Not all learning at the Southeast CUNA Management School takes place in the classroom. Students recently participated in a number of of outdoor challenge activities designed to promote teamwork, self-confidence, leadership, and the expansion of their problem-solving abilities.Second-year students took to the high-ropes course at the UGA Challenge Course.

Teams navigated through elements comprised of cables, logs and ropes, building courage and confidence throughout the day as the challenges increased in complexity.

First-year students participated in the “low ropes” challenges where they used critical thinking skills and teamwork to navigate complex challenges and solve problems, with the concluding activity consisting of getting students over a 12-foot wall without the use of stairs, ladders, ropes, or other assistance.

“It was amazing to watch the transformations that took place in both the individual students and the team dynamics out on the course throughout the day,” said Jennifer Green, Southeast Regional Credit Union School student liaison. “We witnessed students’ self-confidence increase as they stepped out of their comfort zones and accomplished things they never would have even attempted without the encouragement of their teammates.”

The Southeast CUNA Management School is a three-year program for credit union leaders. The program is sponsored by the Southeast Regional Credit Union Schools (SRCUS), and over the course of the program, students participate in lectures and class exercises covering a variety of topics including business development and communication, risk management, strategic planning, financial analysis, and leadership.

Successful completion requires that students participate in courses on campus over a three-year period, develop a comprehensive project, and write and present a whitepaper on a relevant industry topic.