Situated at the heart of its own outdoor paradise, Walla Walla University has a unique understanding of the great educational value of God’s creation. This summer, a group of 20 students and sponsors will travel to Greece to climb Mount Olympus and learn from the culture and history of the iconic peak.

“There are tremendous spiritual, mental, and physical benefits to getting outside into beautiful places, doing hard things with good friends,” said Darren Wilkins, vice president of student life. “This new opportunity exemplifies WWU’s historic willingness to take on rugged challenges with shared accomplishment, beauty, and connection to God being the priceless rewards.”

The group will not only summit Olympus but also spend time exploring Athens, Chania, and the island of Crete. They will come to the space with some academic context built from required readings. 

The inaugural trip is the first of five annual summer trips which will take students to Mount Ararat, Kilimanjaro, Fuji, and Sinai. Each mountain is held sacred by different people groups and provides unique learning opportunities for those who study and experience them.

Posted June 3, 2024