This past January welcomed the addition of the new Centre-in-Tahoe program during CentreTerm 2022. Led by the associate professor of environmental studies, Brett Werner, the student attendees were able to better understand the importance of the outdoors in relation to the individual as well as to communities and economies as a whole. This group experienced hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, and skiing, and even attempted mountain biking and surfing off the coast of California. They endured zero-degree temperatures from their tents pitched upon snow ranging from 6 to 10 feet deep in the Sierras on a two-night camping trip. Werner was noted saying that the want to develop an outdoor academic program at Centre combined with his passion for teaching and for his students inspired him to create this course, which will persist for those in the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities as a semester-long program (the Tahoe Semester).
The final project of this course challenged students to connect with and understand the importance of the outdoors in society. Some explored outdoor-themed literature and some created ways to insert more environmentally-driven wellness efforts at Centre. Others conceived a business plan for possible outdoor-related nonprofits or businesses that promote cultural inclusivity and economic growth.
Warner hopes that this experience will encourage those students who were unacquainted with the outdoors to feel more connected and confident in the ability to partake in such activities whilst recognizing the many benefits they bring. He believes the more experienced students will appreciate the intricacies involved in outdoor activity, from makers of gear to motives for exploration. Each student was immersed in an environment that allowed for personal and academic growth with a focus on adventure, sustainability, and inclusivity. Warner intimates that this course will have long-lasting effects and, as quoted in the Centre College newsletter, said, “‘I hope that the kinds of lessons learned in the outdoors – about leadership, cooperation, support, and overcoming challenges – can be translated back to their lives at Centre and beyond.”