Originally published on January 24, 2024.
With 10 years of experience teaching seminary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under his belt, Glen Anderson (’08) longed for a career that would combine his love of teaching religion with his love for the outdoors. This desire led to the creation of his company and dream job: Youth Wildlife Experiences (YWE).
Youth Wildlife Experiences hosts trips to locations both in the United States and abroad and aims to help teenagers come closer to God and the outdoors. YWE takes participants to locations in Utah such as Big Rock Candy Mountain and Zion Park, as well as in countries like Thailand, Mexico, and more. Activities include white water rafting, backpacking, climbing, and hiking, among other challenging outdoor undertakings.
“My goal is to help teenagers and even adults disconnect from the world and connect with God through wilderness adventures,” Glen says. “Our trips are designed to be hard so when the participants come home they will have confidence that they can do hard things.”
At SUU, Glen fell in love with his small classes, supportive professors, and fellow students. While earning his major in communication studies and minor in outdoor recreation in parks and tourism, Glen learned that he could turn his love for the outdoors into a career.
“It was during my time at SUU that I gained confidence in my ability to make friends and influence people. That confidence carried over to all aspects of my life,” he says.
Glen serves his community by volunteering at his church and participating in humanitarian efforts in Mexico, Thailand, and Tanzania. He is also in the process of starting his own non-profit organization called REWILD.
“REWILD will help give more people a chance to get outside and serve around the world,” explains Glen.
Glen lives in Cedar City with his wife, Lindsey, and their four kids.
