It was not until one Bachelor’s of Science in geology, 12 months in early childhood education, and five years of flirting with a comedy career later did Benji feel the undeniable itch for the passion, self-discovery and community he felt as a student at VOBS. Benji was not done with Outward Bound. In 2018 he returned to Outward Bound. He committed to full-time work in 2020, spending summers paddling around the Minnesota Northwoods and falls/winters stomping through the west Texas desert.

Collaboration is a big part of Benji’s educational philosophy, seeing himself as the student as much as the teacher. Expeditions are constant opportunities to learn about yourself, through and with others. Whether he is impulsively redesigning his curriculum, thanks to an acute moment of student wisdom, or encouraging his students to express their feelings through an improvised play, Benji is always seeking to draw on the creativity of others.

When he is not expeditioning you can find Benji practicing his calligraphy, writing poems to his friends, studying a map of the world, and yes… still flirting with comedy.

After graduating from Loyola, Conner took a short break from VOBS to work for two years in Sweden. While living abroad, Conner learned countless things about herself and the world, and was challenged tremendously by the work involved in adjusting to a new culture. Though thousands of miles away, Conner still felt connected to her work at Outward Bound and eventually felt the pull to return back stateside.

Since 2017, Conner has split her time between Minnesota and Colorado, spending her winters in Aspen teaching skiing and summers at VOBS. So far, her passion for flying down mountains on skis has not been enough to pull her away from summers in Ely, where the growth she sees in an Outward Bound student is unparalleled compared to any other program she has experienced. Conner feels passionately that the wilderness is the best classroom and has stayed with Outward Bound for eight years because as of now, she hasn’t found a better place to be.

as an intern, instructor, course director, trainer and staffer. Notable escapades include crossing the continent by canoe with her sweetheart, navigating the nuances of off-grid living on 60-acres and recent forays into teaching yoga. Since 2011, her professional focus has been growing the Community Harm Repair Program with the Restorative Justice Project in Maine. She is psyched to return to VOBS to check-in with self, place, students and staff.

With a desire to put himself once again out of his comfort zone he took the position as the VOBS Dog Yard Intern: responsible for taking care of the sled dogs at Homeplace, and he has never looked back.

Dan continued as an intern after his first summer as the Dog Yard Intern, and eventually became an Instructor. He spent three years instructing for Outward Bound in the summer and dogsled guiding in the winter- eventually committing to Outward Bound full time in 2019. Since then, he has been working between the Minnesota and Texas bases.

Dan loves working with students and helping guide them through the OB process. He enjoys seeing them confront adversity and challenge as they learn how to better respond to it, reflect on it and eventually take the learnings home. The classroom the wilderness creates for both students and staff alike, is a constant reminder that there is always more to learn. In addition to this, the rapid growth he sees in the students he works with and how it positively affects them, their families and their futures, is what keeps him coming back season after season.

The confidence and sense of purpose Gracie gained from her Pacific Crest Trail trek prompted her to wonder if this type of lifestyle — self-discovery and belonging through wilderness — was one she could build into a career. Thinking again of her Outward Bound course as a teenager, Gracie applied and became an intern with the Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) in the summer of 2016.

Since that summer, Gracie has instructed Intercept courses, Classic courses, Pathfinder courses, and group programs at VOBS’ bases in Ely, MN and Redford, TX. Gracie is consistently amazed by the ways that connection and community can empower people to become more full, authentic versions of themselves. For Gracie, this necessarily means centering equity and restorative justice in the Outward Bound process. She regards it as the utmost privilege to journey alongside her students on their expeditions, exploring both the wilderness and themselves.

During this time, Arty developed a love and knack for Asian cooking and an adventurous spirit that led him to travel the world. He spent extensive time in India, Japan, Southeast Asia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 

In 2018, Arty made the decision to move across the ocean and work for Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS). After some time away from expeditionary learning, he was drawn specifically to the opportunity for longer expeditions and the Intercept program. Arty loves working with students to help them transfer the skills they learn in the wilderness to their lives at home. The opportunity to support families during this time of upheaval and transition is one of his favorite parts of this job. The learning and growth that he has witnessed at VOBS is more profound than he’s seen anywhere else. Since 2018, Arty has committed his life to Outward Bound and works year-round at the bases in Ely, MN and Redford, TX. He loves his work and is committed to providing the best support he can to instructors, students and their families.