Hayden Banister, full-time Walton MBA student and former regional service manager at J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., wanted to find opportunities for new students to connect outside of the classroom. Due to COVID restrictions, an Outdoors Club offered a safe space to stay connected.
“Participants in the Outdoors Club were able to network with members of each cohort
through fun outdoor activities that provided a much-needed break from the grind of
classes,” Banister says. The club created a student community in a world where COVID-19
has stifled many networking and community-building opportunities.
In August 2020, the Outdoors Club hosted several activities, including kickball, soccer and a November Run Challenge. With increasing safety concerns, Banister searched for innovative ways to stay active and socially connected during the pandemic.
The November Run Challenge allowed participants to log their miles through an app.
Madeleine Corbell, full-time MBA student and financial analyst intern at UpSpring, placed first in
the competition, running more than 110 miles.
Corbell says, “The challenge was a good motivator to stay active during the pandemic and built a sense of community between participants even though it was a remote competition.” Corbell joined the Outdoors Club to “experience nature and build relationships with other participants.”
Samuel Skeirik, full-time MBA student, former firefighter and MBA kickball competitor, has always enjoyed team sports and outdoor social activities. He joined the Outdoors Club because it was one of the safest ways to get to know people during the pandemic.
Soccer was another group favorite. “I really enjoyed playing soccer with the outdoors club on a beautiful, sunny afternoon,” says Brianna Jones, full-time MBA student and graduate assistant. “I hadn’t had the chance to play soccer with a big group in so long and everyone who showed up gave a great effort and we all had a ton of fun,” Jones said.
The Outdoors Club prioritizes staying active and outdoors during a time when it is “easy to stay indoors and work at a desk all day,” Jones says.
Outdoors Club competitors have the chance to win a variety of Walton MBA sponsored gifts, including books and coffee mugs.
Banister hopes faculty and students from other cohorts and programs will join the
Outdoors Club in the future. Upcoming events include a virtual tennis tournament,
a 5K run and mountain biking with Farid Noori, full-time MBA student and founder of Mountain Bike Afghanistan.
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