Kathleen Garson never anticipated her participation in Leadership Odyssey would involve a week of scorching temperatures and a sleeping bag that attracted ants and spiders.
Garson left Crozet, Va., and flew to Nashville on Aug. 20, where a record heat wave awaited her. That afternoon, she and 35 other freshmen arrived at the Joe C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center on Percy Priest Lake, about 15 miles from campus. As they began to pitch their tents, they got a first taste of what would become a five-day battle with the weather.
Four days before their arrival, the temperature peaked at 105 degrees, one degree more then the previous 1954 record high. The National Weather Service warned the heat would continue and could become “potentially dangerous.”
The students’ challenge was to overcome the heat and outdoor elements while participating in team and individual exercises designed to develop leadership skills. They also came on campus to meet leaders of student organizations and administration, faculty, and staff members.
Garson spoke passionately about the benefits of the program.
Garson spoke passionately about the benefits of the program.
“Being here has really encouraged us to get involved as students at Vanderbilt, and our leaders have taught us that we do have the ability to make a difference and have our voices heard,” she said.
Involvement in the program and the camaraderie it inspired “shakes off all the nerves I had about getting started,” Garson said. “All the students have been so friendly. Everyone here is intelligent and well-rounded.”
After their daytime activities, the participants returned to a restless night’s sleep in stuffy tents.
Mohammed Rahman of New York City complained of the uncomfortable sleeping situation.
“There were six guys in my tent, and we could barely breathe in there,” he said.
Garson agreed the conditions were unfavorable.
“We hardly slept the first night,” Garson said. “I woke up every hour, and there were so many bugs. I kept finding ants and daddy longlegs all over the place.”
In their eagerness to leave the dire tent conditions, participants expressed excitement about dorm life. On day three, several students laughed while agreeing that an air-conditioned dorm room, no matter its size, was looking better every day.
Garson and Rahman were among students who eventually found a cooler, less buggy alternative to the stuffy tent — they slept under the stars.
"I actually got cold at one point,” Garson said. “I even got to sleep inside my sleeping bag for a change.”
