Shaver's Creek is temporarily closed for construction with the exception of scheduled events.

The Shaver’s Creek Field Laboratory was founded by Penn State in 1976 as an outdoor classroom for students to get hands-on experience learning and teaching in, and about, the natural world. Since then, “Penn State’s Nature Center” has expanded to offer more than 40 credit courses a year, including environmental interpretation courses, adventure and leadership courses, and our capstone-integrated SEED Semester.

Hundreds of students a year from across the University also earn credit with Shaver’s Creek by becoming camp counselors for a week of Outdoor School, a residential environmental education program for fifth graders, or by becoming costumed presenters at Shaver’s Creek’s Maple Harvest Festival.

Cone of Discovery
AURORA Has Moved!Group of AURORA students taking a selfie
AURORA Has Moved! - Looking for AURORA? We have a new home in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management in the College of Health and Human Development!
Outdoor SchoolA group of Outdoor School students and their leader.
Outdoor School - Outdoor School is a four-day residential program for upper-elementary school students, run by Shaver’s Creek and staffed by Penn State student counselors.
Credit CoursesRPTM 325 Student Explaining
Credit Courses - Shaver's Creek partners with many academic colleges across Penn State to offer courses in environmental interpretation, outdoor/adventure education, and leadership.
SEED SemesterSEED Semester
SEED Semester - The forests, fields, and creeks become your classroom for this full-semester experiential journey of outdoor leadership and environmental interpretation courses.
Graduate Student OpportunitiesA graduate student references a book as fellow students work in a garden in the background
Graduate Student Opportunities - The Shaver's Creek Field Laboratory offers a number of Penn State graduate assistant (GA) positions, ranging in focus from adventure education to environmental interpretation.
Wildlife Career Development ProgramPaige sitting with Jane the Sandhill Crane
Wildlife Career Development Program - The Wildlife Career Development Program strives to enhance student success and achieve career readiness by fostering hands-on, experiential learning in the foundational skills of wildlife care and conservation.
Work-StudyTrail maintenance on the Point Trail
Work-Study - Federal Work-Study is a student financial aid program for Penn State undergraduate and graduate students.