Four Years, Four Seasons: Outing Club Offers Students A Chance To Roam And Explore
Do you possess a sense of wonder?
Are you a trailblazing type?
Enjoy roaming and exploring?
Then Keene State might be the perfect fit for you.
Better still, the college’s popular 100-student-strong Outing Club might be just the adventure you seek at the next stop in your education. Think about it: Four years to enjoy four seasons to tap your love of outdoor activities, connect with nature and enjoy a variety of recreational outings with like-minded peers.
To whet your appetite: White-water rafting, mountain hiking, skiing and snowboarding, ice climbing, indoor bouldering, top rope climbing, and group excursions indoors and out. And there’s more.
Club members don’t think about just themselves. A contingent of members and advisors recently volunteered at the Winter Special Olympics at Waterville Valley Resort. The trip was a rewarding opportunity and a meaningful resume add-on.
Katherine Rosen ’25, club vice president, joined the club during her first semester on campus to learn how to ski, but the experience became so much more.
“Climbing on the Sea Cliffs in Acadia National Park was nothing short of euphoric,” the Dartmouth, Massachusetts, native said. “I was the last person to climb and each other person on that trip was encouraging me and cheering me on. Truly a favorite memory. Another highlight was leading the club at Waterville Valley. We had 20 volunteers give their time and it was a great experience.”
Keene State offers 66 student-run organizations, which include honor societies and fraternity and sorority life. With 223 students on its mailing list, the Outing Club is the largest. In all, nearly 900 students are on an organization roster at a college that also boasts 22 Division III varsity teams, including the recent additions of men’s and women’s ice hockey and esports, plus cheerleading.
The Outing Club is a powerful opportunity for personal growth, and here it can also be a part of a college student’s journey of discovery, said Bert Poirier, club advisor.
Passionate about rock climbing and all things outdoors, Zachary Christie ’25, from Newark, Delaware, said Outing Club was a perfect fit. Today he is the club president.
“Making trips accessible and fun and having a variety of experiences to cater to any student who wants to get involved,” are his priorities.
He is proud of the club’s growth during his leadership: A huge surge in membership (300 are on the club mailing list) and hosted events have grown from two during Zachary’s first semester to more than 20 today.
“We’re organized behind the scenes, which makes that possible,” he said. “Where we do not have a college department handling outdoor education and recreation, we have been able to build a 100-percent student-operated organization devoted to providing great outdoor experiences.”
A business management major with a specialization in human resources and social media, Katherine is an Orientation Leader and a Community Assistant in one of the college’s residence halls.
“Seeing that the Outing Club is successful and sustainable is important to me. As an Orientation Leader, you get the biggest opportunity to make sure your students feel like a part of the community and want to stay here. I hope that will be a measure of the mark I leave when I graduate.” “You don’t need to be overly involved,” she added. “Find at least one thing you are interested in and run with that, and you’re experience will be better for that.”
Zachary is pursuing degrees in business management and economics as a double major. He is also a student representative on the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees and a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
Time in the outdoors grants him a chance to throttle down and find peace of mind.
