MATT O’ROURKE Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Bio: Matt currently serves as our Climbing Center supervisor. He is currently working on an MBA here at Sam. Matt's outdoor adventures have taken him all over the country: backpacking parts of the Appalachian Trail and Glacier National Park, among others, and rock climbing throughout North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. He has years of experience in canoeing and scuba diving and has also dabbled in cross country skiing and spelunking. From June 2003 to May 2006 he literally lived in the woods - working at a wilderness therapy program for at-risk youth in a primitive living situation.
COLE ANDERSON Hometown: Tomball, TX
Bio: Cole is the the outdoor program's Base Camp Coordinator. Cole is a sophomore pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. He currently serves as president of the campus Outdoor Adventure Club. His two favorite outdoor activities are surfing and rock climbing. He has been climbing for a little over a year and have been surfing for almost five years.
Tim Wise Hometown: Montrose, CO
Bio: Tim is a sophomore Criminal Justice major. He is a Colorado native and has been
climbing mountains for several years including four 14ers and more than 15
13ers. He's been rock climbing since he was 13, and has engaged in
multiple out door sports including snowboarding, white water rafting, para
sailing, mountain biking, and dirt biking. This past summer he qualified for an EMT
certification and he is currently the vice president for the Outdoor Adventure Club..
BRITTANY "Gordon" LIGHTFOOT Hometown: Navasota, TX
Bio: Brittany is a junior at Sam Houston pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography. She spends most of her free time rock climbing and is a member of the university climbing team. She also enjoys camping, fishing, kayaking, and anything that will get her outside or on the beach. She loves spending a day kicking it in the country with her horse.
JON GARCIA Hometown: Lake Jackson, TX
Bio: Jon Garcia has been an avid outdoorsman ever since transferring to Sam Houston State over 3 years ago. Before joining the Outdoors staff he participated in numerous outdoor recreational trips. Besides long walks on the beach towards the setting sun, his interests include: soccer, rock climbing, bouldering, camping, kayaking, mountain biking and running to name a few. He is a Senior, majoring in Graphic Design and will be graduating in the Spring. He enjoys the outdoors and all that mother nature has to offer!!
KAYLEIGH "Schick" SCHICKLER Hometown: Naples, FL
Bio: Kayleigh Schickler is currently a senior at SHSU pursuing her B.A. in Photography. She also serves as the secretary of the Outdoor Adventure Club. Having worked at an area camp for the past three years and five summers she finds joy in making things, having conversations with children, and anything that gets her outdoors during autumn. She enjoys hanging out with her five amazing roommates, and is always up for a wicked 80’s dance party. Kayleigh thinks you’re neat.
JILL CARPENTER Hometown: Bryan, TX
Bio: Jill is a sophomore majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Art History. When she's not cramming for quizzes, she enjoys walks in the country side, hiking, cycling, camps, tea time, conversation with friends, journaling, art, and anything fun and creative. Since summer 2005 Jill has been a camp counselor for the Boy Scouts at El Rancho Cima scout camp where she was Skills Director in summer of 2007. Jill is working towards her bachelors degree in Fine Art and plans on pursuing a masters degree so she may teach Art at the college level. Jill takes advantage of every moment to enjoy life and help others enjoy life as well.
PATRICK BASHOR Hometown: Georgetown, TX
Bio: Patrick is a senior photography major. A transfer student from Texas A&M, Patrick has been involved in outdoor recreation from his arrival here at Sam Houston. He enjoys white water boating, climbing and spent time sailing off the coast of South Africa.
ALEX MESCALL Hometown: Baytown, TX
Bio: Alex is a native Texan and senior at Sam Houston, studying Criminal Justice and Psychology. He got his start in outdoor recreation as a Boy Scout and achieved the rank of Eagle. When he's not working or studying, Alex enjoys cycling, camping, rock climbing, yoga and anything outdoors.
JOSH GUSLER Hometown: Corpus Christi, TX
Bio: Josh is a senior here at Sam finishing up a degree in Biology. He has worked for SHSU Outdoors on and off for almost four years now. Josh is an accomplished surfer and rock climber.
MEG MYRICK, Graduate Assistant Hometown: Saco, ME
Bio: Meg became the Graduate Assistant for SHSU Outdoors in the Spring of 2008. She received her BS in Ski Area Management from Lyndon State College in Vermont and is pursuing a Masters in Instructional Leadership here at Sam. Meg worked in the outdoor field for over three years before returning to pursue a graduate degree. Most recently she was the Director of the Outdoor Learning Center at Horizons in the mountains of Virginia. She has also worked as a ropes course facilitator, ski instructor and guided a wide variety of adventure based trips.
PATRICK SPENCER, University Camp Supervisor Hometown: Abilene, TX
Bio: Patrick was a Horticulture major here at Sam. He is a person who is genuinely interested in the outdoors, and loves to get out as much as he can. He's raced mountain bikes, paddled Texas whitewater (he nailed a 10 foot drop once), and has climbed the pink granite of central Texas. He has also climbed and backpacked extensively in Southern Arizona where he lived before returning to Sam. He lives on site at University Camp along the Trinity River.
STEVE THOMPSON, Assistant Director, Recreational Sports - Outdoors
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Bio: Steve has been with Recreational Sports since January of 2006. He earned his Bachelors and Masters from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Steve has worked in outdoor recreation for almost 20 years now, first as a graduate assistant in Pennsylvania, and then in various capacities in New Mexico, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. He is a Wilderness First Responder, serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, and has instructed a wide variety of outdoor pursuits: climbing, skiing, white water boating, mountain biking, caving, low-impact camping, mountaineering, sailing, canyoneering and extended backpacking. Steve and his wife Angie have a young daughter named Kaelin, and two dogs: Blu and Bailey. He is an avid reader and a die-hard Pittsburgh sports fan. When not leading trips, you can often find him working in his yard, playing his guitar, riding his motorcycle, or just enjoying being outside.
