Virginia Tech alumnus promotes North Carolina trail from mountains to sea

On these lovely fall or spring afternoons throughout his undergraduate days, Brent Laurenz usually discovered himself debating between taking a hike on certainly one of Southwest Virginia’s quite a few trails or making the prudent choice of going to class.
 
Class received out each time.
 
“After all,” Laurenz stated, smiling.
 
Laurenz ’02 discovered a ardour for the outside throughout his days at Virginia Tech, and he now has turned that zeal right into a dream profession. In January, he took over as the chief director of Buddies of the Mountains-to-Sea Path, a nonprofit group primarily based in Raleigh, North Carolina, devoted to enhancing and preserving the favored cross-state pathway.
 
Laurenz graduated with a level in psychology from the School of Science with minors in English and sociology. After working for nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C., and pursuing his grasp’s diploma from George Washington College, he moved to Raleigh in 2009, persevering with his work within the nonprofit realm.
 
Final 12 months, an commercial for his present job flowed to his e mail inbox, and he was intrigued.
 
“I form of fell in love with North Carolina and all the nice outdoor stuff that it needed to supply, and one of many first issues I stumbled throughout once I moved right here was the Mountains-to-Sea Path,” he stated. “It is only a place to hike and revel in nature and form of get out into the world, within the forest, within the woods.
 
“Then this job popped up, and I felt prefer it was a good time in my profession for one thing like this. A few of my nonprofit expertise lined up properly with what the group was on the lookout for, after which simply bringing that private ardour for mountaineering and being outdoor, it actually was the proper marriage of the 2.”
 
The Mountains-to-Sea Path stretches 1,175 miles from Clingman’s Dome within the Nice Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee-North Carolina border to Nags Head on the Outer Banks. Parts of the path run in tandem with components of North Carolina’s 12 official state trails, and a few at the moment observe roadways whereas off-road choices are pursued. Most hikers use the path for day hikes, although many have taken the three to 4 months wanted to hike the path in its entirety.
 
Laurenz, who oversees a six-person employees, represents the nonprofit group at public occasions, works with volunteers and contractors to restore sections and construct bridges alongside the path, helps plan new sections of the path, assists volunteer outings to take care of the path, manages advertising efforts, and connects with donors whose monetary presents are necessary to the path’s existence.
 
“That is actually been one of many enjoyable components, simply attending to know individuals who care about one thing and both dedicate time, power, cash, no matter it’s to assist see or not it’s profitable and continue to grow,” Laurenz stated. “It has been lots of enjoyable. The primary half 12 months was lots of acclamation and getting my ft beneath me, however I really feel like I am getting the grasp of every thing and excited for 12 months two, for certain.”