SOAR classes take you out of the classroom for hands-on learning in the field. Students choose from a variety of skill-based courses, from backpacking to kayaking to rock climbing to cross-country skiing. Each skill-oriented course focuses on technique as well as leadership and decision-making.

Outdoor Adventure Recreation focuses on relationships. Specifically, at Simpson University we focus on four relationships—our relationship with ourselves, with others, with God, and with the environment. As our students learn about the outdoor environment and how to interact with it, they also learn how to foster healthy relationships within that environment. Students are encouraged to learn in community with one another and to make personal applications to their lives. Educating outdoor leaders is about educating the whole person.

It is hard to care for what you don’t understand. It is for this reason that our program contains may curricular components of environmental stewardship and Creation Care. The SOAR program introduces natural science relevant to leading people in the outdoors. By learning the many ecological principles God has established within His Creation, our students are better prepared to be stewards of it. This moral consideration extends not just to our own species but to the whole of the created order as we attempt to usher in the shalom that Jesus inaugurated in his incarnation. Thus, by following the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics all our wilderness travel, we believe we come a little closer to acting justly, loving mercy, and walking with our God.

Within the SOAR program, the three domains described above (Outdoor Recreation, Personal and Social Development, Environmental Stewardship) are taught from a Christian perspective. In fact, the central aim of our program is to facilitate the development of Christ-like character. The outdoors – through the three domains – are our means of doing so.

• Intro to Outdoor Adventure Recreation
• Wilderness Journey Practicum
• Outdoor Living Skills  
• Group Processing and Program Design        
• Survey of Leadership Theories         
• Environmental Education
• Expedition Management
• Challenge Education
• Recreational and Camp Programming
• Solitude and the Outdoors
• Senior Seminar

• Downhill Skiing
• Snowshoeing/Winter Camping
• Rock Climbing  
• Mountaineering
• Orienteering
• Mountain Biking
• Kayaking
• Canoeing
• Hiking
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Backpacking

Simpson’s Outdoor Adventure Recreation degree program trains outdoor leaders through both theory-based and skill-acquisition courses. However, the major’s focus on experiential education integrates theory and practice. The best way to learn how to lead is by getting experience leading. This is accomplished through significant field time – wilderness expeditions, winter term and Spring break intensives, and elective skill courses or your choice.

Simpson University is an ideal location for outdoor adventures and recreation. To the east, one quickly encounters Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Traveling further, one is confronted by the towering peaks of the Trinity Alps Wilderness, which is bordered by the Wild and Scenic Trinity River. This beautiful river flows to the Lost Coast area of Northern California, and is flanked by both state and national Redwood parks. To the north, along the Sacramento River, one soon discovers why the Redding area is famous for its fly fishing. Continue driving and one will soon see the toothy profile of Castle Crags State Park, and the looming mass of 14 179 ft. glaciated Mt. Shasta. To the west, the scenery is no less spectacular. From campus, the horizon is dominated by an alpine ridge extending between Lassen Peak and Brokeoff Mountain, which both reside within Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Combining academic-depth, leadership proficiency and training in a variety of outdoor recreational skills, the SOAR program puts you on the right track to further your education or to begin pursuing a career in various fields. Outdoor Adventure Recreation integrates well with the disciplines of psychology, business, ministry, kinesiology and environmental science. Students may take courses from these other majors and apply them as within the SOAR major. This flexibility is built into the major, enabling students are able to tailor their education to their learning needs and professional interests. Here are some of the ways our students are currently using or intend to use their degree:

• State and National Park Systems
• Camp Programming and Administration
• Adventure-Based Outdoor Programs
• College and Community Recreation Programs
• Adventure Guiding
• Environmental Education
• Wilderness Therapy
• Running Your Own Adventure Business
• Working for Non-Profit Agencies Such As the YMCA
• Going to Graduate School

1. To understand the historical, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of outdoor leadership and integrate them into personal philosophy and practice
   • To analyze merits of different styles of outdoor leadership in various eras and cultures
   • To identify aspects of outdoor adventure and recreational programs which contribute to personal and spiritual growth
   • To articulate in oral and written forms the “why” behind their own particular leadership style
2. To display Christian character while taking on expanding leadership roles
   • To care for the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of their participants
   • To take initiative in seeking out roles of responsibilityTo demonstrate sound judgement and decision making
   • To lead with integrity, vulnerability and honesty
3. To demonstrate technical proficiency in leading groups in adventure and recreational experiences
   • To achieve foundational skill levels in a variety of outdoor pursuits
   • To manage group dynamics to build community and enable the group and individuals to achieve their goals
   • To design programs that are safe, philosophically grounded and spiritually impactful
4. To evaluate sustainable environmental practices and apply them appropriately to personal and professional life
   • To integrate the Biblical call to stewardship into their lifestyle and environmental ethic
   • To build “leave no trace” habits into their outdoor experiences
5. To effectively facilitate learning through experiential education
   • To design lessons which involve students actively in the learning process
   • To guide meaningful reflection drawing learning from experiences