Ramble Outdoors
The Office for Outdoor Experiential Education (O.O.E.E.) serves the Loyola University Chicago community by providing integrated educational experiences designed to foster the student promise of care for self, care for others, and care for the environment. Using the outdoors as classrooms, students participate in challenging and intentional, group-based activities that provide space for reflection and leadership development.
On-Campus outdoor skill clinics
Have you wanted to go kayaking but don’t know how? Are you sick of eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every time you camp? Do you want to get off campus and into nature, but don't know where to go? Hour to two-hour skills-building or informational sessions can help you plan our next outdoor adventure or simply teach you a new technical skill. Sign up for one of our many clinics including: Backcountry Gourmet Cooking, Camping 101, Kayak Rolling, Trip Planning, Orienteering, and Fire Building.
Off-Campus day/overnight outdoor trips
These short-term experiences provide an entry point to try a new outdoor sport, explore new lands, and connect with students who share your passion for the outdoors.
Off-Campus Challenge Course Group Development
The challenge course, located in Woodstock, IL, provides opportunities for shorter and challenging, group activities that lend to deeper personal and group understanding. Activities are lead by student and staff facilitators focused on personal and group responsibility, relationship building, communication and problem-solving.
On-Campus Group Development
Do you want your group to experience the positive outcomes of a challenge course experience but don't have the time to go off-campus? Many activities facilitated on the challenge course can take place right on campus.
Custom Trips
Are you part of a group that wants to have fun while learning about each other and working on becoming a better functioning group or team? The OOEE can help to design an experience that will be fun, challenging, and provide time in the outdoors that will strengthen your common experience.
First-Year "Start-the-Fire" Pre-Welcome Week Trips
Transitioning to university life is exciting, but can also be stressful and intimidating. Before the fall semester begins, join us and other first-year students on an adventure trip to meet new students, ask big questions, and gain the confidence that Loyola will be a terrific home for you.
Extended Outdoor Break Trips
The OOEE offers once in a lifetime trips to amazing outdoor destinations. A few examples include extended backpacking, cross-country skiing/snowshoeing, rock climbing, and canoe/kayak-specific trips, as well as mountaineering expeditions. Trips occur over extended breaks, such as spring, summer, or winter break.
Equipment Rental Program
The OOEE maintains an inventory of backpacking and camping equipment that may be checked out by Loyola community members.
Ways to get involved
- Participate in clinics, short and/or long-term trips
- Say yes when a professor, RA, coach or group leader invites you on a Challenge Course or custom outdoor experience.
- Join the Student Facilitator Team and develop your group facilitation, outdoor, and leadership capacities. Student facilitators will assist in planning and leading trips group-building activities. This opportunity will allow you to greatly contribute to this new and dynamic program as we build an outdoor program at Loyola University Chicago.
- Call, email or stop by to visit about how you can engage the outdoors.