After six weeks of competition between 57 colleges and universities across the country, Southern Utah University (SUU) claimed the overall win in the inaugural Outdoor Nation Campus Challenge, according to . The challenge consisted聽of more than 20,000 outdoor activities that the SUU student body and surrounding community鈥2,500 people total鈥攃ompleted. Participants were given a list of more than 60 activity options and had to take a picture of themselves midway through and later聽post聽it to an online submission form. The school with the most students (and people in its surrounding community) participating in聽outdoor recreation activities from the list won. There was also an award for the individual who logged聽the most outdoor activities from the list.
鈥淲e鈥檙e using聽selfies聽for good,鈥 Christine Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation, told聽国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 one of the most important issues, engaging the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts. We鈥檙e very excited about [the program鈥檚] potential.鈥
The event tallied more than 100,000 activities with almost 20,000 participants from the University of Maryland, Syracuse University, University of Alabama, and others.
SUU junior Kyle Motis was awarded the individual 国产吃瓜黑料r of the Year title.聽鈥淚t鈥檚 gotten me to think more outside the box, of cooler things to do instead of the generic camping and hiking,鈥澛燤otis, an outdoor recreation major, told聽翱耻迟蝉颈诲别听on Thursday. The 21-year-old logged 210 activities鈥攕ometimes more than five a day鈥攊ncluding running, skateboarding, fly-fishing, and caving.
Fanning credited the success of the Campus Challenge to school spirit, rivalries, and competition. She said there are plans to expand the program in 2016.
