As the new semester at VSU begins, so does the spring program for the Campus Outdoor Recreation Experiences.

The CORE program aims to provide VSU students, faculty and staff the opportunity to learn about the outdoors, gain leadership skills, and make new friends.

This semester there are a number of weekend trips planned, including Pine Mountain backpacking, sky diving, a road trip west, and a Florida camping and cave tour.

Current VSU student and CORE staff member Mark Jackson says his outdoor background is useful when helping out with the trips.

“Pretty much all of the staff at CORE have an outdoor background,” he said. “I enjoy these events just as much as the students, so it’s a great job to have where I get to take part while working.”

CORE has specialists in each area that it offers trips for.

“Depending on the trip, there will be a different staff member depending on what skill and experience is required,” Jackson said.

For those students who cannot afford to pay for the weekend trips, CORE is also running many free events in the coming weeks including canoe battleship, and rock climbing competitions in the Recreation Center.

CORE also features a rental center where equipment such as tents, kayaks, canoes, camping stoves, wetsuits, and snorkel gear can be rented.

On Friday, CORE will offer the first of these free events when they open up the ropes course to any individuals interested in testing their skills.

The event will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday afternoon. Entry to the ropes course is down the Azalea Trail beside Sustella Parking Deck.