The purpose of the Sewanee Explore program is just that—to give you the chance to explore the wide range of activities and opportunities that Sewanee has to offer, and to help you to make even more connections to students, faculty, and staff all around campus.
Fall Athletics
If you participate in one of the following fall sports, your team and practice time will count as your FYE EXPLORE track: football, volleyball, field hockey, and men's and women's soccer. Note: Cross country athletes will register for Explore in addition to preseason cross country practice.
PRE (Sewanee Outing Program)
Whether rock climbing for the first time, crawling through winding passages in Walker Springs Cave, or building a house with Housing Sewanee, PRE provides memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. During PRE, students will have the opportunity to experience outdoor trips that are available on and near campus. In addition to two campouts, students will participate in three of the following six activities: rock climbing, caving, hiking, ropes course, canoeing, and outreach. This experience includes lots of outdoor time.
Hosted by the Sewanee Outing Program.
Domain Connections
Step into Sewanee’s natural surroundings and explore our iconic 13,000 acres with hands-on experiences surrounding wildlife, trails, sustainability, and the University Farm. You will have the opportunity to connect with your peers as you discuss community, belonging, and our natural world. Observe native wildlife, camp under the stars, enjoy Lake Cheston, wrangle goats, hike and build trails, bike Sewanee, and more. This track involves outdoor activities designed for a beginner level. No outdoor experience required; outdoor enthusiasm preferred!
This experience includes lots of outdoor time, including hiking and an optional campout. If you have your own tent and/or sleeping bag, please bring them.
Hosted by the Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability.
Learn, Serve, Grow
Gandhi, the leader of India’s independence movement, famously said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This Explore track invites you to begin your college journey of finding yourself, your sense of belonging, and your potential by engaging in days of service and giving to others. Through this track, you will serve in partnership with local organizations that work on such issues as food security, housing, environmental protection, and literacy. All are welcome and encouraged to register for this track, no matter your experience or skill level. We are happy and grateful to accommodate everyone’s needs. This rewarding (and fun!) track will challenge your sense of self and citizenship as you learn about your new community and make a difference.
Note: If this track sounds right for you, be sure to list the Civic Engagement Encounter courses (courses with the tag Civic Engagement course included at the end of the course description) as your top choices when you complete your FYE Encounter form!
Hosted by the Office of Civic Engagement.
Breathe, Move, Grow: Experience Wellness at Sewanee
Explore the various dimensions of wellness, with an emphasis on both personal growth and a sense of belonging. You will engage in experiential activities focused on the science of wellness, including: guided hikes; a picnic; personalized exercise planning and classes in our gym, FitWell; meditation; and mood-enhancing music curation. Activities are designed to foster a sense of belonging and build meaningful connections within the campus community. No prior experience in wellness or fitness is required, making this course accessible to all students seeking to begin their college journey with a strong focus on health, well-being, and resilience.
This is a physically active Explore track that includes long walks, exercise, and some outdoor time.
Hosted by the Wellness Commons.
Cemetery Lessons: Memory, Landscape, and Meaning
Students will directly engage with the historically Black section of the University Cemetery learning firsthand how landscapes reflect community memory, identity, and erasure. They will be introduced to public history as a collaborative, ethical practice rooted in place, learning how historians document, interpret, and care for historic sites. Through guided activities, students will see how research can be made public through exhibits, digital projects, memorials, and programs. This Explore track also includes guided field trips to related historic sites and opportunities to learn from guest lecturers.
Hosted by the Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation.
Sewanee Soundscapes
Immerse yourself in the Sewanee landscape and community through music and sound while getting creative with your new friends! Students on this Explore track will have opportunities to listen, learn, and create music while connecting with peers and getting to know our beautiful surroundings. Activities will include recording sounds around the Domain to create your own musical tracks, a tour of Southern musical traditions through a listening session in the state-of-the-art Ralston Listening Library, and building your own instruments for a celebratory Saturday jam session with the community. No musical experience or note reading required—just enthusiasm.
Note: Having a smart phone is essential for this Explore track.
Hosted by the Department of Music.
Tiger Pride: Campus Community & Culture
You're here now! What happens next? Who do you talk to? How do you find your place at Sewanee? These are a few of the many questions that plague your mind as you begin your collegiate journey. In this Explore experience, we will help you begin to answer those questions. We will expose you to important places on campus while providing opportunities to help you build community through introspective workshops, dialogue, discussions, and friendly competitions. In addition, you will begin cultivating your belonging by navigating the cultures and identities within and around you. Bad Bunny once said, "I don't want to be fake. I am just being me." We desire for every incoming student to be themselves and understand how valuable they are to the campus community and culture.
Hosted by the Office of Community Building and Connections.
A Higher Calling: Aviation Meets the Liberal Arts
Interested in learning how a love of aviation can be paired with a superior liberal arts education toward a wonderful career after Sewanee? If so, A Higher Calling is your Explore adventure! And weather-permitting, you'll have the option to tour our gorgeous 13,000 acre domain from above to see what makes Sewanee so special. To hear more from award-winning pilot, Professor of Mathematics Catherine Cavagnaro, and watch her in action, watch this video!
Hosted by the Sewanee Flying Tigers.
Rooted and Grounded
Explore places and practices that can sustain you spiritually throughout your college journey. In this track, you will have the opportunity to learn about the ministries and programs of All Saints’ Chapel, as well as other resources on and beyond campus. You will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Chapel, get a birds eye view of campus from the bell tower, encounter the beauty of creation on a guided hike, and visit the nearby Community of St. Mary. In addition to engaging in Episcopal forms of worship, you will have the chance to explore other spiritual practices, such as walking a labyrinth, practicing meditation, and journaling. This experience will help you build meaningful relationships and establish intentional practices, so that you can feel rooted and grounded in your time at Sewanee.
Hosted by All Saints' Chapel.
Sewanee provides funding for an approved summer internship or research fellowship, a semester-long study abroad opportunity at no additional tuition cost, and the ability to graduate with one major in four years. Of course, you will have to do your part. If you meet Sewanee’s academic and social expectations, these opportunities will be provided.
Our small classes mean that your voice will be heard, your contribution will be expected, and your opinion will be listened to (and disagreed with, and challenged, and seen from a different perspective, and pushed in a new direction, and considered—and you know what? Maybe we’re both right. See how it works?).
We're a community where everyone has a place and there's a place for everyone. Group study? We'll bring our notes. Rock climbing? We're geared up and ready. Jam session? Sure, we'll play with you. Whatever you want to do, at Sewanee, you'll never have to go it alone. Unless you need your space. Then, we totally get it.
