New leader of Pomona’s OEC embraces Claremont’s ‘outdoor love’

JULIA PARSA

On Jan. 9, 2023, Pomona College hired Outdoor Education Center (OEC) manager Connor Bigenho. In his new role, Bigenho will be in charge of overseeing future Orientation Adventure (OA) programs, managing the hiring of OA leaders and organizing OA leader training and logistics for Pomona College and the 5C community.

Bigenho, a Dallas native, previously worked at Stephen F. Austin State University as an outdoor pursuits graduate assistant for the University’s outdoor center. Bigenho has only worked in Texas and is excited about the change in location.

“There’s a lot of outdoor love in this area, and it’s also uniquely located in such a nice outdoor playground,” Bigenho said in an interview with TSL. “You have the mountains just north of us, you[‘ve] got the ocean to the west, and you got more mountains to the east…[it’s] a perfect location for being able to share outdoor activities. I didn’t have that living in Texas, so I really wanted to go to a place where I could experience that and be able to facilitate more of what I love.”

During his time at Austin State, Bigenho led a safe and positive environment in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, altering positions to keep staff working and focusing efforts on outdoor recreational resources.

He implemented trail cleaning and maintenance on the university’s five and a half miles of multi-use trails and worked with student volunteers to rebuild the trail systems by fixing drainage issues, clearing fallen trees from snowstorms and rebuilding bridges.

To facilitate community through outdoor activities during this time of isolation, Bigenho and his staff filmed videos introducing short virtual clinics, training and explorations of nearby resources such as trails and lakes. Bigenho also hosted bike rides and trips twice a week in hopes of reintroducing students to outdoor spaces and skills.

At the OEC, Bigenho’s focus is mainly on his staff and providing a chain of communication for students to express their needs.

“I want to make sure we have the ability to offer something for everyone, and that really starts with my staff and how well I train my staff here,” he said.

By adhering to the staff and students’ needs, Bigenho hopes to create a new space where everyone is comfortable, even those who might not be a fan of