This June, the Bowdoin Outing Club (BOC) welcomed Emmie McElroy as its new assistant director, bringing a fresh presence and experience to one of the largest student organizations on campus. An outing club member throughout her college years at Washington and Lee University, McElroy cultivated a deep passion for outdoor education and programming.

“I started working for [the Washington and Lee Outing Club] immediately after graduating, and it helped me get my feet under me and introduced me to the world of programming and outdoor education. [It] made me realize that I loved it,” McElroy said.

As an environmental studies major, McElroy initially saw herself doing conservation work. However, as she led trips and interacted with the people in the Washington and Lee Outing Club, McElroy fostered a commitment to the development of outdoor programs.

“Through leading trips and getting people super excited about just learning and being in nature, it made me realize that that was the piece I wanted to add to the investment and commitment in protecting the outdoors. I love building community outside and introducing people to things they never thought about,” McElroy said.

Anna Bastidas, associate director of the BOC, emphasized the importance of cultivating an inclusive and supportive community within the BOC.

“Our program is what it is because of the time, love and energy that students put into it. From the student officer team and our trip leaders, to our kitchen and gear room student staff, to the people signing up to go on trips or cook BOC dinner, this club thrives because people show up to play outside and be in community,” Bastidas wrote in an email to the Orient.

Aside from building community, McElroy also hopes to introduce new programming to the club.

“I am hoping to build up our climbing wall programming and build a core fly fishing group to teach people more and get out on the water,” McElroy said.

Bastidas also wrote about how McElroy’s positive energy has steered the club toward reaching its goals of building community and fostering leadership.

“[Outing Club Director] Mike [Woodruff] and I are both thrilled to have Emmie joining our team. She brings amazing energy, a passion for sharing her own love of the outdoors with others and is an absolute joy to work with,” Bastidas wrote.