Outdoor Leadership Program

Thirty-three trips into the wilderness, 68 student leaders, 287 student participants. Plus dozens of canoes, tents, sleeping bags, rain gear, pounds of cheese, and other essentials. The planning that goes into Hamilton’s Adirondack Adventure (AA) orientation program is extensive, and the process has run like a proverbial well-oiled machine for the past four decades thanks in large part to Director of Outdoor Leadership Andrew Jillings, who came on board in 1997 to expand the program from a modest six trips.

National and regional news organizations regularly interview Hamilton faculty, staff, alumni, and students for their expertise and perspectives on current events, and to feature programs and activities on campus. June’s news topics included coverage of the economy, federal employees, and the Army’s 250th anniversary parade, among others.

Members of Hamilton’s Class of 2024 have walked off the Commencement stage, canes in hand, and out into the world ready to make a difference.

April’s news topics included varied subjects from the eclipse to the NFL draft. Links are provided, but some may require subscriptions to access content. Please contact Vige Barrie if you cannot open a link or do not have a subscription.

Hamilton students kept busy during spring break, exploring their passions at places far and near. Eighteen seniors traveled to Nepal to trek the Himalayas; the College Choir toured Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and West Virginia, where they performed with other college singers; Alternate Spring Break groups did volunteer work in Kentucky, Delaware, North Carolina, and Syracuse, N.Y. Athletic teams competed in the NCCAs and during trips to Florida, and the Curling team made it to nationals.

In November, 13 students accompanied Director of Outdoor Leadership Andrew Jillings to the 50th international conference of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) in Black Mountain, N.C.

Every fall, Hamilton’s Outing Club (HOC) sends groups of students to the Adirondack Mountains where they attempt to summit each of the 46 high peaks in one weekend. This year, there were 25 trips and five overnight backpacking trips. Student participants included 40 HOC leaders, 20 shadow leaders (as part of HOC leader training), and 51 hikers for a grand total of 111. This year, Hamilton students summited 39 of the 46 peaks.

Five days, 120 student leaders, 60 trips.  After they arrived on campus and moved in, all members of the Class of 2026 set off on orientation trips aimed at connecting them with their classmates and introducing them to the area.

A large group of students braved the cold and embraced winter with a day of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in Hamilton's Rogers Glen on a January weekend.

When Hamilton’s class of 2024 arrived on campus in August, 2020, it was in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, so many of the usual opportunities and experiences for new students were not possible. In an effort to make up for that, Hamilton this year offered sophomores the opportunity to take Adirondack Adventure trips during Fall Break.