Jessica Silverman
Jackson, WY
My name is Jessica Silverman, I am taking a gap year(s) from a psychology-philosophy degree at the University of Vermont to chase the whims of adventure. These dreams that have captivated me from such a young age, are becoming closer and closer to being a reality. Over the past year I have stood in places I’ve never thought I would stand. My skis have ridden down slopes I assumed I’d only see in pictures.This past year I have spent traveling, taking my passions for the mountains to the Rockies, Tetons, Himalayas, and Southern Alps. I have progressed in the backcountry, both in the art of ascent and the art of descent. At the forefront of this call for adventure lies the most formidable goal yet; skiing the quintessential lines of backcountry Alaska. Come mid march this year I will be going to the Chugach Mountains of Valdez, Alaska for a 10 day ski touring adventure. This trip combines everything I love about the art of skiing, it’s raw, it’s intense, it’s high consequence, and it’s completely untouched by the fingerprint of society.This season I have partnered with Coalition Snow. They are an all female ski company, whose mission is to ignite of revolution of female skiers and riders to stand up and break down the shrink-it-pink it paradox that has plagued the ski industry for far too long. Part of going to these remote mountains, and skiing these big lines, is to see if I can do it, but the other part is to show other people that they can too. The goal of this trip specifically, and going forward in general, is to build camaraderie amongst women, to empower women to believe in themselves and trust each other.
Read Jessica’s full application essay
My Core Values
- Spend as much time as possible out of my comfort zone
- Be committed to the moment, never let one pass by without being wholly present
- Chase adventure but never forget the people and the places that you’ve left behind
- Stay grounded
- Never walk by someone who is hurting without taking a moment to feel their pain and insist on helping
- Embrace every part of yourself
- Find beauty in pain
- Never wish to be a different version of yourself, only strive to be a better version of yourself
- Always strive to see the best in others, a person should be the best version of themselves in your eyes
- Always look for the silver lining, even in life’s most tragic ironies
- There’s a fine line between spontaneity and recklessness; be mindful of this but never stop pushing your limits
- Listen to other people, there is so much you can learn if you truly pay attention
- Be unique
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The Foundation has awarded more than 150 Adventure Scholarships to people who have a dream, believe in the Core Values Matter philosophy and were able to demonstrate financial need. Our Adventure Scholars are a distinctive group of students, athletes, and others. We believe you'll find someone here you can identify with, or perhaps you will help us make this outstanding team of individuals even more diverse and inclusive.
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