Alumni Information

Hello JIRP Alumni!

Whether you just finished your first summer on the icefield, or you’ve been a part of JIRP for decades, you are part of a network of more than 2000 JIRPers who live all around the world. If you have updates, memories, or photos you want to share, or even old gear you’d like to donate, please reach out using the links below. If you are interested in volunteering with JIRP in a more sustained way, you can find information about that here too.

Stay in Touch

Alumni Email List & Newsletter

JIRPerList is a listserv for JIRP student, staff, and faculty alumni. It’s a place to share opportunities for and connect with other JIRP alumni, and a forum for alumni who want to updates on how JIRP is doing, where we’re growing, and where we might be looking for volunteers to support that growth.

If you have a …

  • A grad school opening looking for applicants

  • A job opportunity in a relevant field looking for applicants

  • A visit planned to a new part of the country/world and you’re looking for a local JIRPer contact

  • Any other item of JIRP-adjacent business that would interest JIRP alumni

…you can post on JIRPerList!

Please respect your JIRPer colleagues by posting any particular item only once per week and sticking to topics that likely have wide interest in the JIRP community.

You may unsubscribe at any time.

Sign Up >

Volunteer with JIRP!

Lend a hand (or ski pole)

JIRP is growing and we need your help! Are you an alum of the program who wants to volunteer some time? We are organizing alumni “project groups” to collaborate on tasks that will make a big difference for the future of the program. Check out the projects below and reach out if you want to participate. And if you have any ideas for other alumni-led  programming or volunteer opportunities, drop us a line at  office@juneauicefield.org.

JIRP is prohibitively expensive for many students, and bringing down the cost of gear can help a great deal. We’re hoping to put together a crew of JIRPers to find ways to reduce the cost of gear for students. Are there companies that could donate big ticket items to individuals or to the program? Stores that want to support climate science education by offering discounts to students? Grants around specifically to make outdoor gear more affordable? This team will work on finding ways to help students find more affordable equipment and might include outreach to stores and companies, lists of deals and discounts, hosting gear drives, and identifying potential grants, donors, or donations.

Time commitment

Flexible, good for asynchronous/independent work, potentially could have meetings every 1-2 months to coordinate

Useful skills

  • Strong writing skills

  • Ability to convince strangers the JIRP mission is worth supporting

  • Connections with (outdoor) companies and/or stores

  • Connections with lots of outdoor folks who could donate old gear

Stoked about cheap gear? Sign up for the group by sending us an email.

Gear grants, discounts, and donations

Instructional Webinars for New JIRPers

JIRP prides itself on welcoming students who are novices to backcountry field work. We believe strongly that JIRP can be the proverbial “foot in the door” for students who didn’t grow up backcountry skiing with their family or climbing at summer camp. However, signing up for a ski mountaineering trip across an Icefield when you haven’t ever been camping makes for steep learning curve. We’d love to make this easier on our students by putting together some pre-recorded webinars on life on the icefield & the gear that gets you through it. Did you learn to ski on the icefield and want to share some tips? How do you possibly survive two months on four pairs of underwear? Why is it important to bring several pairs of socks, but only two t-shirts? What’s the difference between all the different kinds of skis? These can be 2-20 minutes, depending on your interest!

Time commitment

5-10 hours/month for a couple months

Useful skills

  • Video editing

  • Scriptwriting

  • Passion for outdoor gear

  • Stoked to be a YouTube star

Ready for the big screen? Send us your idea for a bite-sized video!

Alumni Mentorship Program

Do you have a particular skill or resource that would be helpful for our alumni? Are you an expert at giving feedback on Fulbright applications? Polishing grad school applications? Finding jobs in Antarctica? Getting guide certifications? We’re putting together a contact list to help young alumni build on their JIRP experience to focus their future work. Email us with your name, what skills, talents, or connections you’re excited to share, and any other information that would be useful.

Time commitment

Minimal—chatting or emailing with the occasional student

Useful skills

  • Reachable by email

  • Enthusiasm for mentorship

Would you love to support the next generation? Let us know!

This rest of this page is still under construction!

Check back soon for more information on updating alumni contact information, and sharing photos and stories about your JIRP experience.