Kutztown Geology Club Mission
The Kutztown University
Geology Club's mission is to bring together students with a
common interest in the science of Earth processes by organizing
experiential learning activities such as hikes, field trips, and
picnics. We also seek to promote Earth sciences with
pre-college young people and contribute positively to the
greater community through philanthropic service.
Building community
The Kutztown
University Geology Club builds community among students by
hosting on-campus activities (Geology-themed Movie Nights,
Geology Craft Nights, and Yoga Nights), and with local outings
(day hikes in local state parks, climbing at a nearby gym).
Some community-building activities also promote professional
development. The Kutztown University Geology Club hosts
visiting speakers from industry and academia who describe
their work and lives as professional geologists, professors,
and graduate students. The Geology Club also helps host
an annual workshop exploring issues experienced by women in
the sciences.
Other community-building
activities are philanthropic in nature. The Geology Club
hosts the annual Geology Night for Kids! program in
which kids from the local community are provided a fun,
educational evening exploring geology activities. Geology
Night for Kids! also goes on the road to provide this
experience for children in nearby towns. The Geology
Club helps young people involved in scouting earn their
achievement badges for geology and nature.
Professional enrichment
In addition to the
speaker series and workshops, the Kutztown University Geology
Club promotes professional enrichment through group travel to
professional conferences (e.g., Geological Society of
America [GSA] meetings, Pennsylvania Council of
Professional Geologists [PCPG] annual meeting), and "big
trips" to geologically important places beyond the Appalachian
geologic environment in which we live.
The Geology Club has
traveled in the past to Hawaii, Costa Rica, Peru, Arizona,
Nova Scotia Canada, Yellowstone National Park, West Virginia
[caving and white-water rafting], Puerto Rico (2015 left),
and Washington (2016 right).
Giving to others
Philanthropy
is an important value for the Kutztown University Geology
Club. In addition to our educational outreach programs
for children in the community, we do a lot of volunteer
clean-up work in the region to make everyone's experience in
the environment more enjoyable and safer.
Kutztown University Geology Club
members have also volunteered at regional
Geological Society of America meetings, combining
philanthropy with professional development.