Flora, Fauna and Frogs

Frog Camp Travels to Costa Rica

By Texas Christian University

August 15^th, 2023

While embarking on college is a fun adventure, Frog Camp is an exciting experience all its own.

A beloved TCU tradition for nearly 30 years, Frog Camp is where thousands of incoming Horned Frogs have immersed themselves in university spirit, tackled conversations about college expectations and made lifelong friendships — all before their first day of class.

This year, some two dozen incoming students joined upperclassman facilitators, faculty and staff to explore the beautiful country of Costa Rica in Horned Frog style.

As the first international Frog Camp since the pandemic, staff chose Costa Rica for its tropical locale and to emphasize building global citizens — a central part of TCU’s mission.

Bird’s-Eye View

Frog Camp Costa Rica took the group from the capital city of San José through the rugged rainforests in the center of the country and to the sandy beaches on the coast. See the stops along their journey.

Land of Beaches and Rainforests

After landing in the capital city of San José, Frog Campers became fast friends as they set out for Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, known for its tropical wildlife, rugged rainforest and white sand beaches. Along the way, they made time for small group discussions — a hallmark of any Frog Camp that reinforces TCU’s connection culture.

Students observe a trail of leafcutter ants, a species commonly found in Central and South America.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull (far right) and Frog Camp Facilitator Wyatt Sharpe (with a pink folder) lead students in a breakout session on the first full day of Frog Camp.

“The most impactful part was the moment that the strangers I met at the airport turned into friends.”

In the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, Frog Campers explored the thousands of different plant and wildlife species, and even ended the day with a special night hike to see more animals in their nocturnal natural habitat.

TCU’s roots in Costa Rica extend through the Monteverde region where student and faculty researchers study environmental issues, like hydrology, reforestation and geophysics at the tropical research station.

Frog Campers ventured through La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Nature Park, the most frequently visited ecological attraction and largest wildlife sanctuary in the country. Costa Rica is home to hundreds of thousands species of birds, reptiles, amphibians and other creatures.

Taste of Costa Rica

Among the excursions, Frog Campers visited Doka Estate, Costa Rica’s largest coffee farm, and discovered the ins and outs of the country’s major exports. This interactive experience allowed incoming students to continue building connections with their group as they learned about pressing sugar cane, making chocolate and roasting coffee beans.

Unforgettable Memories

After days of crisscrossing the country, hosting dance parties during down time and making lifelong memories, Frog Camp Costa Rica culminated with a visit to Volcán Irazú, the country’s largest active volcano.

Frog Campers even left their phones behind to fully experience the natural beauty and relish their time together before heading home — just one of the many transformative moments students will take with them as they begin their college education at TCU.

“I spoke with our group about seeking out good experiences, thoughts and beliefs,” said Wyatt Sharpe, a Frog Camp student facilitator. “As we enter college, we must intentionally seek the good that the world has to offer, like truly experiencing the volcano without being focused on a million other little things in our minds.”