A new Outdoor Leadership Center is reigniting Bemidji State University’s tradition of outdoor education.

The center will help students explore, learn and connect through hands-on outdoor experiences. It also provides access to gear, resources and real-world training that brings BSU’s newly launched outdoor leadership certificate curriculum to life.

Jerry Smith, assistant professor of geography at BSU, said the center gives students a direct way to experience Bemidji’s natural environment.

“Many students come to Bemidji State because of the outdoors,” Smith said. “This can be the outlet they need — whether they’re checking out gear, taking a class or going on a trip. It’s a way to get them outside.”

BSU’s outdoor leadership certificate, which launched earlier this year, is supported by a $110,000 Minnesota State Industry Sector Fund grant that supports new academic programs and equipment purchases. The 15-credit program, available at both undergraduate and graduate levels, combines outdoor skills with leadership and environmental understanding. Coursework includes wilderness first aid, outdoor leadership, map use and Indigenous perspectives on sustainability and land stewardship.

Smith said the certificate drove the center’s creation, with the space serving as both a learning environment and a gathering place.

“This gear and the whole space came with the start of the certificate,” he said. “It’s about injecting outdoor education back into the academic experience at BSU.”

Students in the program gain skills in outdoor courses like environmental field skills and adventure programming, where they plan and lead outdoor trips. These experiences not only build technical knowledge but also foster teamwork, confidence and resilience.

Student Chris Lien, a criminal justice major from Barnesville, recently participated in a field skills class that included a trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

“I hadn’t experienced anything like that,” Lien said. “I didn’t know Minnesota had something like that to offer. Now I’m planning a trip there on my own this summer.”

For Smith, that type of student-led experience is exactly what the program aims to create. Each trip is designed and managed by students, giving them ownership and confidence.

“My favorite thing about leading these trips is seeing students surprise themselves,” he said. “They tackle things they didn’t think they were capable of and that confidence carries into the rest of their lives.”

Hayleigh Hazen, a wildlife biology major from New Ulm who works at the center, said the program is helping rebuild campus connections that were disrupted during the pandemic.

“We have this really cool group of women who never got to experience these kinds of things in high school because of COVID,” she said. “It’s exciting to see so many clubs and programs are coming back.”

Smith hopes the center will become more of a gathering space that helps restore BSU’s strong outdoor culture.

“I want to be an outdoor hub for the university — a place where students can meet new people, check out gear and get back outside,” he said. “The outdoors is one of the many reasons people come to Bemidji and now we have enhanced the way students experience it.”

The center will continue to expand on programming throughout the year, including clinics, workshops, and more student-led trips. For more information about the outdoor leadership certificate or to check out equipment, visit the Outdoor Leadership Center located in BSU’s Lower Hobson Union.