CLEVELAND — Dr. Lynne Nagy tries to help people of all ages find the spirit of adventure within themselves. Nagy has a Ph.D. in learning and development from Cleveland State University and is a graduate studies professor in experiential learning and development at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. She practices what she preaches and applies her lessons in the classroom to the real world.
“Life is to have fun and to try new things and to try everything that you can,” said Nagy. “And you might not love everything, but at least you have that opportunity to have new experiences and to be open to all possibilities.”
She founded UltraMissions in 2010 with hopes of empowering people to stretch their limits and be adventurous. She started paddleboarding in 2008 and has watched the sport evolve into the fastest growing watersport in the U.S.
Nagy is passionate about paddleboarding and people and offers a range of water and land missions that can provide personal and professional development. She offers corporate events, which can consist of boot camps, urban missions, food crawls or customized challenges. She also coordinates special celebrations such as birthdays, bachelorette parties and the ultra-famous paddleboarding camps for kids. Each mission is unique to the group participating, but Nagy’s goal is to help people live in the moment and appreciate the now.
“The whole premise about UltraMissions is inviting people to participate and engage in their own lives. To seek adventure, problem solving, learn new things and just have a good time," said Nagy.
“I get to meet new people and make new friends, have fun, because this is like my third camp this year and it's my favorite one of them,” said Charlie Tonk, 10.
“I haven't been paddleboarding for that long, but paddleboarding is really fun,” added Charlie’s brother, Jayce Tonk, 9. “One it’s exercising your arms and two you get to come out here and swim more which me and my sister really like.”
She does what she does because the happiest people, Nagy said, are those who fill their lives with experiences, not material goods.
“So sometimes we need things like a paddleboard to go on an adventure, but to just really seize the moment and participate in life,” said Nagy.
Because as one famous quote goes, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
“I think we are meant to be here to have a good time, and to love each other and be kind, and to enjoy our moments,” said Nagy.
Nagy also has plans to launch a nonprofit called AquaMissions that will have the same premise as UltraMissions but allow people to try out other water activities such as sailing. AquaMissions will allow those who maybe can’t afford UltraMissions to be able to explore their interests and try new things as well.
UltraMissions is the Midwest’s only Academy of Surfing Instructor (ASI) accredited stand-up paddleboard training centre. For more information you can visit their website.