Become an Adventure Trip Leader

Adventure Trip Leaders lead a wide variety of outdoor recreation activities. These include in-town adventures, week-long wilderness immersions, and everything in-between! Trip Leaders are responsible for leading or supporting various types of outdoor activities within the Outdoor Recreation program. These include: Summer Trailhead Experiences, Day & Overnight Trips, Extended Break Trips, Academic Partnerships, and Instructional Clinics. Activities generally include hiking, backpacking, river kayaking, walking, rock climbing, and many other outdoor recreation activities! One of the joys of being a Trip Leader is bringing your unique passions, ideas and interest into the work that you do. Most of these programs are led by students and for students to attend!

Your responsibilities as a Trip Leader will include trip planning, personal outdoor leadership development, safety and risk management skills, evaluation of self and peers, developing effective communication skills, and actively engaging the Texas State community through leading outdoor activities!

Do you love being outdoors but feel like you don’t have much experience, training or certifications? Don’t worry! The Adventure Trip Program will teach you all of the necessary skills you need to be a competent leader through our Trip Staff Training Program (TSTP). We aim to get you equipped with the knowledge, experience, and skills you need to become an outdoor leader regardless of your prior experiences. All you need is a commitment to outdoor leadership and a desire to learn!

While some of our trip leaders have been exposed to outdoor activities their whole lives, many join with little to no prior experience! Our priority is to find people who are excited about working with others and learning and teaching new skills. We seek individuals who bring a diversity of experiences and backgrounds to the program. The more our leaders represent the TXST community, the more accurate an impression our participants will have on what our program stands for! The Trip Staff Training Program is a fun and engaging process that begins with establishing the foundations as a leader in the outdoors. Each year, a new cohort that best represents our campus is brought into the Program. This generally consists of 5-10 new Trip Leaders that you will develop life-long connections with over the Fall & Spring semesters and into your time as a Trip Leader with the Adventure Trip Program.

This is a question that all individuals should ask themselves prior to applying to become a Trip Leader. We do not want you to be discouraged, as the answer is unique to each person based on their personal involvement with school, outside work obligations, and time that you will be able to commit developing your skills both in and outside of the program. Becoming a Trip Leader is a big commitment, so please consider carefully!

Our model is built on the assumption that most individuals who apply are sophomore status at TXST. This allows students to flow through the program with a steady progression as they develop the skills necessary in each outdoor activity to progress from an Apprentice, Assistant and Head Trip Leader. Generally speaking, it takes approximately one year to gain all of the skills necessary to begin working your way into higher levels of leadership. After one year, most Trip Leaders have a strong foundation and possess the certifications that are necessary to assume these higher-level leadership roles.

If you are applying to be a Trip Leader and are at a junior status, this does not limit your eligibility for hire but may affect what you are able to do with your shorter duration within the program. We suggest getting in touch with the Outdoor Recreation Assistant Director to discuss what your goals are as a Trip Leader and what is feasible during your time.

We typically do not recommend applying to be a Trip Leader within your final year.

(Inability to commit to all training sessions (see schedule below), or ability to work in the first summer semester, will make you ineligible for employment)

The Adventure Trip Program puts interpersonal and leadership skills at the top of our preferred qualifications with less of an emphasis on the technical skills. Once hired, a major component of employment as a Trip Leader is the continued development of the technical skills required to lead a wide variety of trips for the Outdoor Center.

If selected as a finalist, your interview will last roughly 30 minutes. This is the toughest stage for the committee as they have to narrow down the top candidates who will become the next cohort of Trip Leaders to join the Outdoor Center.

During the interview, one question that you will be asked is your ability to commit to all stages of the Trip Staff Training Program, including all Fall Training Dates the week-long Winter Training Trip, and all Spring Training Dates. This process is non-negotiable, so if you are not able to attend all sessions, unfortunately this will make you ineligible to become a Trip Leader. We have found that a Trip Leaders’ inability to fulfill the TSTP process ultimately effects their ability to become a successful Trip Leader for our program.

We aim to place Trip Leaders on at least 2 trips per Fall and Spring academic semesters. During the summer, Trip Leaders generally work 1-2 Trailhead Basecamp Trips, numerous half-day water programs, and multiple academic trips. When factoring in all of the other Outdoor Recreation staff roles in the summer, working full-time is achievable. We like to think of it as committing as much or as little as you can based on your personal class load and other work/personal obligations. 

It is important to recognize your personal financial needs, as you consider working other jobs on campus or elsewhere to support yourself.

Beginning the Spring Semester after hire, it is expected that Trip Leaders are working and involved with at least one other area of Outdoor Recreation. This can include positions at the Sewell Park Outdoor Center, Climbing Center, or Challenge Course. These roles afford additional hourly income for Trip Leaders, expand their understanding of the program and resources available, as well as further improve the community of Outdoor Recreation staff.

Trip leaders receive training stipend pay for all required trainings. Required trainings including New Hire Night, Fall & Spring training days, the Winter Training Trip, and any other required Staff Trainings.

Trip Leaders do not receive pay for supplemental TSTP Trainings offered throughout the year. Rather, they are afforded the ability to participate in these trainings free of cost to continue their professional and technical skills development. Alternatively, if you meet the Trip Leader Requirements outlined in that activity’s skills checklist, you can bypass these supplemental trainings.

Trip Leaders that demonstrate commitment to the program are provided a Wilderness First Aid Certification at no cost!

Leaders receive pay for the trips that they lead based on their level of qualification for the type of trips they are leading. Full-day off-campus trips are paid via contractual agreement. Contract rate minimums are as follows: Apprentice Level Trip Leaders $88 per day. Assistant Trip Leaders $96 per day. Head Trip Leaders $104 per day. 

Additionally, Trip Leaders are eligible for longevity pay raises when paired with positive performance reviews.

Once hired, you will begin down the trail as an Adventure Trip Leader. This begins with establishing your foundation in Outdoor Leadership over the course of 6 half-day classroom sessions that take place Thursday evenings during the Fall Semester. This leads into a 6-day Winter Training Trip. On your Winter Training Trip, you and your cohort join together putting all of your knowledge to practice in a fun and engaging week-long backcountry trip.

• Trip Staff Mixer
• Classroom 1: Foundations of Outdoor Leadership
• Classroom 2: Risk Management & Safety in the Backcountry
• Classroom 3: Technical Skills Training Course
• Classroom 4: Technical Skills Assessment
• Classroom 5: Trip Planning
• Classroom 6: Winter Training Trip Planning

Spring Semester will wrap up the TSTP with more skills-specific training days. While most are mandatory, some are optional depending on your skill and interest level!

Winter Training Trip

You will pull together all your knowledge developed on-campus and, as Trip Leaders in pairs, you will take turns being “leaders of the day”. In this role you will practice applying all of your leadership, risk management and technical skills while managing the interpersonal needs of your group members. This is a fun, challenging, and exciting week that will set you up for success as a Leader for your time with the Adventure Trip Program!

Continuing on, over the course of your time at TXST you will have the opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a leader in a variety of Outdoor Recreation activities both through participating in additional trainings, being mentored by other Trip Leaders, and through leading Trip Programs offered throughout the year. The following optional TSTP courses are available free of charge to Trip Leaders to develop their outdoor leadership skills. All progress is tracked via your Outdoor Skills Checklist which helps you map your journey and accomplish your goals within the program.

Fall Semester Training Timeline

15-Passenger Van Training Date TBD in October

• Time TBD

Trip Staff Mixer Thursday, October 3rd @ 5pm-9pm

• The Staff Mixer acts as an orientation to the Trips Program and welcomes all our new and returning leaders in a night of fun and mixing cohorts and supporting our community development.

Week 1 Training Thursday, October 10th @ 5pm-9pm

Week 2 Training Thursday, October 17th @ 5pm-9pm

Week 3 Training Thursday, October 24th @ 5pm-9pm

Week 4 Training Thursday, November 7th @ 5pm-9pm

Week 5 Training Thursday, November 14th @ 5pm-9pm

Week 6 Training Thursday, December 5th @ 5pm-9pm

Winter Training Trip Friday, January 3rd – Thursday, January 9th

Spring Semester Training Timeline (2025)

Wilderness First Aid Course Saturday-Sunday January 25-26

• All Day Both Days

Texas Outdoor Leadership Conference (TOLC) Friday-Sunday

• February 7-9
• All expenses covered, transportation & lodging provided. Unpaid.

San Marcos River Kayak Training Saturday February 15th

• 2pm-6pm

Moonlight Kayak Training Thursday February 20th

• 8pm-11pm

(Optional) Van with Trailer Driving Practice & Checkout Friday, February 21st

• Time TBD

(Optional) Challenge Course Facilitator Training Monday-Friday May 12-16

• 8am-5pm

San Marcos River Rafting Training Wednesday & Thursday May 21-22

• 8am-12pm