Emory University News Release

Release date: Aug. 14, 2003
Contact: Deb Hammacher, Associate Director, University Media Relations,
at 404-727-0644 or dhammac@emory.edu

Emory Freshmen Take a Hike Into College Life

While many of their future classmates are packing for their dorm rooms, some incoming Emory University freshmen are opting for an adventurous start to their college careers. Through Outdoor Emory Adventure Orientation, first-year students get to bond with future classmates while they camp out under the stars, raft down a river, go rock-climbing, explore caves or go horseback riding along scenic trails.

Each year, 200 incoming first-year students – about 15 percent of the class – take part in the program, a whirlwind of three-day trips Aug. 21-23 just before the start of regular orientation. During the trips, students also learn about Emory through upperclassmen and faculty before all the pressures of starting college hit.

Outdoor Emory Organization (OEO), the university's largest student group, runs the popular program, which has sold out every year since it began in 1991 as one of the first orientations of its kind in the country. Today, only a few other universities such as Duke run similar, large-scale programs, says club advisor Dan Magee, coordinator for Emory Recreational Services. The cost for students is $165, which includes a year's membership in OEO.

"Adventure Orientation is a great opportunity for students new to Atlanta and away from home to make friends and connect with people. They already have a base when school starts," says OEO president Jordan Luskin, a senior neuroscience and behavioral biology major who met one of his best friends during Adventure Orientation. "We always get a great mix of kids -- some with experience, some who've never camped before. Many of them stay involved with OEO throughout the year."

Although Emory is located in the Atlanta metropolis, OEO is one of the largest and most active clubs of its kind in the country with more than 400 members. "OEO is popular because of our urban location. We give people the opportunity to escape the city," Luskin says.

In addition to weekend trips with activities ranging from backpacking to spelunking, OEO is heavily involved in community service. Members regularly participate in tree plantings and trail maintenance, and a program called OEO Juniors allows children from inner-city Atlanta to experience the outdoors.

Members also get a chance to live in Asbury House, a campus residence designated for OEO that provides housing for 12 students and a social meeting center for the group.

For more information on OEO, see www.emory.edu/STUDENTS/OEO/. Luskin may be reached at 404-727-2012 or jluskin@learnlink.emory.edu. Magee may be reached at 404-727-6551 or dan.magee@learnlink.emory.edu.

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