For the group of alums who took the recent Tiger Travel trip “Volcanoes, Glaciers, Walks, and Wine: A New Zealand Journey”—it was all that and more. The travelers stepped into a living classroom that provided opportunities to connect with fellow alumni in beautiful, diverse settings on a journey shaped by CC’s culture of lifelong learning.
Over the course of nearly three weeks, 17 CC alums and friends explored the country’s two islands, each stop of the tour enhanced by Professor Emeritus Eric Leonard’s geology expertise. What unfolded was an immersive learning experience of the destination’s culture, history, and geography, shaped by intellectual curiosity, shared connection, and the kind of inquiry that defines a CC education.
Each traveler had their own reasons for embarking. Some came driven by a love of geology, like Tomi Ann Casey ’72 who majored in Geology at CC. “Our CC New Zealand Journey taught us a geological story of landforms and mountain building that was spellbinding, magnificent, and at times just sent shivers up my spine,” she says of the experience. “Subduction, volcanism, the collision of tectonic plates—this powerful landscape cannot be found anywhere else on earth and Dr. Leonard did a wonderful job of making its story come alive to geologists and non-geologists alike.”
For couples like Mark Anderson ’76 and his spouse Susan Tachau ’76—who met at CC and will be celebrating their 50th class reunion this year—the trip was a bucket list experience that blended intellectual discovery with personal connection. “One of the many virtues of a liberal arts education is that it helps you understand why things are the way they are,” Anderson reflects. “I was delighted to see that tradition being continued on our [trip]…The mysteries of volcanoes, mountains, glaciers, and earthquakes were rendered at least somewhat less mysterious under the tutelage of CC Emeritus Professor Eric Leonard, and under the liberalized grading curve appropriate to the situation, we all earned an A+.”
Throughout the trip, Leonard’s lectures brought the terrain to life. He opened the trip with an overview of the two tectonic plates beneath New Zealand and the geological features the travelers would experience. Each subsequent lecture was timed to match the itinerary, allowing the lifelong learners to experience lessons in real time—whether hiking through lava fields on Rangitoto Island, tracing earthquake fault lines along the coast of Kaikōura, or watching geothermal power on display as they witnessed geysers erupting in Orakei Korako.
“Alumni spanning almost 20 years in graduating years quickly became a cohesive and supportive group bound by shared CC experiences, their sense of purposeful curiosity and adventure, and the joy of laughter,” says Gordon Aoyagi ’67. “The friendships, knowledge sharing, and good humor added a wonderful synergy to make this an outstanding and memorable trip that will bring smiles to our faces for many years!”
Together, the group boated through quiet caves under constellations of glowworms; discovered the meaningful Māori tradition of sharing ka (snacks) among friends and neighbors; and had fun turning their new knowledge of greywacke (the most common rock type in New Zealand) into a shared running joke from destination to destination.
Professor Leonard filled each leg of the journey with micro-lessons (some over a shared bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc) as he highlighted geological features around them. For the travelers, this provided a powerful element to the immersive experience. Aoyagi describes the way Leonard “provided interludes of geology lectures punctuated by his frequent ‘take a look at this’ moments throughout the tour—raising our awareness of the geologic features we were seeing, riding upon, and walking on.”
Tiger Travel uniquely returns alumni to their student days. They have an opportunity to step back in time and experience a learning journey similar to a short study abroad experience or a micro-block.
“The most surprising thing for me was experiencing the same magic as I felt in college so many years ago by getting to know amazing people with whom I have so much in common,” Casey reflects. “New friendships were formed. It brought back fond and forgotten memories and made me appreciate what a special time it was at CC and what a unique institution it is. It was just great, great fun and the wine (and gin) tasting was the icing on the cake. Wish I were still there!”
CC students and alumni become resilient, flexible, lifelong learners driven by curiosity. Tiger Travel extends that experience, connecting alumni in meaningful ways while exploring a global classroom with a variety of outstanding journeys offered each year to locations around the world.
“I like to think that CC attracts a certain kind of student—inquisitive, welcoming, friendly, interested in nature,” says Anderson. “The former students on this trip certainly met that description, and it made the magnificence of New Zealand that much more enjoyable.”
From guided tours and winery visits to bungee jumping off bridges and learning about the food, music, and stories of the native Māori passed down over centuries—the trip provided something for every interest and many unforgettable opportunities to get to know New Zealand. By the end, the group had come to deeply understand the Māori saying kia ora!, a phrase that translates to “have life” or “be healthy,” used as a greeting, a thank you, and a goodbye.
“The bond that we shared being alumni of such a special school with its stress on a broad liberal arts education along with the importance of the sciences […] made it a great experience,” says Carol Phelps ’69 on the companionship she felt among her fellow travelers. “More than I would have imagined.”
Following their return home, the newly acquainted alumni are still swapping stories and growing their connections in their group chat, continuing the friendships they formed through their shared travels, and plotting their next Tiger Travel excursion together—sounds like the 2027 Mediterranean Cruise into the Path of Totality could be a front-runner.
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