Education Professor’s Research to Involve Geocaching Activity on Campus

Members of the Duquesne University community should be aware that geocaching will be occurring on campus through the end of the year and again in the spring semester in conjunction with a faculty member’s research project.

Dr. David Delmonico, professor of counselor education in the School of Education, is conducting ongoing research to determine whether geocaching can improve student wellness and academic performance.

Geocaching is a recreational activity in which participants use coordinates and a handheld GPS unit to hunt for hidden objects or “treasures.” The Department of Public Safety is aware of the project and has a list and photos of each geocache container and its respective location on campus. The majority of the containers will be labeled “geocaching.” Faculty, staff and students who come across a geocaching container are asked to leave it in place.

“I started geocaching with my own son when he was in Boy Scouts and we have been geocaching for the past six years,” Delmonico said. “It’s an enjoyable activity that also has a number of holistic health benefits. Geocaching can get people moving and contribute to their physical wellness, but it can also be a social event when you geocache with others, or a psychologically health activity by getting people out into nature, which has been shown to help alleviate depression and anxiety.”

A recent gift was made to the Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education from donors who wanted to see more research and creative activities with individuals with intellectual and development disabilities. This spurred Delmonico to invite members of the Saint Anthony School Program at Duquesne to participate in the study.

“We hope that students in the program will benefit in multiple ways from geocaching, including learning how to geocache on their own once the program is complete,” Delmonico said. “If you see a group of students having fun while searching in the bushes on campus, they are probably geocaching.”