Alumni Testimonials

Are you thinking about applying for Inspiring Girls Expeditions, but you want to know more about what to expect? Are you curious to learn how this program has impacted other participants? Check out some thoughts and stories from our alumni below!

“My experience with Inspiring Girls made me feel capable and strong, for on this expedition I lived on a glacier for 12 days! I hiked more miles, learned more things, used exotic equipment (at least exotic to me), lived in an extreme environment, and did things that I would never have imagined I could do before!”

- Trinity, Girls on Ice Alaska participant

"I learned just how much and how well you can get to know someone when you spend weeks with them in the wilderness. I’m confident that even if I had had years to get to know these girls in casual work or school experiences, that i would not have gotten to know them half as well.”

- Cora, Girls on Ice Cascades participant

“This expedition influenced me to pursue scientific studies. I began studying biology. Though I expressed interested in botany during the program, my studies have actually led me towards studying medicine and anthropology. I learned that my true passion is working with people. This expedition also influenced my academic in that prior to the program I was very self conscious and worried that I was not intelligent enough to study sciences. Inspiring Girls taught me that I can learn anything. Since the program I have learned more than I previously thought I was capable of, and I have even discovered a talent for teaching.”

- Kjerstan, Girls on Ice Alaska participant

“One of the biggest struggles I had on the expedition was adjusting to the cold. I was leaving the warmth of the triple-digit temperature of the dry Sonoran Desert air and immersed myself in the borderline freezing and wet weather of the fjord. Needless to say, it was a rough transition. One particular evening, all 13 of us were cramped inside our main tent to avoid the non-stop rain that had started two days prior. My instructor and I were pumping water of the trench we dug around the tent because it was pouring faster than the trench could drain the water. When we finally made it back to the tent, we were soaking wet, cold, and in my case, extremely dispirited. The camp elf - or helper - saw how much I was struggling and passed me her journal. When I opened it, I saw a water-colored Saguaro Cactus from my precious desert.”

- Jaelyn, Girls in Icy Fjords participant

“I want to start taking more time to go out in nature and sit. I will be implementing sit spot into my normal routine. I also will stop worrying less about what I look like and focus more on presenting the most authentic version of myself when I meet new people.”

- 2022 Girls in the Forest participant

“Girls on Ice inspired me immensely - I think that I really gained the courage to move away from home to pursue higher education through the program. Also, if I had never attended Girls on Ice I most likely wouldn’t have gone to college. Now, four years later, I’m about to graduate with a bachelor’s degree and I am so grateful for the experience of Girls on Ice because I’ve met so many amazing people and had so many remarkable experiences at college!”

- Bernadette, Girls on Ice Alaska participant

“I want to be more honest with those in my life about my needs, and continue to boost my own self empowerment.”

- 2022 Girls on Water participant

“Every day, we saw firsthand the science behind the Easton Glacier and had meaningful conversations about it. My group focused on how glaciers and lava interact with each other. We learned about how “cyclops eyes” and “bubble rocks” are formed. That was fascinating.”

- Cecilia, Girls on Ice Cascades participant

“The low point for me was at the beginning of the trip. I was nervous about having to share a tent with people I didn’t really know and I missed my parents. I was also worried that I hadn’t trained enough for the expedition and I wouldn’t be able to keep up. However, as we did more hikes, I became more comfortable with both my skills and my fellow participants. The highlight of the trip was our second to last day of hiking when we summited a peak in the Asulkan Valley. I remember feeling so exhilarated and proud of our accomplishment. We took so many photos and had a lot of fun at the peak.”

- Alyana, Girls on Ice Canada participant

“Before this trip I never really had a huge interest in going into the science field when i'm older just because i always thought of it as just sitting in a lab but now after this trip i realize that science is so much more than that and i find that very cool and something i would like to learn more about.”

-2022 Girls on Ice participant