Ready to dive in?

The Department of Student Life offers a variety of outdoor leadership programs (including LEAP and GEAR) designed to build your skills and get you certified for future payed opportunities. 

Learn more about our outdoor leadership programs!

Additional Certifications:

We also work with local instructors to provide professional certification courses to get you the credentials you need to enter the field of Outdoor Education, Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Guiding. Gaining these credentials will also allow you to be hired by Outdoor Programs in additional capacities! 

The courses we can help you take here in VT are:

• SOLO Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responder
• American Canoe Association Canoe Instructor, Coastal Kayak Instructor, and Whitewater Kayak instructor
• Rope Course Facilitator training analogous to an Association for Challenge Course Technology level 1
  AIARE Avalanche Safety Level 1 training
• American Mountain Guide Association Climbing Wall Instructor & Single Pitch Instructor

Engaging with the outdoors at UVM (whether it be through our programs, clubs and organizations, or a casual excursion with friends) is a great way to find new people and build community with your peers. Below are a few quotes from students who have found new skills, experiences, and friends through outdoor adventures here at UVM.

EJ  (2024 LEAP Participant)

“I found my voice on LEAP. It pushed me to advocate for myself and speak up if I needed help or to slow down. It was a really nice reminder that there is community out there for me, and I feel more emboldened to reach out and join other clubs and groups to see if I can get something awesome out of those too!"

Shira (2024 TREK Participant)

“It [skills and experience gained in TREK] helped me believe in my ability to persevere through difficult things, which I hold with me to this day. Whether it’s a hard test or stressful situation, I look back on my TREK experiences to show me I am capable.” 

Abby (2024 Catamount Campout Participant) 

“My CC trip definitely altered the course of my experience at UVM through introducing me to some of my closest friends, influencing which clubs I joined (Outing Club, Summit Sisters, UVM Herp, etc.), and by helping reaffirm that I am capable of doing hard things. Without the relationships and connections that I made while on CC, I do not think that I would be as involved on campus or would be as fulfilled as I am currently.”

Whether it’s working for one of the positions we hire or developing the marketable skills needed to be a successful applicant for a job at an outdoor company, we’ve got you covered. TREK leaders go through a rigorous backcountry leader training program and gain first-hand experience leading a trip. 

View all Student Life employment and internship opportunities!

Our internships

• LEAP Internship

  Help make the magic happen with Leadership Experience in Adventure Programming (LEAP), our 90 hour hands-on outdoor leadership course. Help instruct fellow students in developing skills in group leadership, camping, teamwork, navigation, communication and critical thinking. 

  As a LEAP TA Intern, you will continue to develop the transferable leadership skills you learned through TREK training and leading trips at UVM. Your primary responsibility will be to co-instruct with Outdoor Programs staff a comprehensive 90-hr hands-on outdoor leadership course.  

• TREK Internships

  Create an introduction to UVM that incoming Catamounts will remember forever! Join in a 45 year tradition of welcoming incoming students to campus with a pre-orientation experience that gets them out and engaged in the Vermont community and landscape. 

  • TREK Logistics Intern: The TREK Logistics Support Team is essential to getting TREK trips out the door and packed back in after the program. It is a heavy lift and many hands make light work! The position is perfect for folks looking to get involved with TREK, Civic Engagement, Outdoor Programs, and the behind the scenes work for pre-orientation programs. Logistics Support Team Members report directly to the Logistics Assistants and administratively to Outdoor Programs & Civic Engagement Staff Members.
  • Adventure TREK Leader: As a TREK Leader Intern, you will learn and develop transferable leadership skills through training and real-world practice, leading a TREK trip! Your primary responsibility will be to welcome first year UVM students and support them to form connections with one another and the Northeastern outdoors. Leaders will be trained and supervised by Assistant Director of Student Life for Outdoor Programs and the Outdoor Programs Coordinator. 

Other positions

• Basecamp Manager

  • The Basecamp Manager supervises the Basecamp crew members who are responsible for the overall administration of gear and equipment rentals from the house as well as trip logistics.

• Basecamp Crew/Staff

  • The Basecamp Crew Member is an integral part of the Basecamp team and responsible for the overall administration of gear and equipment rentals to on-campus locations and within the Burlington communities. 

• Outdoor Programs Trip Leader

  • Outdoor Programs Trip Leaders (OPTLs) work to increase accessibility to the outdoors by assisting outdoor programs in running free, no-experience necessary, low time commitment outdoor programming that ultimately empowers participants to engage in outdoor activities on their own and with their friends. OPTLs work as part of a team with the Outdoor Programs Assistant Director and Coordinator, reporting directly to the Outdoor Programs A.D. 

• Outdoor Programs Marketing and Logistics Assistant

  • The ODP Marketing and Logistics Assistant will work closely with Outdoor Programs staff to facilitate outdoor experiences and leadership development programming for UVM Students. The Logistics Assistant will be tasked with scheduling, marketing, and other administrative tasks. 

You can also apply to be on the leadership team for the UVM Outing Club or Ski and Snowboard Club, or check out other positions through UVM Handshake!

Visit the Basecamp

Located right on campus, serving as a community resource for all UVM students looking to get outside. Basecamp provides gear rentals for all-season backcountry travel, a wide array of map and guidebook resources, and a team of student leaders who will gladly help with it all. Basecamp is open Monday- Thursday (10am-3pm) and Fridays (10am-4pm) during the academic year, with limited operating hours during the summer.

More about Basecamp

Before venturing out, please check out our "staying safe" section for tips on keeping yourself and others safe while enjoying the beautiful outdoors!

Safety Tips:

• If you're just starting out, don't hike alone.
• Stretch before you go!
• Review your hiking plans/trails before you go, and let someone know where you're going.
• Check the weather before you go, and dress appropriately!
• Bring water and a high-protein snack.
• Don't rely on cell service outdoors.
• Pace yourself - take breaks and stay hydrated!

Swimming Safety:

• AVOID MOVING WATER
  • During the spring and early summer, fast-moving waters are MUCH colder than you think, and currents are often stronger. This combination can be fatal. Please be safe!
  • Never, ever swim alone, or while intoxicated. Avoid swimming in fast-moving water. Accidents can happen quickly and when you least expect them.
• Think before you swim. Check your entry and exit points and take into account the current and depth of the water.
• Look at what is downstream and the consequences of a slip.
• Don’t mix swimming and alcohol.
• Swim with other people.
• Don’t jump in. Ensure that there are no underwater hazards and enter the water slowly to prevent cold-water shock.
• Let people know where you are and what you’re doing.
• If someone gets in trouble, don’t put yourself at risk but call for help—dial 911 immediately.
• If you find yourself in difficulty, remember: FLOAT TO LIVE.

Leave no Trace:

• Know where you're going, and have a plan.
• Stay on marked trails.
• Leave areas as you found them.
• Respect wildlife.
• Be considerate of others.
• Bring your trash with you and dispose of it properly. 

Ticks:

• These nasty lil buggers can cause Lyme's disease, and can be abundant depending on the season.
• They live in wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
• Wear pants or leggings with socks to help keep them off of your skin, and try to stick to the center of trails when possible to reduce exposure.
• Check your body at the end of the hike before going inside to ensure you haven't picked up any uninvited hitchhikers! 

Mud Season:

• Vermont's unofficial "5th season" (early spring when the snow is melting).
• Some trails are closed during this time - pay close attention and heed all signage.
• Some higher elevation trails are still icy, and require specialized traction equipment.
• Check VT's State Parks website to see what's closed.
• The Green Mountain Club has great resources on how to manage mud season as a hiker! 

Below are a few of our favorite adaptive-accessible outdoor areas in Vermont:

• Raven’s Ridge Natural Area, Monkton. Traveling a 935-foot accessible boardwalk to a 0.3-mile-long accessible trail gives you a chance to spot bats, bobcats, and rare plants.
• Stowe Recreation Path, Stowe. This 3-mile paved path follows the West Branch of the Little River, offering views of the mountains and easy access to shops and restaurants.
• Smugglers’ Notch Boardwalk, Stowe. You can explore wetlands, see a beaver dam, and admire the notch from this new 660-foot accessible boardwalk on the Long Trail.
• Waterbury Center State Park Trail, Waterbury. A 1,500-foot accessible trail, built in 2010, that skirts the Waterbury Reservoir.

More Information:  

• More accessible trails with the Green Mountain Club

• Additional Resources