Ten universities and colleges took part in the inauguaral Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge, going head-to-head to determine which school is the most ‘outdoorsy’ in America. After eight weeks, Outdoor Nation announced almost 44,000 outdoor activities were logged by 8,390 participants, with many universities reporting a major surge in the campus-wide interest in outdoor recreation.
Though individual competition was steep, says Outdoor Nation, the clear National Outdoor Champion and winner of the competition was the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. Collectively, CSB/SJU logged 16,289 activities and signed up 1,906 people who participated in the Challenge. The university will receive an awesome gear bank sponsored by The North Face that includes items like technical packs, tents and sleeping bags as well as sleeping pads, camping pillows, water bottles and more. The school will also have a campus-wide celebration to honor their accomplishment.
“These 10 schools demonstrated the extraordinary power and potential that college students have to motivate and mobilize their peers to get active outdoors,” said Chris Fanning executive director of the Outdoor Foundation. “Next year, building on this success, we plan to engage 50 colleges and activate 75,000 young people in outdoor recreation. We hope additional outdoor industry companies will join us in this exciting opportunity to reach the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and consumers.”
The Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge capitalizes on school spirit as a way to reach diverse, new audiences and reinforce a healthy lifestyle message at age when many college students are forming the habits, values and brand allegiances they will carry the rest of their lives, says Outdoor Nation.
Five individuals from across the country also were named Outsiders of the Year – each with 285 approved outdoor activities logged. Winners included Pearce Jensen from CSB/SJU, Nathan Miller and Vincent McClain from Michigan Technological University, Emma Gummerson from Appalachian State University and James Ablang from Cal State Long Beach. Each of these students will be outfitted by The North Face and will have the opportunity to intern with Outdoor Nation during the 2015 ON Campus Challenge.
The schools that competed in the 2014 Challenge include: Appalachian State University, California State University, Long Beach, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Michigan Technological University, University of Central Florida, University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Spelman College.
