The Adirondacks as a Classroom: Inside the Adirondack Semester at St. Lawrence University

In this episode of ADK Talks, we talk with Jacob McCoola and Nicole Panek about St. Lawrence University’s Adirondack Semester, an immersive fall program where students live off-grid in a yurt village on Massawepie Lake.

They share what daily life looks like without phones or laptops, how students learn through outdoor leadership and place-based study, and why the experience leaves such a lasting impact. From shared meals and handwritten coursework to loons, lake water, and deep community, this is a fascinating look at a one-of-a-kind semester in the Adirondacks.

Jacob and Nicole also explain how students balance rigorous academics with the practical realities of living in the woods, from cooking and hauling water to learning how to communicate, solve problems, and live closely with others. They talk about the kinds of students the program attracts, the personal growth that often happens over the course of the semester, and why the Adirondacks offer such a rich setting for this kind of education.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Living in a yurt village for a full semester
• Starting with a seven-day canoe trip
• Learning without phones or computers
• Building community through shared daily life
• Why the Adirondacks make such a powerful classroom
• How the experience changes students long after they leave

Resources:

• St. Lawrence University Adirondack Semester
• Adirondack Semester Weekly Updates
• Donnelly’s Soft Ice Cream
• Mt. Arab
• Raquette River Outfitters
• Why Loons Return to the Same Adirondack Lake Each Year

Produced by NOVA