Valparaiso University Alumni Sam Peterson, Anna Rathmann, David Martens and Martin Rathmann

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Oct. 4, 2010 – Nearly a decade after forming a bond of friendship while studying in Europe, four Valparaiso University alumni reunited in August to climb Africa’s iconic Mount Kilimanjaro and share their passion for adventure.

Anna Nuechterlein Rathmann (‘02) said the roots of the ascent were put down in the spring of 2001, when she studied abroad in Reutlingen, Germany, with Sam Peterson (‘03) and David Martens (‘03), while her future husband, Martin Rathmann (‘03), studied in Cambridge, England.

“That’s where we became close friends,” she said. “Our love of travel also was born out of that experience that we had together, and it’s so important to have an understanding of other countries and cultures. We owe a lot to that experience we had through Valpo.”

Overseas study a mind-opening experience

For each of the four friends, the semester at a Valpo Study Center in England or Germany was transformative, deepening their understanding of the world while gaining confidence in their ability to handle new challenges.

Martens, whose aunt and uncle had previously studied in Valpo’s Reutlingen program, recalled that philosophy professor and then-resident director Kevin Geiman excelled at teaching his cohort about local history and culture, as well as encouraging the students to ask questions and open their minds to new perspectives.

“He stirred the pot a bit when were together in class and during group trips,” said Martens, a project director for RNSolutions Inc. at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “He encouraged us to have conversations with one another that we wouldn’t otherwise have gotten into. Being exposed to different ideas and experiences really helped us think more deeply about our own beliefs and how other people see the world.”

In Cambridge, Martin Rathmann, now a senior client services manager for GAP Solutions Inc., said that resident director Katherine Antommaria helped students develop a close-knit community by teaching a culinary class that investigated world cultures in the context of their food.

“On the last day of class each week, we would prepare a new meal with food from whatever culture we were studying at the time,” he said. “That was a very valuable thing, because food is a good way to start getting to know another culture and bring people together.”

Peterson said that his time in Germany and traveling throughout Europe – including a memorable trip during which he hitchhiked across the militarized border between Greece and Turkey – strengthened his sense of confidence and self-sufficiency.

“There were times that we’d step off the train in the middle of the night, in a place where we didn’t speak the language, with no prearranged place to stay and no real sense of where we were headed,” said Peterson, now an attorney for the Ohio Attorney General’s Environmental Enforcement Section. “And everything always worked out. More often than not, it worked out incredibly well.”

One of Peterson’s only regrets from his time in Valpo’s Reutlingen program was not joining Anna Rathmann on a trip to Egypt near the end of the semester because he was running low on cash for an airline ticket.

“I vowed never to let that happen again, so when the opportunity came to go with my friends to Kilimanjaro I immediately said yes, because these are once in a lifetime opportunities,” said Peterson.

Ascent to Kilimanjaro

The challenge of climbing snow-covered Kilimanjaro, at 19,341 feet the highest point in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world, captivated Anna Rathmann at an early age.

“Mount Kilimanjaro is one of those iconic places in Africa and with climate change that’s taking place, the snow on the mountain is disappearing,” said Rathmann, who works for the National Geographic Society. “We wanted to experience that now before it’s gone.”

But the summit attempt – which would require the Valpo alumni to ascend nearly three vertical miles to an altitude where there is less the half the amount of oxygen available as at sea level – required months of preparation.

Each of the friends exercised regularly to boost their endurance in an attempt to stave off the side effects of altitude sickness, including headaches, nausea and insomnia, while also getting numerous vaccinations. The group also regularly talked via Skype to discuss what gear they were purchasing for the expedition.

“I didn’t want to fail because I didn’t work hard enough ahead of time to make sure I was in good shape,” Peterson said. “I also did a lot of reading about what to expect from the trek. Mental preparedness is almost as important as being in good physical condition.”

The group departed Washington, D.C., together on Aug. 6, and after a short rest, set off on their summit attempt on Aug. 10. Four days later, after climbing 15,000 feet from the base of the mountain and through the rain forest that covers the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, the group reached Uhuru Peak, the highest summit on Kibo crater, one of three volcanic cones that compose Mount Kilimanjaro.

“As the tallest mountain that you can climb without any technical climbing skills, Kilimanjaro has always captured my imagination,” Peterson said. “Reaching the top is not an easy feat. On top of the altitude, there’s also the glacier and snow. To endure the rigors of the climb, especially the altitude, and ultimately reach the summit, is an accomplishment that we will all be proud of forever.”

The four friends plan to enjoy many more adventures in the years to come, and they remain grateful for how their Valpo experience has broadened their horizons.

“We live in a fascinating world and studying abroad should be the first of many adventures,” Anna Rathmann said. “Never let your passport expire!”