It’s hard to believe that this is the year us tMPAs graduate! Some students will finish in May, some in July, and others in August and  Spring Commencement is less than four months away. Last week, Spring Semester kicked off and it has been great to see everyone back on campus again after taking off five well-deserved weeks to renew and refresh.

One of the trips I took this past month was to Big Bend with four other tMPAs. Big Bend is a national park in West Texas, about a 7-8 hour drive from Austin. We arrived on a Tuesday and departed that Friday. We were car camping for two of the nights, but on Wednesday morning, we put on our packs and hiked up to the South Rim. The ascent was challenging (switchback after switchback while carrying a heavy load that included all of our water for the entire trip) and it took us 6 hours. Once at the top, we found ourselves at the edge of a 2,000′ cliff. Clouds blanketed the still landscape and we had the place to ourselves. Over the next 13 hours, we were able to catch both a breathtaking starry night sky and a magnificent sunrise.

I can’t help but draw parallels between the hike and the MPA experience. While “in it,” the end seems far off and out of reach. At times, it can be difficult to keep up ones motivation or remember look around and appreciate the view. Luckily, we have people surrounding us who are going through the same journey (as well as those supporting us from the outside), constantly lending encouragement and a helping hand. In the end we get there together, to the top. And the view is going to be spectacular.