Episode #46: Chris Barlow - High Mountain Institute, Leadville, Colorado

MICROCOLLEGE: The Thoreau College Podcast

Chris Barlow joins the podcast to talk about the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, Colorado and wax poetic on the importance of gap year experiences and alternative educational opportunities for young people in our time.

Chris hails from Tennessee and has held myriad roles at HMI dating back to 2005 when he worked as a Spanish apprentice and English teacher. After a number of years working in traditional classrooms and a range of outdoor programs, Chris returned to co-found the HMI Gap in 2014 with his partner Becca. In addition to his work overseeing Gap, Summer Term, and other short programs, Chris enjoys spending his free time in the great outdoors, climbing, running, and camping with Becca, and his daughter, Aven.

Explore Gap Year experiences all throughout the month of October during Gap Year Exploration Month! https://www.gapyearassociation.org/gap-year-exploration-month/

The High Mountain Institute engages students with the natural world, boldly uniting rigorous intellectual inquiry, experiential learning, wilderness expeditions, and shared responsibility in a strong community. HMI students realize their potential—as leaders, independent thinkers, and thoughtful citizens.

High Mountain Institute: https://hminet.org/

Gap Year Association: https://www.gapyearassociation.org/

Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.org

Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org