Pilgrimage: Wyoming

Mon., May 8-Sun., May 14, 2023

The Program

Pilgrimage: Wyoming includes a spring semester half-unit course that introduces students to the historic tradition of pilgrimage as a spiritual journey, and engages students in a variety contemplative practices that are central to many global wisdom traditions. Participants will also examine their own beliefs and experiences alongside other team members. The program centers on a travel intensive to Cody, Wyoming following the spring semester exam period. Throughout the course and while on pilgrimage in Wyoming, the team will explore fundamental ideas about meaning, purpose, and holistic well-being.

Requirements

The program is open to full-time, traditional undergraduate students. Graduating seniors are not eligible to apply. Each student will be expected to offer an open and generous heart to the experience and to their teammates. The pilgrimage will be physically and spiritually challenging, and students who participate will commit to cultivating their physical and spiritual health in preparation for the pilgrimage.

Applicants selected for the pilgrimage team will be enrolled and required to participate in a half-unit course that meets regularly throughout the spring semester. The course includes weekly readings, writing assignments, and a final reflection paper, and participants are also expected to study and engage in the spiritual practices that are a part of the pilgrimage experience. All participants should be prepared to discuss their own spiritual journeys, showing respect for differences present within the team. Applicants are encouraged to reserve Fridays from 10:30-11:45 a.m. in their spring semester class schedules.

Expenses

The Chaplaincy will cover the majority of the cost.  Participants will be responsible for any needed gear or clothing, meals while traveling to and from Wyoming, and personal spending money. Those with financial limitations or concerns should contact the trip leaders.

Logistics

The pilgrimage team will travel by air to Cody, Wyoming, where we will stay at the Thomas the Apostle Retreat Center (TAC) near the foothills of the Absaroka Mountains. Meals will be on site at the retreat center or in nearby restaurants. The group will meet for breakfast each morning before departing for daily excursions to include hiking, learning about the native heritage of the land, and visiting Yellowstone National Park. The team will return to the retreat center for dinner and team reflections every evening.

Leaders

The pilgrimage will be co-led by Craig Kocher, university chaplain, and Bryn Bagby Taylor, associate university chaplain.