By Stasia Raines, Director of Marketing and Communications, The Outdoor Foundation
Colleges and universities across the United States are being challenged to get their campus population outside and active.
NIRSA is partnering with Outdoor Nation, the signature program of the Outdoor Foundation, to launch the first-ever Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge, fueled by The North Face.
The Outdoor Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. The Foundation works with partners, like NIRSA, to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all young people to the great outdoors. In 2010, the Foundation launched Outdoor Nation, a pioneering initiative that aims to empower young leaders to champion the outdoors on campuses and in communities across the United States.
Through the Campus Challenge, US institutions have until May 2 to submit a proposal detailing how they would engage their entire campus community in outdoor recreation participation.“College students are among the most creative, innovative, and influential group of people in our country today,” says Chris Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation. “Over the past several years, these young leaders have emerged as the drivers behind Outdoor Nation, and the Campus Challenge builds on our investment in these change makers and thought leaders. If we are truly going to inspire a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts, the ideas and energy must come from them.”
In this Campus Challenge, US institutions have until May 2 to submit a proposal detailing how they would engage their entire campus network (everyone from students to alumni to community members) in outdoor recreation participation. Any nature-based activity is fair game, and the idea is to get as many people active and involved as possible. Proposals should involve a robust marketing and outreach plan, and videos are encouraged!
Get out and get active with the first-ever Campus Challenge, brought to you by Outdoor Nation, in partnership with NIRSA, and fueled by The North Face.In May, the top ten colleges will be announced and awarded a $5,000 grant and additional resources to activate their ideas during the Fall 2014 semester. Those schools will then go head to head for eight weeks—seeing whose ideas inspire and motivate the greatest number of students to participate in outdoor recreation. A powerful online platform will track progress, recognize school and individual leaders, and reward participation.
The Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge will culminate with one national “Outdoor Nation Campus Champion.” That school will win a valuable prize package including a scholarship for an outdoor program assistant, customized gear library, and a major outdoor festival for all students in 2015.
In addition, an individual achievement award, “Outsider of the Year,” will also be given to the student that inspires the most people to get outdoors, earning him or her a year’s worth of outdoor gear, an internship with the Outdoor Foundation, and an outdoor trip of a lifetime.
The Campus Challenge opportunity will be highlighted for NIRSA’s network of 650+ institutional member schools. “NIRSA is committed to inspiring healthy people and healthy communities,” explains Executive Director, Pam Watts. “Outdoor recreation is a fast-growing area of campus recreation and we are excited to partner with Outdoor Nation to promote the inaugural Campus Challenge and encourage active lifestyle choices on campuses across the United States.”
As leaders in collegiate recreation, NIRSA members are not only the strongest of contenders in a competition like this, but they also have a wealth of resources, ideas, and passion to share with fellow members and with Outdoor Nation. This helps extend the reach of the NIRSA’s values and our association’s vision to inspire healthy people and communities.
