Hello! My name is Scott Boersma. I am the intern at Ferncliff this year. My story of how I got here starts with my brother-in-law getting a call to be a pastor in the presbytery that owns Stronghold camp and conference center located 2 hours west of where I lived. As I was graduating with an advertising degree with no job lined up or applications out, my brother-in-law suggested that I apply for the communications assistant/photographer at Stronghold.  I got the job and about half way through the summer I realized that I loved what I was doing. The day the last campers left for the summer I headed out with two friends I had met that summer and we went out to Camp Albemarle in NC. There I was a counselor and won the paper plate award for “Most likely to get their name chanted.” When I got back from NC, I headed back to my home camp (Stronghold). Shortly thereafter I headed out to John Knox Center in TN to work outdoor education. After 3 months working there, I followed one of my co-workers out to California to a place called Pali Institute where I was an instructor who was in cabin with the kids. Summer I returned to Stronghold as the Challenge Course Director facilitating high ropes, low ropes, and team building. After a second season at Pali, I went to Marble Falls Texas for more outdoor education. Finally this past summer, I was at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest in Minnesota as their Camp in a Van Director. After a few weeks at home and a trip to Idaho, I arrive at Ferncliff.

FAQ:

Where are you from? I am from the northeast corner of Illinois in a town near Gurnee.

College? I graduated in 2014 from Bradley University in Peoria IL (central IL) with a degree in Communications: Advertising and a Sociology Minor.

Why Ferncliff? My goal is to be a director of a camp. Ferncliff is one of a few presbyterian camps that have an intern program. I first heard of Ferncliff at a conference for program directors that was held at my home camp in IL.

Hobbies? I love the outdoors. Rock Climbing, Camping, and Hiking are my go to’s for the weekend.

Fun Fact? I have been to five presbyterian camps (Now if you counted, you have noticed only four presbyterian camps have been mention. You are correct. Ferncliff is the fifth because after the second summer at Stronghold I went on a road trip and visited Hopewell Camp and Conference Center in Oxford MS).

Favorite Quote? 

“You have to motivate yourself with challenges. That’s how you know you’re still alive” – Jerry Seinfeld.