Dana Scott / Winonan

Winona State University senior Avery Prondzinski has been working for the outdoor education and recreation center (OERC) for three years.

Prondzinski is studying recreation and tourism. After he graduates in May, he will be interning at Kalamazoo College in Michigan to help plan their orientation program.

“I want to work with people who have never been involved in outdoor recreation before, and help them explore and be connected with the land they are living in,” Prondzinski said.

The OERC has been open for four years. Prondzinski started as a student participant and volunteered his first year at Winona State. The director, Eric Barnard, suggested Prondzinski begin working at the center his sophomore year.

The first OERC trip Prondzinski went on was during his freshman year and it was his first time going west and seeing the mountains.

“Everything is so big out there, it puts life into perspective,” Prondzinski said.

Since going on this trip, Prondzinski has been very involved with the OERC. He is currently a student manager working with scheduling, developing procedures and doing behind the scenes work.

Prondzinski has also led and co-led seven trips put on by the OERC.

Prondzinski’s favorite trip was to Zion National Park in Utah, which featured his two favorite activities: backpacking and water craft.

“It can be kind of nerve-wracking going places you don’t know,” Prondzinski said. “The biggest thing is keeping your group motivated, staying organized, making good decisions and making the trip fun. Leadership is an art I’m still mastering.”

Prondzinski said these trips are great skill building experiences if one plans on working in the outdoor recreation field, and if either way it is a great way to unwind. These trips teach life-long skills one can keep utilizing throughout life, like hiking or climbing.

Prondzinski’s favorite aspect of his job is taking groups paddling on the Mississippi River early summer mornings and seeing peoples’ faces light up.

Prondzinski said this summer the OERC will be moving forward and pushing a lot more programing for families and students to develop outdoor skills, such as paddling on the Mississippi River.

Being involved in the OERC has helped Prondzinski know what he wants to do and improve those skills for career and resumé building.

Prondzinski said students are most likely to use the climbing center, which has been open for a year. The center also offers introduction classes and programs, rental equipment, outdoor pursuits and an outdoor education certificate program.

“Students should take more advantage of what Winona has to offer,” Prondzinski said. “There are a lot of ways to get outside and partake in world-class activities like climbing, biking, hiking and more. The Mississippi River is the hidden gem of the country and there is a lot of state forest land not many people know about and it is free.”

The climbing center is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The center’s weekend hours are Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The climbing center is located at 351 Lafayette Street.

“Take a walk over and see what we have to offer,” Prondzinski said.