Au Sable Institute

Call Directions Website Contact the school

Au Sable Institute Au Sable Institute inspires and educates people to serve, protect, and restore God's earth.

On October 6, more than 125 alumni and friends of Au Sable gathered at the Bissell Tree House in Grand Rapids, Michigan ...
10/17/2026

On October 6, more than 125 alumni and friends of Au Sable gathered at the Bissell Tree House in Grand Rapids, Michigan to celebrate and strengthen the work of the Institute at an event titled Serve. Protect. Restore. Together. Members of the Au Sable community enjoyed connecting with each other on a beautiful fall evening and taking in the views from the second-highest point in Grand Rapids amidst the canopy of mature maples and oaks.

The program began with a video introducing Au Sable before board chair Dr. Bethany Laursen opened with prayer and thanked the evening’s sponsors: Cottage Home, Michigan In-Sights Consulting, and Inspiring Impact. Bethany is an Au Sable alum and noted that the first two sponsoring businesses are also owned by fellow Au Sable alumni, Brian Bosgraaf and Anna Mitterling.

Au Sable’s Executive Director, Jon Terry then announced the successful completion of Au Sable’s Strong Roots, New Growth capital campaign, which had been publicly launched one year prior in the same room. The campaign surpassed its fundraising goal of $770,000, raising a total of $803,333 with gifts from 217 donor households.

Read more about the event on our website.

10/15/2026

Join Katibeth for a day in the life of an Au Sable intern!

A couple more photos we loved from last week's REYS 2 lesson!
10/15/2026

A couple more photos we loved from last week's REYS 2 lesson!

Last week, the interns trained for and delivered their first REYS 2 lesson to Mill Creek Elementary. REYS 2 focuses on w...
10/14/2026

Last week, the interns trained for and delivered their first REYS 2 lesson to Mill Creek Elementary. REYS 2 focuses on watersheds and the water cycle. Students used waders to get into the stream and collect macroinvertebrates. They then spent some time identifying their macroinvertebrates and the surrounding wildlife!

Have you checked out our online shop and gotten your merch yet? Send us a pic if so!
10/13/2026

Have you checked out our online shop and gotten your merch yet? Send us a pic if so!

Students in Dr. Mark Gathany’s Land & Water Resources course took their geospatial training beyond the classroom this su...
10/12/2026

Students in Dr. Mark Gathany’s Land & Water Resources course took their geospatial training beyond the classroom this summer through hands-on drone flight, mission planning, aerial imagery, and image-processing exercises.

As part of the course, students also prepared for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107 Remote Pilot examination, a professional credential required for commercial drone applications. Five Au Sable students successfully passed the Part 107 exam, leaving the course with both a nationally recognized professional credential and practical experience applying drone technology to environmental science and natural-resource management. Dr. Gathany plans to integrate this training into the alternating Environmental Application of GIS course, next offered in 2027.

During the Pac Rim session of Au Sable, four groups of Marine Biology students conducted introductory research projects,...
10/10/2026

During the Pac Rim session of Au Sable, four groups of Marine Biology students conducted introductory research projects, a new addition to the Marine Biology course this year, taught by Dr. Timothy Wakefield. Each group selected a research question, designed a study, collected field data, and analyzed their results.

They produced a short written manuscript and delivered an oral presentation at the end of the five‐week course. Project topics included the diversity of shore crabs and the distribution of red algae in intertidal zones. Through this work, students gained firsthand experience with the research process—its planning demands, time commitments, and the unexpected challenges that arise even in well‐designed studies.

The application for our summer 2027 college program is open - who's joining us next year??
10/09/2026

The application for our summer 2027 college program is open - who's joining us next year??

🌌 missing those Au Sable summer nights already 🌠
10/08/2026

🌌 missing those Au Sable summer nights already 🌠

On September 24, we welcomed 38 professors to our Great Lakes Campus for the Earthkeeping as Vocation conference and the...
10/07/2026

On September 24, we welcomed 38 professors to our Great Lakes Campus for the Earthkeeping as Vocation conference and the annual Academic Advisory Council meeting. This year’s gathering included several faculty attending for the first time, as well as others returning after several years away. Their participation was deeply encouraging, reflecting a renewed passion for Au Sable’s mission and a strong commitment to the College Program.

On Friday, September 25, faculty representatives took part in several sessions led by NetVUE contributor and moderator Dr. Mari Elise Ewig, exploring earthkeeping practices and earthkeeping as a vocation. They also engaged in a rich conversation with Dr. Norman Wirzba, Professor of Christian Theology at Duke Divinity School, reflecting together on hope and the work of caring for creation.

Faculty participated in two hands‑on workshops as well! One was led by Dr. Joseph Kerski on spatial thinking and GIS, and another by Dustin Brighton on chainsaw safety. Both workshops highlighted skills and topics that Au Sable students experience during our summer program, offering faculty a direct window into the learning opportunities available to their students.

On Saturday, September 26, Au Sable held its annual Academic Advisory Council meeting, where faculty discussed the Au Sable College Program for 2027 and offered insight into how Au Sable can continue supporting the good work happening at their home institutions.

Thank you to all who traveled to be with us for this special conference and meeting. Your presence, wisdom, and partnership strengthen the mission of Au Sable and the community of educators who love God and love the good world he has created!

Address

7526 Sunset Trl NE
Mancelona, MI
49659

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+12315878686

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Au Sable Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Au Sable Institute:

Shortcuts

Share

Category