The Center for Sierra Nevada Studies

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while care will drop off like autumn leaves."

John Muir, Our National Parks, 1901

The Sierra Nevada is a tapestry rich in history and natural diversity. From the beginning, the Sierra Nevada has inspired and awed. Whether an individual’s initial discovery was at the dawn of time or just a moment ago, the breathtaking majesty of the range has always stirred the soul and captivated the imagination.

Through public programs and activities, The Sierra College Center for Sierra Nevada Studies seeks to capture and characterize this remarkable land bathed in beauty and wonderment -- this province of eternal sunrise and constant fascination called the Sierra Nevada.

Founded in 2002, The Center for Sierra Nevada Studies:

• utilizes the resources of Sierra Community College to examine and celebrate the unique character of the Sierra Nevada and its region.
• facilitates the exchange of information and ideas about the Sierra Nevada, with special emphasis on the Central Sierra and the counties within the Sierra Community College District.
• unites the insights of the arts, the humanities, the sciences, and historical scholarship to study the traditions, culture and environment of the Sierra Nevada region.
• informs the community about public policy and events to assist in understanding the past, in educating about the present and in helping to shape the future.

Visit our Sierra Nevada Virtual Museum for a multimedia collection of information.

Every spring semester the Interdisciplinary Dept offers a course in the Sierra Nevada. Each week features a guest speaker. Here is more information.