The great outdoors

For 20 years, University of Redlands’ Outdoor Programs (OP) has been more than just a place to enjoy nature and recreation. What started as a senior project by Johnston Center alumna Andrea Chartier ’04, ’07 has since evolved into a cornerstone of student life, offering students opportunities to forge leadership skills, make lifelong connections, and create lasting memories.

As Redlands celebrates the program's 20 years on campus, those who have worked closely with OP reflect on the impact the program has made on their lives and the campus community.

For students like Giana Disbrow ’25, the OP experience begins before classes even start, through programs like First-Year Journey (FYJ). This pre-orientation program immerses incoming first-year in nature, while helping them form bonds with their peers and gain an early sense of belonging on campus.

For Disbrow, an enthusiastic double major in media and communication and business management, her FYJ trip to Big Sur was a defining moment. “The group that I was in ended up being all my closest friends right now,” she said, a testament to the program’s power to cultivate connections.

While continuing to participate in various OP trips during her time at Redlands, Giana was inspired to become a trip leader and is currently an apprentice to become one.

As Giana continued participating in OP’s various trips, her admiration for the program deepened, eventually inspiring her to become a trip leader. She is currently an apprentice, working toward leading her own outdoor expeditions. “A big part of it was my way of giving back to the program,” Giana said. “It genuinely helped me transition to college and grow into myself, especially in terms of leadership, which was something I hadn’t done a lot in high school. In college, I wanted to challenge myself.”

To become a trip leader, students must apply, be accepted as an apprentice, lead both one day trip and one overnight trip, and become certified as a wilderness first responder.  The journey is designed to push students out of their comfort zones and help them develop crucial leadership and decision-making skills.

For Lang, the most rewarding part of OP has been the relationships built through shared experiences in the outdoors. “It might be nerve-wracking at first, but people are always happy when they participate,” she said. Her own leadership journey—one that includes running training week for new trip leaders and managing logistics—has not only helped her grow but has also reinforced the sense of camaraderie and support that OP fosters.

“I don’t think people realize how special the bonding is over a trip – how much closer you get to people,” Lang said, encouraging others to join OP. “The trip is great but the bonding of people in the community is what makes it fun. It might be nerve-wracking at first, but people are always happy when they participate.”

Former OP director and frequent collaborator Andrew Hollis ’11, has continued to be the “goal of good” for U of R and has continually helped build a community among peers.

“It’s a program that puts community first and foremost and creates opportunities for everyone,” Hollis said. “Whether you're a participant, an apprentice, a trip leader, or a director, to learn how to be the best version of themselves and practice that.”

Even after leaving the University in 2021, Hollis has volunteered his time to train trip leader apprentices, including Disbrow, and hopes the program will continue to become more physically accessible, challenge itself, and get people outdoors.

“Whether you're hiking up Crafton Hills or doing a five-day backpacking trip in Zion National Park, you feel like the outdoors is for you, and that you can have an opportunity to grow and build community,” Hollis said. “I think that's always been the goal and I think will always be the goal for the program.”

As OP celebrates two decades of fostering leadership, community, and personal growth, its legacy continues to resonate with students, alumni, and staff. From the initial spark of Andrea Chartier’s senior project to the friendships and leadership opportunities created, OP has become an integral part of life at Redlands. For generations of students, the program has proven that the path to leadership often starts with stepping outside—into the wild, and into the community that awaits there.

Learn more about Outdoor Programs.