Alumni and Friends of Principia
If exploring the nearby woods and prairies or traveling to the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers sounds intriguing, choose one of these special programs focused on outdoor learning. Each is offered during the second week of Summer Session (July 17–24) and is included in the price.
John Lyon, Lewis & Clark Scholar
In 1804, just a few miles from Principia College's current location, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched an expedition of the Corps of Discovery into the unknown territory along the Missouri River. Get a feel for what Lewis and Clark must have experienced as they prepared for and then undertook their westward journey.
After a brief meeting in the classroom each morning, we’ll travel to the many sites in the area that provide firsthand information about the expedition. Along with learning about the expedition, you’ll experience for yourself some of the places and sensations Lewis and Clark first beheld more than 200 years ago.
Here are a few of the sites we’ll visit:
Bring comfortable shoes; this class involves lots of walking, climbing, and exploring. We also plan to spend time on the river experiencing what it’s like to paddle against the current!
This program runs 11:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Week Two of Summer Session. Currently waitlisted.
Lauren Hinchman, M.S., visiting professor
Uniquely positioned on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, Principia College is a haven for hardwoods, wildflowers, songbirds, deer, red fox, groundhogs, coyote, snakes, lizards, and a variety of raptors, including the soaring red-tailed hawk. In other words, it’s a laboratory begging to be explored and investigated—which is exactly what we’ll do in this class!
Each day will include extensive exploration of the wildlife habitats and ecosystems on the College campus and surrounding area. Through hands-on investigations, identification, field studies, interpretation, tracking, photography, hiking, nature journaling, and discussion of natural history, you’ll learn about endangered species, invasive and non-native species, habitat preservation, migration, and patterns in nature.
Our investigations will focus not only on the relationships of the wildlife to their surrounding ecosystems, but on the specific adaptations that different organisms make to their environment. In addition, we’ll observe some of the ways organisms respond to and cope with fire, natural disturbances, population fluctuations, and human-induced habitat alteration.
The class includes a day trip to Meramec Caverns, where we’ll explore the natural history of the flora and fauna that live in and around this spectacular cave system. The trip offers other wildlife viewing opportunities and time to explore the nearby Meramec River as well, along with a chance to practice our identification skills in this unique environment.
Early morning outings, hiking, and daily field trips are the heart of this class experience, so bring your boots along with your spirit of adventure and love of the outdoors!
Depending on the day, this program may begin as early as 6:30 a.m. and go as late as 5:00 p.m. (times will vary by day), Week Two of Summer Session.
