GU Outdoors Expands to New Horizons
2023 was the year of change for Gonzaga Outdoors. Staff members traded their hideaway in the Hemmingson basement for a building of their own with nearly triple the space. The department also has plans to expand its programming as the added room opened more opportunities for outdoor education and guided trips.
Tasha Block, director of Outdoor Programs, joined the department in August 2022, just in time to witness the move to the new building, located on Sharp Avenue and Pearl Street. “I think the beautiful thing about it is it serves our needs right now and we have space for continued growth and expansion.”
In the past, space constraints required GU Outdoors to prepare for excursions in other areas, like the basement of Madonna. Now, staff can orchestrate multiple trips out of their headquarters without having to haul gear to another location.
One challenge with the new location is being farther from the student center. “We have to work harder to make sure that incoming students know where we are and to make this space accessible and easy for folks.”
So, they’ve added couches and seating areas to encourage students to do homework or hang out, especially while waiting on services like bike repairs. Having the bike shop in the same space helps GU Outdoors truly feel like a more complete community.
“I think it’s really neat for office staff to be able to learn about tuning or repairing bikes and for bike shop staff to expand their outdoor knowledge into fixing tents and learning about all these different things,” Block said.
In 2023, Gonzaga in the Wilderness set its sights on Glacier National Park in Montana, teaching ethics and a parks, forests and wildlife environmental course. In 2024, students will explore Puget Sound with professors Brook Swanson teaching marine biology and Heather Easterling teaching reading and writing in the Northwest.
Greg Gordon, environmental studies, is happy to see the rotation of faculty to offer a variety of experiences.
“The idea that we had all along was to try to create a type of program that combines what GU Outdoors does with educational experiences,” said Gordon.
Gordon believes the program benefits students in more ways than just course credits, however. On the trip, students have no service or access to the internet, which he believes is a boon. “I think kids are dealing with a lot of stress and mental health issues in recent years and the opportunity to get away from things is increasingly rare. I think it’s really helpful for students to just be in their own state of mind, to be able to experience a different way of being in the world.”
Through its expansion, GU Outdoors will encourage more students to take part in nature while also preserving it, a belief Block echoes.
“I’ve worked with a lot of college-age students, and I think Gonzaga really helps people believe that they do have the power to make change in the world,” Block says.