The Institute will provide the opportunity for a deep exploration of contemporary questions about our public lands: How are tensions between the tourism industry and environmental preservation negotiated? What complexities are generated when differing cultures and stakeholders lay claim to a particular location? How are notions of “wilderness” constructed? The ultimate goal is for participants to engage with experiential learning strategies as a way to link discovery, knowledge, dialogue, and observation.

Professional Development for Faculty and Staff
NCHC Faculty Institutes are development opportunities for honors and non-honors faculty and administrators who wish to incorporate interdisciplinary and field-based elements into their courses and programs.

The City as Text™ experiential strategies of the Institute include reflective practices and projects adaptable to study abroad, service learning, student orientations, campus assessments, and professional development workshops as well as honors courses in any discipline. Identifying and transferring principles of integrative experiential learning are important goals of the Institute.

Institute Schedule

Thursday May 31
Participants will arrive in Cody by midafternoon. Small groups will explore Yellowstone’s eastern gateway community prior to an opening meal. Overnight in Cody.

Friday, June 1
After a morning visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, participants will travel to Cooke City via the Beartooth Highway and then explore the northeast entrance community. Overnight in Cooke City.

Saturday, June 2
The day will begin with explorations in Yellowstone’s Northern Range. After traveling through the Lamar Valley, participants will arrive at the North Entrance and the community of Gardiner. Overnight in Gardiner.

Sunday, June 3
Participants will explore Canyon Village in the park before leaving via the West Entrance. The afternoon will be spent exploring the community of West Yellowstone. Overnight in West Yellowstone.

Monday, June 4
Participants will travel through Yellowstone, exploring the Old Faithful Village and hiking along the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake. An afternoon team meeting in Grand Teton National Park will provide an opportunity to see the Teton Range. Closing dinner and overnight in Jackson.

Important Registration Information:
If you are not the director of your program, or you do not hold a current NCHC Professional Membership, you may not be in our new software system yet! You must sign up as a "Contact" prior to registering for any NCHC Faculty Institute. 

Sign up as a Contact!
Be sure to select “Contact” when creating a username for our website. You'll receive an email notification, and THEN you may start registration for the intended institute.
This will link you to your member institution in our database, so you can access member prices for any NCHC event registration. (If your institution is not a member of NCHC, please login as a guest.)

*Members receive a 50% discount on NCHC Faculty Institute Registration pricing!

Questions? Contact the NCHC office at (402) 472-9150 or nchc@unl.edu.

Trip Facilitators

Jesse Peters, Fort Lewis College
Alix Fink, Longwood University
Richard Badenhausen, Westminster College
Susan Cannata, Fort Lewis College