Orientation Explore!
Washington College’s signature orientation program - Explore! gives new students the opportunity to make close friends and learn more about our local region. Each experience is designed around a special interest area and offers dynamic, experiential activities that help students acclimate to their new environment and connect with a small group of like-minded peers.
Making History Making Museums
Paddle the Chester
BioBlitz
The Beautiful and the Strange
Sailing the Sultana
Experience the Chester — Live on It!
Adventure Challenge
Explore! makes the transition to college less daunting. Beginning college life with a small group endeavor facilitates a personalized welcome and sense of belonging within our Washington College community. These shared experiences often become the most fond and memorable moments students have of Washington College.
What to expect:
After moving in on Wednesday, students will have two days of on-campus introductions to college life. Orientation Explore! begins on Friday and runs until Saturday evening, giving students ample time to rest up for their first day of classes the following Monday.
Each experience is unique. Some groups are based on campus, some stay off-campus. All groups do a mix of on and off campus adventures. Selections are designed to appeal to many different interests and accommodate individual needs (dietary, mobility, stamina . . .).
Students who have paid their deposit are able to sign up for Orientation Explore! starting at the end of April.
Experiences are filled on a first come, first served basis.
Register for Your Explore! Experience
Explore! 2025 Experiences
Guided by naturalists from our local Sultana Education Foundation, you will embark
on a series of canoe trips on the Chester River. Each day will be spent exploring
a different section of the river. Fishing, swimming, tromping in the mudflats, and
learning about the natural history of the Mighty Chester River will keep you engaged
by day. Evenings will be spent on land enjoying music and small group socials back
in Chestertown. Great memories await.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Spend your days kayaking, fishing, and exploring this rural Chesapeake tributary. Your group will visit an historic tidewater nature preserve and hike along shoreline trails. Evenings will include riverside campfires and moonlit paddle outings. This three-day and two-night camping trip along the lovely Sassafras River is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping
Interested in wildlife? Love the outdoors? The Explore! Bioblitz is for you! Join fellow nature enthusiast in searching for, documenting and enjoying the amazing diversity of organisms found on the College’s River and Field Campus (RAFC). We’ll spend portions of each day exploring RAFC, only 15 minutes from main campus, including mature woods, grasslands, the marshy edges of the Chester River, in addition to stopping by Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory. Led by wildlife biologists, this is a great opportunity to expand your wildlife knowledge base, increase field identification skills, and cool off in the lake on the farm while seeking aquatic species & fishing! There's so much to explore at RAFC and this is a great way to see it all! Open to anyone with an interest in the outdoors and nature, no prior experience needed.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Did you know that we have a wildlife sanctuary on campus where we grow apples and pears, keep chickens and bees, and practice wildcrafting? In this outdoor intensive program you’ll explore the connection between food, environment, and personal resilience by planting fall herbs, harvesting produce, making compost, inspecting bee hives, hiking at a nature preserve, swimming in the Chesapeake Bay, and kayaking by sunset on the Chester River. Along the way we’ll visit local restaurants while discussing the relationship between food, health, and personal well-being.
Housing: Residence Hall
On a voyage aboard the 18th-century Royal Navy schooner Sultana, students will explore the rich history and landscape of the Chesapeake Bay region. They will help the captain by being a part of the crew itself (no sailing experience needed!), while also learning about the maritime and piratical lives of the past. With camping, sailing, sunset canoe expeditions, and an epic naval battle to highlight our trip, students will also enjoy some leisurely time and excellent cookout food while admiring the scenic waterfront views. The Sultana will sail down the Chester River and dock at The Reward, a historic colonial estate that offers students the chance to play games, relax, and take an evening hike. Participants will sleep in tents near the water. The program is geared toward students with an interest in history or American studies, although all are welcome to participate. This program is limited to 10 participants, first come, first served.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping
Navigate the Chester River with Echo Hill Outdoor School (EHOS) on their historic wooden workboats. Live aboard the skipjack Elsworth and buy boat Annie D and experience these living legacies of Maryland history while on this three-day, two-night expedition, led by EHOS captains who spend much of their lives on the Chester River. Spend your days fishing, meeting local watermen, swimming, and exploring the ecology of rural coastlines along the Chester River.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Camping
Immerse yourself in an ecologically rich and adventurous bayside retreat. On Echo Hill Outdoor School's extensive challenge course participants have the opportunity to set goals, design individual challenges, and support one antoher. Climb the Giant’s Ladder - Soar down the Zip Line - Swoosh through the air on the Giant Swing - Boost your confidence and support your group in this great outdoor adventure - Make meaningful memories bonding with friends and exploring in nature. All activities are by choice - students reside at the air conditioned retreat lodge.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Rustic Lodge
Are you interested in home gardening or kayaking? How about river boat rides and horticultural masterpieces? Whether you’re a green-things enthusiast or a waterway wanderer, there's an adventure waiting for you! Start your adventure by visiting our lush campus garden, where you can practice your gardening skills by propagating your very own plant to keep. After that, immerse yourself in the beauty of the Eastern Shore's flora and fauna on an afternoon kayaking trip. As we continue our journey, prepare to be awe-struck by the landscapes of Longwood Gardens, one of America’s most impressive botanical gardens, with over 1,000 acres of formal gardens, woodlands, and meadows, as well as a magnificent indoor plant conservatory.
Stamina: Moderate
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Love animals? This unique orientation experience is your chance to explore Chestertown through the eyes of its most charming residents—both wild and domestic! Meet the cats of the Cat Colloquium, hang out with friendly dogs at the local farmers market, and cruise Chester River while searching for bald eagles and trawling for fishy friends. You’ll also visit the bird banding station at the River and Field Campus to learn about local wildlife research. And if you're lucky, you might even get to pet a cow or sheep. Come ready for adventure, connection, and plenty of animal encounters as you get to know your new community and fellow classmates.
Stamina: Moderate
Housing: Residence Hall
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Sailboats, big and small, have long been a part of the working and recreational environment on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Come learn about the history of sailing on the bay and learn the basics for recreational sailing on the Chester River. No prior sailing experience needed to enjoy this adventure.
Stamina: Moderate
Location: Mostly Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Do you enjoy running? Want to take a scenic tour of Chestertown on foot? Eager to challenge a friend to a race? Interested in learning more about cross country and track & field opportunities at the College? Come join us for a weekend of fun relay races (with prizes!), runs/hikes on local trails, sunrise waterfront walks, movie nights, and more! Great way to get some exercise, meet new friends, and explore campus and downtown Chestertown. Whether you’re an experienced runner or just want to spend some time in the sunshine – come on out! All ability levels welcome.
Stamina: Active
Location: Mix of Indoors and Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Whether you're interested in tabletop rpgs, board games, card games, dice games, or some other kind of game, we've got you covered. With dozens of physical game offerings with Washington Interactive Gaming Society (WIGS) you'll find something that sparks your interest. Washington College and the Chestertown community has a rich offering of games and gamers, so please come introduce yourself and join us for a few days packed full of games.
Stamina: Low key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Housing: Residence Hall
Do you play video games? Go head to head in some of your favorite games like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Fortnite. Great way to have fun, play video games and meet some of your new classmates!
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Rowing has long been a part of the Eastern Shore from shoremen plying the waters for a living to the College’s nationally ranked teams competing at the National Championships. Experience the Chester River and waterfront like never before…from a rowing shell! Come learn about the history of rowing on the East Coast and how to row - no experience is necessary!
Stamina: Active
Location: Mix of Indoors and Outdoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Housing: Residence Hall
Stamina: Low Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Halls
Housing: Residence Hall
Who gets to decide what makes it into a museum’s collection? Whose stories are lifted up to be included on the panels, audio tours, and online displays that show us as learners what is important to know about history? Conversely, which parts of history are not on display, and why? Perhaps most importantly, what can you, as a Washington College student, do if you want to participate in how history is told in public spaces?
In this orientation program, we will consider how public spaces of history, like museums, walking tours and monuments tell their stories. We will explore the local history of Chestertown, and of Kent County, by visiting local historical sites and meeting with some of our community’s great historians. We will speak with people doing behind-the-scenes work in some of our region’s most interesting museums and cultural sites. Finally, we will partner with a local museum to help them begin the process of telling their story to the wider world by digitizing objects in their collection and building a virtual museum tour.
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Housing: Residence Hall
Location: Mostly Indoors
Residence Hall
Arts and nature come together in a creative splash of color and community. Artists of all levels (no experience or talent required) contribute to our ever-evolving primary forest succession mural in the student center. Led by community muralist and creative engineer, Kayti Didriksen, participants will paint with potatoes, bubble wrap, and all sorts of interesting items, adding layers and texture to this artistic masterpiece that serves as a visual metaphor for growth and diversity.
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Description to come
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
This Explore! Program examines quilting as a dynamic and evolving art form, where tradition meets innovation. Students will experience quilting's transformation from a practical craft to a powerful medium of artistic expression, studying both traditional and contemporary quilt artists, cultural influences, experimental techniques, and the role of textiles in fine art. Through hands-on projects and immersive experiences, students will engage with color theory, composition, mixed media, sustainable textile practices, and emerging technologies - including artificial intelligence in quilt design. Emphasizing storytelling activism, sustainability, and creative risk-taking, this Explore! Program challenges students to push the boundaries of quilting beyond function into bold artistic expression.
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Gain an appreciation for the rich visual arts that abound in Kent County! Activities include art gallery tours, demonstrations, and hands-on projects with clay, photography, and paint. Sessions will be led by the professional artists of Chestertown RiverArts. RiverArts is a local nonprofit in the heart of Chestertown that offers Community Creativity and Connection through the Arts.
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall
Explore all aspects of creating and enjoying a theatrical production! Spend your days in Washington College’s theatre spaces, exploring local arts centers, and taking in a show at a regional theater! Students will be able to explore talents both behind the scenes and on stage!
Stamina: Low-Key
Location: Mostly Indoors
Housing: Residence Hall