“A Guide to Hiking the Liberal Arts”
November 7th, 2022
The beloved Washington College Kipling Hall trip will now be taken over by Dr. Katie Charles.
Dr. Gillin shares stories about some of his experiences in the 50 years he ‘s been going on the trip.
Coverage by Iris Scherr ‘25
Assistant Professor of English Dr. Katie Charles and retired Washington College Professor Dr. Richard Gillin gathered together at the Rose O’Neill Literary House on November 7th, 2022 at 4:30 pm, to host a discussion about Dr. Gillin’s newest book, A Guide to Hiking the Liberal Arts. The book is a nonfiction novel about his experience taking students to the United Kingdom to explore sites important to famous authors like Jane Austen and Lord Bryon, a journey known as the Kipling Hall trip. According to Dr. Gillin, students would spend two weeks viewing nature and learning about what inspired authors’ famous poems and writing. The program ran under Dr. Gillin’s watch for 50 years before he retired and passed the reigns to Dr. Charles, but the 2020 trip was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The trip will return in 2024 after the academic year ends. Dr. Gillin spoke about his experiences hiking through the UK and some of the tricky situations he would get into, such as hiking down a mountain during hail and the freezing cold. This trip is not for the faint of heart. “Those looking to participate in when the program is restarted should exercise,” Dr. Gillin advises.
English majors, minors, and friends gather in the Rose O’Neill Literary House to listen to Dr. Gillin talk about his book.