In the one-unit course “Rec 87: A Yosemite Experience,” learning extends far beyond the classroom as students immerse themselves in one of the world’s most iconic national landmarks. Over the course of a weekend, guided by instructor Daniel Suvanto, students connected over campfires and traversed across winding streams and snowy sights, while engaging deeply with Yosemite’s vibrant history and its contemporary role in park planning, recreation and tourism. 

Watch the video to see how Fresno State’s proximity to Yosemite – the university is about an hour’s drive from the park entrance – makes this fun, hands-on experience possible, giving students a memorable opportunity to learn, connect and grow in an extraordinary setting.

A teacher points towards Yosemite Valley in the distance as students look on

A teacher and his students observe a rock formation with Yosemite Valley in the background

A student wades through a stream

A student points at something in the distance

Two people walking and talking on a forest path with others behind them.

Two students walk through a rocky creek

A student sitting on a fallen log by a lake, looking up at the mountains and trees.

Two students hiking on a trail in a forested valley with a large rocky mountain in the background.

Two students setting up in a tent in the forest

A group of students sitting around a campfire

A student standing in a snowy field holding a snowball

Group of students walking along a lake with a snowy mountain in the background

Written by Melissa Tav; Video by Jeff Phillips; Photos by Cary Edmondson