Alumni Story

Catawba champions life-long learning, but also creates an environment to achieve your potential through the work of the Lilly Center.”

By the definition of the word “trailblazer,” without a doubt, Luke Halton is one. His appreciation for North Carolina’s history, geography, and climate not only inspired him to attend Catawba College, it also influenced his path since. “Catawba had a beautiful campus with small class sizes, and the Admissions Office invited me to join the Honors Program,” Luke says. At Catawba, he also became an Academic All-Conference basketball player, cross-country runner, Honor Court Justice, and Philomathean Society Member.

Luke declared his major late. He explains that he wanted “a pragmatic degree to start a career” and chose Information Systems. However, the elective courses were just as valuable to quality of life. “My electives allowed me to indulge in escapism, while providing an interdisciplinary challenge.”  Luke’s success through teamwork, appetite for exploration, education in software programming, even time spent running on wooded trails with cross-county, may have foreshadowed and uniquely prepared him to shape his life the way he wants to live it.

Luke founded a nonprofit organization last summer to improve outdoor recreation access on the NC coast. Called THE OBX WAY - “OBX” being the abbreviation for The Outer Banks - the nonprofit allows Luke to document intellectual assets, formally establish public paths, and share free digital guides with outdoor enthusiasts. In January 2023, Luke announced his signature project, Jockey’s Trail, a 50-mile hiking route that connects Nags Head to the NC/VA border. Luke explains that he named the route “Jockey’s Trail”, because “it begins at Jockey’s Ridge, where locals and natives caught and raced wild horses in the dunes. The trail ends in Carova, where Spanish horses have roamed for centuries. The hike is a 4-day pilgrimage into the past.”

“I became enraptured by Outer Banks history while creating the trail and intentionally included significant cultural landmarks.”  The path travels along maritime forest, multi-use path, greenway, and estuarine reserve as jockeys encounter: The Wright brothers Memorial, Duck Boardwalk, Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, and Center for Wildlife Education before finishing at the NC/VA Border Monument. The route also prioritizes safety, with only 3.5 miles on road-shoulder, marked on an interactive map which also includes public service waypoints.

The route is finished, but Luke’s vision for it is not. “My long-term plan is to establish hostels for registered hikers in the tradition of Outer Banks hunt clubs and lifesaving stations, similar to the Camino de Santiago albergues. Currently, camping is not allowed, so I need to develop creative solutions to improve social, physical, and economic inclusivity. I am also partnering with the Outer Banks Community Foundation to create shorter day-hikes for locals and visitors. Most of my ideas are inspired from hiking the MST, Ireland, and Camino from Madrid in 2021.”

Looking back at his time at Catawba, Luke recommends that students ask about financial aid. “You may be surprised by the programs that can make your experience more affordable.”  He also suggests, “Build up your GPA your first two years to have a more flexible last two. Be a good roommate, clean up after yourself. Tell people you appreciate them, especially the cafeteria, maintenance, and landscape staff.” He adds, “Catawba champions life-long learning, but also creates an environment to achieve your potential through the work of the Lilly Center.”

Asked if there was anything during his student years that he would do over, Luke has one specific decision he would change. “I had a break-away at the end of a home basketball game. I scored a textbook layup… I should have dunked it!  Shoulda, coulda, woulda,” in retrospect. “I’ve recently adopted the mantra, ‘Just do the best you can with what you have.’  It’s working.”  It’s easy in hindsight to see what could have been done differently, but experience often brings wisdom, particularly to those that pause to reflect on their journey, as Luke clearly knows.

And as for Luke?  Look for him on a road less traveled, forging a path where none exists. “I am planning to kayak from Ocracoke to Calabash in December. But first, I’d like to learn to fish, use a trolling magnet, and find a kayak. In the meantime, please come see me at the CookShak in Nags Head on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s the best fried chicken on the Outer Banks.”