Here at Overland we love to share about our amazing leader staff. These incredible role-models come from colleges and universities around the U.S. spending 8-weeks of their summer inspiring countless Overland students on trips around the world. In fact, when you look back on your summer you might remember your leader cheering you on during a hike, braiding your hair, helping you through a tough moment, cooking a fantastic meal, or starting a ridiculous game of contact. Overland leaders truly do it all! Our Leader Hiring Team spends the year hiring new, and returning, leaders to help create a staff that numbers around 150. Every year, about 50% of our staff is leaders returning for their second, third, fourth, or maybe fifth year. Keep reading below to learn more about one of those multi-year leaders: Julia Roellke.
Julia Roellke spent six summers leading for Overland and one summer working in the office. In that time she has traveled from the Blue Ridge Mountain to the Alps in Switzerland and back. Julia has led over 154 students of which 10 have become leaders. Some of those former students, turned leaders, have themselves led for four years! It is an incredible legacy that speaks to the kind of role model Julia is and what every Overland leader aspires towards.
We took some time to hear from some of the incredible young women who Julia has inspired to lead for Overland. We heard about how Julia’s students looked up to her as a leader, mentor and friend.
Without fail, Julia’s students wrote about her as a friend. Emma, Julia’s student on Norway Expedition, said that the thing she most admired about Julia as a leader was that she was a genuine friend to all of her students. Margo, who first met Julia on Alpine Challenge, agreed, writing that she has been grateful to have Julia as a friend since their time together in Switzerland.
Julia has continued to be a mentor for her students long after their trip ended. Elise and Rebecca, who joined Julia in Switzerland and Norway respectively, spoke about how they turned to Julia for references and advice for college and jobs. Both have become amazing Overland leaders in their own right – a testament to what they learned from Julia’s leadership.
Finally, Julia’s students spoke about how Julia inspired them to become leaders themselves. Jenna said that Julia first inspired her to be a leader when Jenna was her student on Blue Ridge Explorer in 2017 and that Julia has continued to inspire her as a leader today. Jenna hopes to have the same impact on her own Overland students that Julia had on her.
Rebecca wrote that Julia is “the embodiment of the Overland ethos: brave, team player, tenacious, and kind”. And we couldn’t agree more! We are so grateful to have role models like Julia as a part of our community.
Stories like this one echo throughout the Overland community. Every student that applies to become an Overland trip leader speaks to their desire to give back to a community that helped inspire them. Applicants talk about how their leaders’ taught them to be more confident in themselves and create friendships with those around them. They reflect on how a summer spent with Overland would allow for an opportunity to do something similar and introduce the next generation of Overland students to the beauty of the outdoors and the magic of an Overland summer.
