If a student organization is looking for an exciting opportunity to strengthen communication skills as well as problem-solving and decision-making abilities, the Adventure Learning Programs (ALPs) may be something to look into.

Serving the multitude of student organizations on campus, ALPs conducts team building workshops to challenge all groups to think and take risks while getting to know and support one another, creating an environment of cooperation and understanding.

"Last year, we served 112 different groups on campus," former coordinator for ALPs Anders Brown said.

The groups served by ALPs include the Greek system, various multi-cultural groups, research groups, engineering organizations and sometimes classrooms if professors wish to have them aid in discussion sections.

Brown added ALPs' programs are custom fitted to meet the needs of each individual organization that participates in the course.

"We ran around 30 to 35 ropes course workshops last year and about 60 ground workshops, which can range anywhere from an icebreaker, get-to-know-you activity to group retreats," Brown said, adding the workshops are uniquely designed to meet the goals and needs of each student group.

ALPs was founded in 1995 by a small group of University of Wisconsin students lobbying for an experience-oriented education outlet on campus. The organization first received funding from the university in 1998.

In an e-mail correspondence, current ALPs Coordinator, Maren Bean said by participating in "experimental education" students are able to learn by doing.

"The experiential education curriculum encourages individuals and groups to address their boundaries and push beyond them; this curriculum is successful because it provides the learner with ownership over the knowledge and skills gained," Bean added. "ALPs provides [these] opportunities through our high ropes course and ground workshops."

Because ALPs is funded through the university, the organization is able to provide its services at no cost to participants.

Currently, ALPs boasts 28 facilitators, two co-coordinators and a professional experiential education specialist serving as an advisor. Students who have participated in ALPs workshops say they have had exceptionally positive experiences.

"The ALPs ropes course program presented us with a unique opportunity to challenge ourselves individually as well as collectively," UW Junior Samantha Milin, who recently participated in the program with her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, said. "It was really cool to get out of the university setting to a place where you are able to engage yourself much differently than you would in a classroom or social setting."

Milin added the experience helped her and others in her sorority bond with each other in an unfamiliar and challenging environment.

In the future, ALPs plans to provide additional aspects and styles of experience-oriented education to both facilitators and participants, Bean said.

To expand their services to more student organizations, Brown said ALPs would like to have a ropes course built on campus.

"We are always looking to expand our services to serve more student groups because our work can be very beneficial to them," Brown said. "We want to gain support and understanding for our cause and that there is a need for a ropes course on [the actual] campus."