Challenging Times on WalkAbout Build Character, Deepen Faith
Published: October 10, 2025
Author: Dave Bell
Each year, members of the Greenville University Residence Life staff travel to Tennessee in early August to participate in an exercise called WalkAbout. Promotional materials describe it as “a multi-day leadership expedition in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, designed for student leaders to retreat, reflect, and grow before the semester begins.”
The reality often goes beyond that peaceful image. This year, about two dozen GU resident assistants and area coordinators hiked for six days, covering 44 miles of rugged terrain, carrying 50-pound packs, sleeping under tarps, enduring cold rain, and even chasing away two black bears that wandered through their campsite.
It was hardly a casual stroll in the park, but the experience delivered on its promise to build resilience and to drive participants to lean on their faith – and each other – during tough times.
“The mountains teach us,” said Dana Smith, assistant director of student conduct and area coordinator for University Hall. “This year, we had one day that tested all of us. We knew it was going to be challenging because we had to hike nine miles to reach our campsite. But then it started to rain. We were all soaked and chilled, a member of the group got stung by a bee, and we were running out of water.
“It was really difficult to keep pushing ourselves,” she added. “But we did. And I’m so proud of our people for persevering through very tough circumstances. They pushed beyond what they thought were their physical limits, and we eventually reached our campsite.”
As a result, she said, they grew in three areas: spiritual maturity, leadership skills, and team bonding.
Spiritual growth occurred when people exhausted their personal resources. “That night, we were able to share how our faith can get us through hard times,” Smith said.
As leaders, we learned how to care for and encourage each other during difficult times,” she added. “To develop those skills, we rotated the leadership role in the group every day. That way, the daily leader was responsible for checking on their team and deciding when the group needed a break.
And finally, the participants observed how the experience brought their team closer together. “Through WalkAbout, we learned more about each other, and that created a bond,” Smith said. “When you know someone’s story, you have more empathy and appreciation for them.”
So, how do lessons learned in the mountains shape the way resident assistants and area coordinators perform their roles back on campus? What are the enduring lessons and applications from those experiences?
“We can always go back to the mountains in our minds,” Smith said. “Remembering how we endured tough times there can help us endure challenges here in the residence halls. Ultimately, we’re here for our students – to help them balance all the responsibilities that come with college life. To do that well, we must lean on each other and on the Lord.”
Micah Shuffett, an RA in Joy Hall, said that the difficult conditions the group encountered this year made the experience both challenging and rewarding.
“It helped us understand what we’re capable of doing,” Shuffett said. “We saw that when we persevered through hard times, we would eventually make it through. But it took all of us supporting each other to accomplish our goals – especially on that long day.”
Ella Basham, an RA in Mannoia Hall, said she learned important spiritual lessons through the experience. “God was so present during my time on WalkAbout,” she said. “He taught me how to fully depend on Him when the days were long and the hikes were difficult. I’m so grateful for everything I learned through that experience.”
Although this year’s WalkAbout presented more than its share of challenges, Smith said that participants came away from the experience feeling like they learned valuable lessons.
“We had many conversations about how difficult times can teach us,” she said. “In the wilderness, we didn’t have our phones, social media, or our usual security blankets. It taught us to rely on God.”