Aspen Grove brings BYU students and families together

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Couples enjoy the Saturday afternoon portion of the getaway snowshoeing and other activities.
A couple enjoys snowshoeing during the Saturday afternoon portion of the married weekend getaway. (Photo courtesy Aspen Grove)

Aspen Grove has been creating jobs, getaways and conferences for BYU grads and students to enjoy generation after generation.

Nestled in Provo Canyon, Aspen Grove originated in 1922, when BYU first used the grounds for summer school. Students and teachers were invited to live in tents and study botany, zoology and geology.

Today, Aspen Grove is officially a family camp that recruits more than 70 BYU students a year to assist with family camps, reunions, company conferences and married weekend getaways.

Aspen Grove also hosts biannual married weekend getaways for BYU students and alumni. Every February and September, couples gather to hear motivational speakers, participate in bonding activities and enjoy a retreat in the mountains with other couples. This month, professors Jonathan Sandberg and Lori Schade, both BYU professors of School and Family Life, spoke at the evening session for an Aspen Ridge couples getaway, focusing on marriage enrichment lessons, family relations and relationship enhancement.

Married weekend getaways include lodging, dinner, an evening session, breakfast and activities such as snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Couples who are interested in attending may apply for the next session, which runs Sep. 26–27.

Employment applications for BYU students wishing to work this summer are open now and are being accepted until Feb. 20.  Students stay onsite and receive room, board and a salary.

“Students like to work here because of the beautiful mountain setting, working with families and nature and the fun programs that build friendships,” said Jared Knight, manager of programs and marketing at Aspen Grove.

Aspen Grove provides a number of programs that students assist with every summer.

“It’s a fun job, and we get to work with family getaways, youth conferences and educational groups,” Knight said.

Workers have a choice to work as camp counselors for kids and ropes course guides Other work positions include arts and crafts, custodial and child care. Students who have worked there in the past found living onsite was a great experience.

For some, the food was the best part of the job. “Staff gets to eat for free all summer, so it was awesome to have every meal made basically catered,” said Wren Ludlow, who worked at Aspen Grove this previous summer. “To this day I’ve never eaten so well.”

Students who are interested in applying can visit http://aspen.byu.edu/staff/staffapp.cfm for more information.

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