Located in the heart of central Pennsylvania, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center has been connecting people to people and people to place since 1976. Shaver’s Creek provides educational and recreational opportunities for families, schools, corporate groups, and Penn State students. The newly-renovated facility features native wildlife, including amphibians, reptiles, and raptors, on display year-round for visitors.
Our Mission
Shaver’s Creek is committed to extending the Outreach mission of instruction, service, and research. Visitors to Shaver’s Creek can gain knowledge, values, skills, and experiences that enable them to achieve and maintain harmony between human activities and the natural systems that support all living species.
Impact
Each year, Shaver’s Creek engages more than 4,000 elementary students in summer camps and school programs and draws 3,000 attendees to their Maple Harvest Festival and Enchanted Halloween Trail. AURORA orientation programs, led by 60 upperclassmen leaders, annually enroll nearly 300 students in a transformative backpacking experience the week before they start their Penn State careers. An additional 3,000 Penn State students and community members attended credit and noncredit courses at Shaver’s Creek.
Student Engagement
Shaver’s Creek offers a number of engaged scholarship opportunities for students. AURORA programs offer first-year students a unique entrance into Penn State life, forging friendships through unforgettable adventures, while Outdoor School is a four-day residential program that gives students the chance to work side-by-side with Shaver’s Creek staff as counselors.
The SEED Semester gives students the opportunity to learn with like-minded classmates and experienced outdoor educators engaging in real world, hands-on experiences teaching children and families about the natural world. Shaver’s Creek also routinely employs students as graduate assistants, in work-study positions, and provides volunteer opportunities for students and student groups in Animal Care or Citizen Science. View opportunities.
Shaver’s Creek is excited to share its newly renovated site with the general public. We are confident that our 1,600 Penn State student enrollees will continue to bring our expertise to over 20,000 community participants who will feel the positive impact of the University and the Shaver’s Creek mission to strive for harmony on a more sustainable planet.