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Student led hike encourages community, tradition at Nevada State College

Feb 13, 2013 | Campus News

By Mandi Enger
Committed to building long-lasting traditions for Nevada State College (NSC), a group of students joined together on Monday, Feb. 18 to hike to the top of the McCullough Mountain located just south of the college’s Liberal Arts and Sciences building.
Led by Nevada State Student Alliance (student government) President Deuvall Dorsey, the four-mile hike has become a ritual and friendly challenge for many NSC students, faculty, and staff. In honor of its mascot, the college nicknamed the mountain Mount Scorpion in early 2012.
Creating traditions such as the hike to Mount Scorpion instills a sense of accomplishment, pride, and camaraderie for participants, said Dorsey. As a relatively young institution, it is important that we develop a sense of community to share with current and future students.
The first official group hike was held on Oct. 26, 2012. Originally planned solely as an annual Nevada Day event, the Feb. 18 hike was planned due to popular demand from students.
An avid hiker, NSC President Bart Patterson has hiked Mount Scorpion three times, including two trips with the student group.
I’m proud to see such a spirit of adventure and school pride in our students, said Patterson. Our campus culture is developing into something truly fantastic with our students leading the charge.
Assistant Professor of English, Gregory Robinson is the first known NSC hiker to reach the top of Mount Scorpion. In 2009, during his first hike, Robinson left a journal at the mountaintop for future hikers to sign. To-date, over 50 entries have been made in the journal by members of the NSC campus community as well as other area hikers.
Robinson recently retrieved the journal with plans to archive its contents in NSC’sMarydean Martin Library. A new journal was placed at the mountaintop by students during the February hike.
In the future, Dorsey and other members of the NSC community plan to work with city in order to officially name the hiking trail on behalf of the college.