Category: Outdoor Adventures

Sign up Now for the Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge!

Hey Mason Nation!

I’m happy to announce that pre-registration for the Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge is officially open! This year Mason has the opportunity to compete against 91 other schools for the title of National Outdoor Champion. Help us prove once and for all that Mason is the outdoorsiest school in the nation!

Here’s what to do:
Step 1: Download the Campus Challenge app
Step 2: Create an account
Step 3: Join our school’s team
Step 4: Log all outdoor activities from September 18–October 15

Easy enough, right? Oh, and a little company called REI will be giving away a $100 gift card every day until September 17.

Remember: Friends don’t let friends miss out on the chance to score free gear. So get your classmates, professors, faculty, and even your friends and family to sign up and earn points for Mason!

National Mall Bike Tour

Despite the chilly weather, a group of Mason students got up early on Sunday to enjoy a ranger-led bike tour of the National Mall.

Early in the morning, we met the rangers near the Jefferson Memorial and looped around the mall stopping at many sites including the FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument! The tour was informal and included lots of history of the mall, the monuments, and the monumental folks behind them.

Did you know that there are small casters on the back legs of the chair that FDR is sitting in at his memorial?

Neither did we! You can see this easily-missed hidden detail by peeking behind the bronze statue.

Listening to Ranger Bethany at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial

Nice view of the Lincoln Memorial while getting some history from the Rangers

Nice view of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

October Rock Climbing

An old school route, Delivery Room

Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge

Join the Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge. Gear Up (for free!)
& Get Outside

It’s officially here – week one of the Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge preregistration and we want to make sure you are signed up and ready. Kicking off Sept 4^th, 88 schools are going head-to-head to see who is the most outdoorsy. Help your favorite school win the title National Outdoor Champion, win awesome gear, prizes and bragging rights by getting outside and active and bringing others with you. *New this year, you can download the Outdoor Nation app that makes logging activities way easier and quicker.

This week just for registering, you will get 50% off of Adidas Outdoor gear.

Sign up today!

Mason Recreation End of the Year: The Awards!

Here are a few superlatives that were awarded during our end of the year social!

Mason Recreation

Employee of the Year

Winner: Gerald Castillo

Spring Employee of the Semester

Winner: Elizabeth Vana

The EDGE

Grace under Pressure

Burmese politician and Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi once described leadership as “grace under pressure.” This award goes to the staff member who leads by example, keeping things positive whether faced with smiling students and sunny days or tough customers and stormy weather.

Winner: Bruce Keith

Genius!

This award goes to the staff member who is always trying new things or implements innovative ways of doing things to help the organization improve.

Winners (tie): Virginia Wine, Courtney Burkey

Helping Hand

This award goes to the staff member most likely to give the extra effort to help out clients, fellow facilitators, or administrative staff, particularly when we have a last-minute change in the schedule.

Winner: Nick Schwarz

Graduating Students

Kevin Rogers (senior)

Brittany Grutter (senior)

Sanjeev Narasimha Murthy (graduate school)

Aquatics

Swim Instructor of the Year

This award is given to an employee who is passionate about teaching people to be safe in on and around the water, has a regular flow of lessons, helps fellow instructors as able, has good communication with supervisor, and has received positive evaluations from clients.

Winner: Fred Zamon

Safety Instructor of the Year

This award is given to an employee who demonstrates proficiency in teaching CPR/AED/FA and/or Lifeguarding, teaches regularly, helps their fellow instructors, communicates well with their supervisor, and has positive evaluations from their classes.

Winner: Daniel Gassel

Intramural Sports

MVP

Winner: Brady Jenkins

Golden Whistle

Winner: Alonzo Evans

Rookie of the Year

Winner: Alyssa Nacman

Employee of the Year Nominee

Nominees: Brady Jenkins and Susan Murphy

Facilities: AFC/Skyline

Started From The Bottom, Now We Here Award (Most Improved)

Winner: Liam Averioin, Karyn Tumaleo

Colby 2.0 Award (Best Example of Leadership)

Winner: Nino Dandan

AFC MVP (Most Hours)

Winner: Sam Proctor

April on Mary’s Rock

The few, the happy few

Despite the treacherous winds that would keep a typical college student under the covers and indoors, four adventurous souls went and tackled Mary’s Rock summit in Shenandoah National Park on the opening weekend of the month. Even with the chilling winds the students hiked on up the peak with smiles on their faces enjoying the open air and wildlife. Once reaching the summit they decided to climb around on the rocks before heading back down to the Byrd’s Nest shelter located right off the trail to eat lunch. Although the summit was windy and cold-ish, the view and company made it a perfect day to go hiking.

another from the top of marys rock — View from the top.

MasonLIFE Group Tackles Stony Man

The group doing their best elephant impressions on the summit

On a chilly and partly overcast day in Shenandoah National Park, eight MasonLIFE Students had a great hike at Stony Man Mountain. The Stony Man loop was a perfect amount of challenge and fun for the students. This loop includes walking around the mountain, three beautiful outlooks, and then hiking upward to reach the summit. Standing at the first vista and looking up to see where we would eventually end was pretty cool. Once we did reach the summit, the sun was fully peeking out, giving us an amazing view of the valley below.