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