"The Director Made Us Do It": How skydiving bonded Spring 2010 ICAR M.S. students

“Conflict is a universal experience. Skydiving is not.” This was one of the first lessons taught to Dr. Batroli’s spring CONF 501 class.

Dr. Bartoli wanted us to appreciate that whether it is interpersonal, intergroup or even international, all of us, on some level, had experienced conflict. Regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, upbringing or religion, every human being in this world has experienced some level of conflict.  Sky diving, on the other hand, is experienced by few; the foolish and the brave.

And, if it weren’t for one student muttering to another, we probably would have left it there.  However, on a matter of impulse, one student muttered to another: “But, I have been skydiving!” A statement that was met with quiet agreement: “So have I!” That one exchange of words inspired our 501 class.  By the end of the mid-class break it was decided that skydiving would become our universal experience of CONF 501 – it would be our mission. 

Unfortunately, the spring semester is in anything but the spring. The days of ‘Stormageddon’ were not suitable for sky diving. So instead of going right then and there, we elected one student to be in charge of research, and elected another to be in charge of communication. Within weeks it was set – Dr. Bartoli’s Spring 2010 501 Class would be jumping out of a plane once the weather warmed up. 

Months went by and it was finally time to put the plan into action. One by one, students boarded the plane and then promptly plummeted to the ground. Some of us laughed, some of us shook with fear and others took pictures. And for me, all I could think was that no matter how we felt about it, we were experiencing it together. And if anyone asked why we thought this was a good idea, we could always respond with: “The Director made us do it.” We’re officially a class bonded by a Director who had no idea what he was setting in motion on the second day of class.