21 of Eckerd's 24 team members reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro
President Donald Eastman and his wife Christine met up with the team for the Serengeti portion of the trip prior to visiting another Winter Term group in Cape Town, South Africa
Team member Craig Altemose completed his world tour of the 7 continents, having visited the continents of Africa, Europe, Asia, Antarctica, and South America through Eckerd
About Winter Term in Tanzania
Tanzania: Leadership and Team Building in the Field
Mount Kilimanjaro Summit Climb and Serengeti Safari
Led by Peter K. Hammerschmidt, Ph.D., Professor of Economics
Read a letter from the President about Winter Term
This Winter Term course was an applied leadership and team building mission of Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," designed to have students work together to reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro - the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 19,340 feet. Covey's 7th Habit, "Sharpen the Saw," was practiced on a safari of the Serengeti National Park at the conclusion of the climb. A special feature of this course was the expert mountain guides and safari drivers provided by Abercrombie & Kent and the astonishing sights the team saw and experienced during this adventure. In addition, the team read Marcus Buckingham's "The One Thing You Need to Know" and engaged in experiential leadership activities and assessments so that each participant could better understand their own personal leadership attributes with the goal of using them even more effectively during and after the expedition.
About Tanzania
Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s. Tanzania is located in East Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Mozambique.
About Mt. Kilimanjaro
Located at the northeastern tip of Tanzania, Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest free standing mountain in the world and the highest point in Africa. Approximately 15,000 people attempt to climb the mountain each year, of which, 40% reach the summit. Kilimanjaro is an ancient volcano whose geological origin is strictly related to the formation of the Rift Valley, leaving three distinct peaks to remain.
The highest point of Kilimanjaro is Uhuru Peak (19,340 feet) on the volcano Kibo. As the highest point in Africa, Uhuru Peak is the fourth of the Seven Summits. Two other peaks are also extinct volcanoes: Mawenzi (16,896 feet), the third highest peak in Africa (after Mount Kenya); and Shira 12,500 feet).
As described on one of the signs at Mt. Kilimanjaro's Marangu Gate, the mountain's vegetation zones vary from rain forest to moorland, from alpine desert to ice cap.
During the hike, climbers carry their own personal backpacks. A medium-sized duffle bag, carried by one of the guide company's porters, accompanies you on the climb.
