Member Spotlight: Bob
Date postedOctober 16, 2024
Meet Bob Tremblay!
Bob (he/him/his) grew up in Leominster, Massachusetts, and now lives in Templeton, Massachusetts. He is a Professor and Department Chair of Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership at Greenfield Community College.Tell us a bit about what you do at your organization.
I teach the majority of all of the Outdoor Leadership Courses we offer as part of our Adventure Education degree and our Outdoor Leadership certificate. These courses include wilderness backpacking, canoe expeditioning, rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, white water canoeing, challenge courses, nordic skiing, search and rescue, leadership skills, group development, and all other skills associated with muscle-powered backcountry travel and living. This requires me to spend at least 100 days in the field with students every academic year. As Department Chair I am also responsible for curriculum design, student advising, adjunct instructor hiring and supervising, work study student supervising and hiring, and equipment purchasing, risk management and safety protocols, and all of the other committee meetings and work associated with being part of a college faculty.
Tell us more about yourself!
I have been working as an outdoor leader/educator/wilderness guide since 1982 and full-time since 1988. I believe active, wilderness-based outdoor recreation and education is an important tool in creating an environmentally-literate and active populace. The outdoor recreation industry is also a great economic engine for placing a value on large open spaces and environments with the intention of management policies that protect and conserve the environment.
What excites you when you think about the future of Experiential Education?
In this context I will define "Experiential Education" as "Adventure Education". I am excited to see the career of outdoor leadership become more professional and recognized on the state and national level so that working outdoor leaders can see better working conditions and entry-level professionals can see a career path ahead of them. "Experiential Education" to me has always included adventure education as well as hands-on vocational training in the trades.
Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by the many instructors I had at Prescott College where I earned my BA and MA in Adventure Education and also did work towards my PhD.
In your free time, we can probably find you:
Dog sledding or dryland mushing with my dogs.
How long have you been involved with AEE?
I first became involved with the AEE in 1987 when I first began looking for work after college.
What is the most rewarding part about being a Member of AEE?
I appreciate the membership of AEE and particularly the standards set by the Accreditation boards.
Any specific AEE memories or impactful moments you'd like to share?
When the future of my department was at risk of being closed down in 2017 by an administrator who simply did not understand what we were doing, Steve Pace and others at the AEE were supportive and valuable in helping the college to articulate why our programs, our courses, and our offerings were important to maintain and continue.
Find Bob here: tremblayb@gcc.mass.edu
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