Rachael Botting

Biography

I grew up in northeastern New York state and spent two summers at HoneyRock as a Wheaton student. I graduated from Wheaton College in 2014 with a degree in Biology and then received my MA in Christian Formation and Ministry/Outdoor Adventure Leadership in 2015. In 2024, I completed a PhD in Educational Studies from Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology, where I focused my dissertation studies on the unique contributions of Christian summer camps to faith formation.

I am married to Tim, and we live in central NY with our three young boys.

I began my time at HoneyRock/Wheaton College in 2015 by overseeing the Wheaton Passage Program. I continued in that role for seven years before transitioning to adjunct faculty and part-time program administration. Currently, I am the assistant director of the Rhythms of Faith Project and teach several classes in the Outdoor & Adventure Leadership master’s program.

Education

Biola University - Talbot School of Theology
Ph.D. Education Studies, December 2023; Dissertation: The Faith Formation Impacts of Multi-Year Christian Camp Experiences During Adolescence

Wheaton College Graduate School
M.A., Christian Formation and Ministry, Outdoor Adventure Leadership, 2015

Wheaton College
B.S., Biology, 2014

Areas of Expertise

Young adult ministry
Outdoor orientation programs
Vocation and work
Stewardship and sustainability
Research and evaluation
Training and equipping
Leadership development
Women in ministry

Presentations

Christian Camp and Conference Association National Conference 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

Christian Camp and Conference Wisconsin Sectional Conference 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Christian Camp and Conference Sierra Nevada Sectional 2018

Association for Christians in Student Development 2019

Presentations have included topics covering: women in ministry, research and evaluation, philosophy and theology of Christian camping, spiritual formation, vocation and calling, and staff training/development

Books

Media

Classes Taught

Personal Spiritual Formation
Program Philosophy and Planning
Philosophy of Ministry
Research and Evaluation in Ministry
Women in Outdoor Ministry
Theology and Practice of Outdoor Ministry

Research

Impact of summer camp employment on camp staff - 3-year study

Outdoor orientation programs and adaptation to college

Published Research

Botting, R. G., Ribbe Jr., R. E., & Robinson, G. (2021). Assessing the Impact of Summer Camp Employment on the Development of Workplace Skills. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education & Leadership, 13(1), 82–95.

Ribbe, R., Cyrus, R., & Langan, E. (2016). Exploring the Impact of an Outdoor Orientation Program on Adaptation to College. Journal of Experiential Education, 39(4), 355–369. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825916668900

Ribbe, R., Lawson, K., Botting, R. (In Review). Responding to the great camp question: A theoretical and empirical assessment of historical and current strategies for summer camp follow up. Christian Education Journal.

Botting, R. (In Review). The discipline of summer camp: Reconceptualizing the nature of purpose of Christian summer camps. Journal of Youth Ministry.

Botting, R., Lawson, K., Carr, J. (2024). Beyond the camp high: The contribution of Christian summer camps to the development of owned personal faith. Journal of Christian Education 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/07398913241262332.

Botting, R. (2023). The Faith Formation Outcomes of Repeated Evangelical Christian Camp Experiences in Adolescents (Order No. 30820280). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2904538960). https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/faith-formation-outcomes-repeated-evangelical/docview/2904538960/se-2

Botting, R., Ribbe, R.E., Robinson, G. (2021). Assessing the Impact of Summer Camp Employment on the Development of Workplace Skills. Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership. (13)1: 82-95.

Rachael Botting, Ph.D.