Saint John's Outdoor University

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Collegeville, MN
Saint John's Outdoor University

Saint John's Outdoor University is an educational, recreational, and environmental program of Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict.

09/04/2026

It's back and better than ever!

Saint John's Outdoor University and Abbey Arboretum are so grateful for this community and all you do for us. Join us to celebrate another year of achievements at our 2026 Fall Member & Volunteer Appreciation Social with community, fun, food, and nature trivia! All are welcome.

Join us on Friday, October 9th from 5:30 - 8:00 PM at Milk & Honey Ciders in St. Joseph, MN.

For more information, click the link here: https://shorturl.at/eHE6v

09/01/2026

🧗‍♂️ A Timeless Tradition 🛶

Saint John's Outdoor University Collegebound program welcomed incoming students for its 39th year of adventure and connection!

This year, participants chose between a Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) expedition or a local adventure that highlighted a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities on and around campus. Both groups enjoyed beautiful weather, plenty of paddling, and countless opportunities to build new friendships before the start of the academic year.

A special thank you to our student leaders who helped create these experiences and foster a welcoming community where new students could find belonging through the outdoors.

08/28/2026

We had so much fun hosting 100+ first year College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University students with Saint John's Abbey Arboretum - Nature Sanctuary yesterday. From fishing, maple syrup tasting, employment opportunities, guessing pine cones, and even bombastic music, it was so much fun! The best part?! We get to do it AGAIN today for ANOTHER 100+ students!

08/25/2026

One of our expert naturalists took these photos, but it looks like Spider-Man photobombed! Can you find him? 🕷️📸

In just over a week, we are excited to host our Spider Walk and Talk on Saturday, September 5! Teaming up with our expert naturalists, learn about the magnificent arachnids that call the Saint John's Abbey Arboretum - Nature Sanctuary home. Who knows if you may see the real Spider-Man on the hike....

Click the link here to register and get your spot today: https://shorturl.at/eis8y

08/20/2026

Today is an exciting day for us! At the wee hours of the morning today, before the first birds sang, our first-year students went off on their first big college adventure: Collegebound! Collegebound is the "pre-orientation" experience where people can camp at the BWCA or locally on campus before first-year orientation starts.

With a few dozen students going to both the Boundary Waters and staying on campus, each group will camp, kayak, make s'mores, regale in stories, and enjoy the beautiful Minnesota outdoors. As a bonus: who doesn't like a mini vacation?

08/18/2026

Wait, where did all the flowers go???

At the end of the summer, most forbs in the prairie are done blooming. The good news is, now the doors are open to the wide world of prairie grasses.

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed or flabbergrassted by questions like "What are grasses? Why are they important? What kinds of grasses can I find here?", worry not! This month's edition of Phenology Forecast is the solution for all your grass-related queries. Join us to explore these awesome plants.

08/17/2026

✨ We're Going On a (Field) Trip In Our Favorite Rocket Ship! ✨

That's right -- Saint John's Outdoor University is now accepting 2026 - 2027 classes for our field trip programs. Take your class outside to learn and explore nature! Whether your students are interested in insects, maple syrup, seeds, trees, or the outdoors, we have a program for you. If you're a teacher, we can custom build our programs to match your curriculum.

Click the link here to reserve your spot: https://shorturl.at/XBCwi

08/13/2026

Our Nature Explorers Summer Camp 2026 just came to an end, but what a BLAST! With over 80 campers across 20 camp days across 3 unique themes, we made so many fun memories! From time spent in nature, to crafting with wood, and the new friendships made!

It is always bittersweet for our camps to come to an end, but we look forward to next year's adventures.

08/12/2026

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨

We are now HIRING for a FULL-TIME Outdoor Education Program Assistant at Saint John's Outdoor University! Have you ever worked with the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, outdoor recreation, or another higher education institution? Do you enjoy spending time in nature (like Red Lodge, MT or the Grand Canyon) and preparing future leaders? How about managing a premier climbing destination on campus?

If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you -- apply here: https://shorturl.at/6OzPH!

✅ Must be 25 years of age or older
💬 Questions? Send us a DM or leave a comment below.
📅 Applications close in mid-September.

Address

2945 Abbey Plaza
Collegeville, MN
56321

Telephone

+13203633163

Website

http://www.csbsju.edu/outdooru

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