"I honestly made friendships that I feel will last a lifetime. Met some amazing people, learned so many new skills and got to reconnect with God in such an amazing way!”
— TWU Journey 2021 participant
Imagine spending ten days in the wilderness together with a group of peers and mentors. While paddling, hiking and exploring the great outdoors, you are guided to reflect on your identity, beliefs and dreams for the future.
This is what the TWU Journey experience this August at Wells Gray Provincial Park (B.C.) will provide.
Last summer, the inaugural Journey saw 17 students and six instructors traveling to Wells Gray Provincial Park for a week-long canoe trip and wilderness adventure. For many, it was the experience of a lifetime.
“Just know how proud you should be for organizing this trip,” one participant expressed afterwards. “The impact it's had is still with me. This is probably the best thing I've ever been a part of at this school, and I mean that.”
“I honestly made friendships that I feel will last a lifetime,” another student enthused. “Met some amazing people, learned so many new skills and got to reconnect with God in such an amazing way!”
In addition to living in the wilderness away from the noise of urban and digital life and engaging in a variety of outdoor activities, students are challenged to reflect on a series of questions designed to foster their own personal growth and to journal their thoughts. This outdoor exploration and inner reflection is done together in community with peers and mentors, supporting the students.
“I now have a better understanding of myself and how I consciously, and subconsciously cope with stress and anxiety,” said one student on the trip’s outcomes.
“I got to see myself through other people’s eyes and learned to love myself as a child of God,” said another.
Jared Ginter, Director of Athletic Facilities and Recreation, knows the power of the great outdoors in helping people function better. He’s seen firsthand the positive impact of letting people simply be away from the noise, stress and speed of city life, even if only for a week’s time.
Being outdoors can help bring mental clarity. “In nature, we cognitively function at our best,” he said. “When we take students to this new environment, their ability to do things is magnified.”
Now for the second summer in a row, Jared and his team will be leading students on an outdoor adventure and helping them to consider the critical questions of “Who am I? Who is God? Who will I become?” —questions that work in tandem with how TWU's Centre for Calling and Career Development prepares students. In between times of deep reflection and peer discussion, the group will be paddling on the lake, hiking in the woods, and living life in the great outdoors.
TWU Journey 2022
Explore the outdoors on a 10-day canoe trip August 14-26, 2022 with TWU Recreation and OMADA Teambuilding for a unique opportunity to disconnect from the busyness and reconnect with God. First and second year students are invited to adventure through Wells Gray Provincial Park alongside experienced outdoor leaders. As a bonus, this year the trip will earn you 3-credit hours with HKIN 216. Limited spots available. Sign up before March 23. For more info visit https://www.twu.ca/recreation/journey.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier global Christian liberal arts University. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.