportunity to apply what they have learned in the Outdoor Leadership program in a professional setting through an internship with Pangaea Adventures.

Working as sea kayak guides and gaining experience with hiking and other outdoor activities, Westlake and Hall are learning what it means to move from studying outdoor leadership in the classroom to practicing it with real clients on the water.

For Outdoor Leadership instructor Dr. Benjamin Rush, internships are one of the most important parts of preparing students for careers in the outdoors.

Why Internships Matter

"When I was in college, I did my first internship, and it was nine credits working for the National Park Service," Rush said. "It was life-changing because it put me in the direction of asking, 'Is this something I really want to do?'"

That experience shaped how Rush views internships today.

"It's almost like a no-brainer because it helps the organization that we're working for, giving them employment," he said. "It's also helping our students because it gives them experience, and it lets them know, 'Gosh, I really want to be a guide,' but then they find out, 'Well, maybe this is not really what I want to do.'"

Students in the Outdoor Leadership program have opportunities to complete internships with a variety of outdoor organizations, including Pangaea Adventures, Alaska Mountaineering School, government agencies, and local recreation partners.

These partnerships allow students to explore career paths while gaining experience in real-world environments.

For Pangaea Adventures owner Greg Dehn, partnering with PWSC was a natural fit because it creates an opportunity for students to apply their classroom learning while becoming part of the outdoor industry.

"For me, it was an easy decision. We all benefit when we invest in the next generation of outdoor leaders. Prince William Sound College has built a fantastic Outdoor Leadership program, and we have a business where students can put classroom learning into practice with real guests. It's rewarding to watch that transition. They come in with a foundation of knowledge, and over the course of a summer you can see their confidence grow."

Greg said preparing future outdoor professionals is important because Alaska’s outdoor industry depends on skilled, passionate people.

"Our industry depends on great people. The future of outdoor recreation in Alaska isn't just about amazing places; it's about guides who know how to keep people safe, create memorable experiences, and care deeply about the places they're sharing. It’s about amazing guides. If businesses aren't willing to mentor young professionals, we can't expect experienced guides to appear simply. Developing people is part of our responsibility."

Interns also bring value back to the businesses that welcome them.

"They bring energy, curiosity, and fresh ideas. They ask great questions and challenge us to think about why we do things the way we do. At the same time, they become part of our team. They're helping real guests have incredible experiences, so it's not just a learning opportunity for them. They're also making our company stronger."

Turning Classroom Lessons Into Real-World Experience

At Pangaea Adventures, students are not just learning how to guide a trip, they are learning how to lead people.

For Rush, that distinction is important.

"In the classroom, you learn theory, lots of rules, charts, graphs, and stories," Rush said. "But in the field, it's a whole new ball game because you're working with people."

The internship experience helps students connect classroom concepts with real situations.

"It gives students firsthand experiences," Rush said. "It kind of puts the theory into a practical world. It's like, 'This is what my teacher was talking about in class.'"

Rush explains that outdoor leadership requires both hard skills and soft skills.

"Everyone can know hard skills because we're learning to do something. Knots are a hard skill," he said. "But then as far as the soft skills like communication and working with disputes or working with problems in the field, those are really hard to teach because they just don't come as naturally as learning to tie a knot."

The partnership also gives students a chance to become part of the Valdez community while developing the skills needed for careers in the outdoor industry.

Finding the Human Side of Guiding

Those people skills are exactly what Franklin Westlake has found to be one of the biggest lessons of his internship.

Westlake was drawn to Pangaea Adventures because of the company's focus on community.

"I was super interested in this specific internship with Pangaea because the owner, Greg, has a lot of community focus and wants to get involved with the local community here," Westlake said. "That really struck a chord with me."

Pangaea Adventures has made community involvement a priority by creating connections throughout Valdez.

"We really believe that if Pangaea is successful, the community should benefit too," Greg said. "We sponsor scholarships for high school graduates, recruit from Prince William Sound College, and partner with restaurants, hotels, cruise partners, and other businesses throughout town. We want to be more than just a tour company. We want to support the Valdez community and help create opportunities for the people who live here."

For Greg, mentoring students is about more than filling internship positions. It is about helping people discover what they are capable of.

"One of the things I enjoy most is watching people discover what they're capable of. A new team member might arrive wondering if they can lead a group. By the end of the summer, they're developing plans, learning, and using decision-making skills, communicating with confidence, and helping guests have experiences they'll remember for the rest of their lives. Watching that growth is incredibly rewarding."

Before starting the internship, Westlake had a different idea of what guiding looked like.

"I was really hesitant about it at first," he said. "I thought, 'I don't want to be a tour guide. Just say the same robotic thing to every group I meet.'"

The experience quickly changed his perspective.

"I've realized that it's more about managing a group and making sure everyone has the best experience possible, not just rinsing and repeating the same thing every day."

One of the biggest surprises for Westlake has been seeing how differently people experience the same trip.

"They're all here doing the same thing, but they're all doing it for different reasons," he said. "Even though they're doing the same experience, they come out saying they experienced it completely differently."

For Westlake, guiding means learning how to support people who may be completely new to Alaska and the outdoors.

"A lot of people have never put themselves in this sort of field before," he said. "It's really a challenge and a blessing to be able to navigate it with the clients."

The internship has also changed how he thinks about his future.

"I didn't want to go into being a guide right away," Westlake said. "I thought about potentially going into the park service or the forest service. But I decided to give it a chance."

That willingness to stay open to unexpected opportunities has become one of his biggest lessons.

"Keep your doors open," he said. "Jumping on whatever opportunity came my way has really gotten me far."

Learning Leadership Through Experience

For Ben Hall, the decision to work with Pangaea Adventures was also influenced by the company's approach to leadership.

"When Greg came into the school and talked about his program, it seemed like he was very in tune with his staff," Hall said. "I really strive for that."

Hall said having an employer who values employees makes a difference.

"If you don't care about me, it's hard for me to care about the job," he said. "Greg has been one of the most generous people I've ever met."

For Greg, building a strong team starts with finding people who are willing to learn and grow.

"Technical skills matter, but they're not the first thing I look for. I look for people who are humble, curious, hardworking, and genuinely care about others. We can teach someone how we run trips. It's much harder to teach kindness, professionalism, and a willingness to keep learning."

When Franklin and Ben joined the Pangaea Adventures team, Greg saw qualities that stood out.

"Both came in eager to learn and willing to jump in wherever they were needed. They asked thoughtful questions, worked hard, and took feedback really well. That's exactly what you hope for in an intern because that's how people improve over a season."

For Greg, successful guides are not defined only by technical ability.

"The best guides aren't the ones who can paddle the fastest or climb the highest. They're the people who make everyone around them feel safe, welcome, and confident. They pay attention to the little things, communicate well, adapt when conditions change, and care that every guest has an amazing experience."

During his internship, Hall has been surprised by how much flexibility and creativity are involved in guiding.

"The biggest thing is how customizable these experiences are, and how clients interact with what you give them," he said.

A guide may adjust a trip based on what guests are hoping to experience.

"I've had clients that want to take a longer paddle, shorter paddle, see different things, go to different places," Hall said. "As long as I can get them there and do it safely, everyone's game for it."

The Skills You Can’t Learn in a Classroom

One of the biggest lessons Hall has learned is difficult to recreate in a classroom: group management.

"We just had a trip with 26 people here," he said. "It's hard to manage five, let alone 26."

The challenge was not only to lead the group safely but also to balance the guide's goals with the guests' expectations.

"We had 26 people show up off of a van. I stood right here and gave them all the direction. We got everything done, and we were on the water within an hour," Hall said. "You can't really teach that kind of thing in a classroom."

For Hall, a turning point came when he began taking on more responsibility as a lead guide.

"The biggest one is getting to be the lead guide on trips, and having people who are still training underneath you so you can give them an experience they need to learn from."

That experience helped him recognize his own growth.

"I was explaining things to them while I'm also guiding the group," Hall said. "It was that differentiation between we're supposed to be peers, and I'm teaching you, while also taking care of clients."

Growing Into Outdoor Professionals

Rush has seen that same growth from the instructor perspective.

"They were already great guides to start with," Rush said. "But I know with Franklin, it's learning how to take care of people and working with people, organization, and taking things they've already learned and honing their skills."

He has also watched Hall continue developing as a leader.

"Ben's just a go-getter," Rush said. "He thrives on being out and doing this, and he just became an ACA instructor, so he's teaching the skills and working with people."

For Greg, the biggest change he has seen in both students is confidence.

"The biggest change has been confidence. Both have become much more comfortable leading groups and making decisions. They've grown from thinking mostly about what they're doing to thinking about what their guests need and how to create the best possible experience for them. That's a big step, and they've both made it."

For Rush, successful internships are about more than completing a summer job.

"I think success looks like confidence, building confidence in themselves," he said. "And also knowing that there's more to learn because you spent one summer, which is a great summer, but there are still things they can work on."

From Passion to Profession

For Franklin, this summer represents a shift from passion to profession.

"One thing I'm going to remember about this summer is what it means to take my hobbies and turn them into a profession," he said. "I've been sea kayaking for six years now on my own recreationally, and now I'm doing it professionally as a guide."

"There is a very stark difference between the two, but at the end of the day, I'm just doing what I love, and it's really quite the dream."

For Ben, the experience has shown him what leadership looks like in practice.

"I know I love doing this," he said. "I definitely plan to come back."

Through the partnership between PWSC and Pangaea Adventures, students are gaining more than work experience. They are building confidence, leadership skills, and professional connections that help prepare them for careers in Alaska’s outdoor industry.

For Greg, partnerships between education and industry are essential to building the future of Alaska’s outdoor workforce.

"Outdoor recreation in Alaska has an incredibly bright future, but only if we continue developing great people. Programs like PWSC create educated young professionals, and businesses like ours give them the opportunity to turn classroom learning into real-world experience. When education and industry work together, everybody benefits."

Students also bring something valuable back to the businesses where they complete their internships.

"They bring enthusiasm, new perspectives, and a real desire to learn. They also remind our experienced team why we love what we do. Their excitement is contagious, and they become an important part of the culture we've worked hard to build."

For Greg, the most rewarding part of mentoring students is watching them grow into confident outdoor professionals.

"I love seeing people grow. There's something special about watching someone arrive on their first day unsure of themselves and then, a few months later, confidently leading a group through one of the most beautiful places in the world. Knowing we played a small part in helping launch someone's career is something I'm really proud of."

For Franklin Westlake and Ben Hall, this summer has been about more than gaining work experience. It has been about discovering what it means to lead, support others, and turn a passion for the outdoors into a career path.

Through the partnership between Prince William Sound College and Pangaea Adventures, students are gaining the skills, confidence, and experience needed to become the next generation of Alaska outdoor professionals.