UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Professor Pete Allison has been named one of the 14 inaugural British Exploring Society Fellows at the Royal Geographical Society.
Pete Allison, associate professor of values and experiential learning who shares an appointment between the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management and Shaver’s Creek Center at Penn State, is a member of the first group of British Exploring Society Fellows.
The British Exploring Society was founded in 1932 and continues to create customized expeditions to wild and remote overseas locations in order to challenge and positively transform the expectations and future lives of young people. Through the society, more than 10,000 leaders and explorers have taken part in more than 100 expeditions across all seven continents.
Young explorers return from expeditions with an enduring love of the outdoors, mental toughness to succeed in life and an appetite to take control of their lives, according to the Society. Society members believe, and the evidence they collect confirms, that its intensive investment in young people benefits both the individual and society over many years.
British Exploring Fellowship is intended to provide respect and recognition for lasting, significant contributions to the advancement of the Society’s work as a charity, or individual achievement in a field, which aligns with the Society’s objectives, including education, research, youth development, social work, fundraising, training, leadership, expedition design, science geology, medicine or enterprise.
“It is a great honor to be appointed as a fellow for the research and expedition leadership I have enjoyed over the last 30 years. I remain committed to the excellent work of the society and their values of personal development through science and adventure in the wilderness for all young people” Allison said.
The Society formally appointed Allison and other members of the 2018 cohort during a March 13 ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Allison is also an affiliate faculty member for the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State. Previously, he served as head of the Graduate School of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.