Frosh Trip Support Team & Command Center Teams

Frosh Trip 2023 Update & Overview

This report was written on the twentieth anniversary of the Outdoor Action Program to identify the unique contributions Outdoor Action has made to Princeton University. The Outdoor Action Program has been an important program for building community at Princeton for the past twenty years. Outdoor Action activities serve as powerful group bonding experiences that help students develop new friendships, learn leadership skills, increase interpersonal skills, develop concern for the environment, and learn lifelong wilderness skills. The overall success of the program can be seen through the yearly increases in participation and evaluations and studies of participants and leaders. This report documents the history and growth of the program since its founding in 1974.

In 2010 the Outdoor Action Program was moved into the Vice President for Campus Life Office after fourteen years of being administratively managed by the Princeton-Blairstown Center. This report was written to explore and envision how Outdoor Action could play a significant role on campus.

During its forty year history Outdoor Action (OA) has achieved incredible success. It has transformed the orientation process for incoming students at Princeton. In addition, OA has built a unique learning laboratory where students have the opportunity to practice real leadership in service to others. OA Leaders are some of Princeton’s most successful and influential leaders across the campus. The overall Outdoor Action Program is also one of Princeton’s greatest untapped resources. Expanding the program is clearly one of the best investments Princeton can make in student leadership development over the next decade.

Students involved in Outdoor Action excel both in academics and in campus activities from varsity sports, to student government, and student organizations. The leadership skills they develop through Outdoor Action serve the larger Princeton campus and beyond as these students go on to be leaders throughout their careers. Here are some of the awards and prizes received by Outdoor Action Leaders.

Outdoor Action provides the most extensive student leadership development program at Princeton. OA Leaders serve as leaders in all aspects of campus life from academics to sports and extracuricular activities. They go on to be leaders outside of Princeton.

by Lisa Newman-Wise '05

On Campus Opportunities

• Semester On-campus Jobs with Outdoor Action - check here for the latest campus job openings
• OA Guide to Outdoor & Environmental Careers
• OA Academic Research Page - Princeton students, find a great outdoor, experiential education, or community service research topic for your next paper, JP, or thesis.
• Summer Jobs with Outdoor Action