Men's soccer player Cory Chase is no stranger to time management or hard work; and as a multi-sport athlete, he has long since mastered balancing classes and practices.  But this past summer, Chase took his experiences nearly 10,000 miles away to hone his leadership skills through a program called Challenge Australia. 

Challenge Australia, a program run by International Studies Abroad | GlobaLinks Learning Abroad has designed a short-term program with student goals in mind. It is built around a unique Discovery Model which is delivered by some of the best staff in study abroad, both in the U.S. and overseas, in order to provide an individualized experience through discovery in 5 key areas: personal, academic, cultural, social, and career. 

Chase and his fifteen counterparts traveled across the country working on various projects with a central leadership theme. Some days the group completed community service projects while other days were spent learning about the local geography and culture. 

"I was really interested in how Australians had so many similarities with the US but did some really basic things differently. Some social norms or political systems were different but everything still functions at a high level."

Chase spent a total of two weeks with other students in the program. Each day, the students rotated who would lead for the day. This experience allowed Chase the opportunity to appreciate different leadership styles. 

"The hardest day was when we were dropped at a remote location and were told to, 'find the waterfall'. We could only use a very finite amount of resources. It was really challenging, but probably the day that we grew the most."

As Chase wraps up his soccer season and prepares for basketball, the lessons he learned are relevant daily. "This trip made me more aware. I am more comfortable speaking up now. I'm also more comfortable with the fact that leaders don't always know the answer, but can still guide a group."

The men's soccer team ended its season last weekend with a 1-0 win against Lyndon St. while the basketball team will open its season with a road game against Keene State on November 15th. 

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