New Opportunity For High Schools & Colleges
Character Expedition Details
Outward Bound and EMA invite you to advance character for students and college admissions. Together, we can deepen understanding and make transformation possible.
- Dates: Summer & Fall 2026
- Location: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
- Duration: 8 days
- Participants: High school (grades 9–12) and college students
- Program elements: Canoeing for social, emotional, and physical engagement and character development
- Cost for EMA member schools: $9,800 (total cost for all 7 participants)
- Cost for non-EMA organizations: $19,600* (total cost for all 7 participants)
*If you are a youth-serving nonprofit or public school, you may qualify for a scholarship to fund participation in the Character Expedition and EMA research.
Join the Character Crew
marlais.brand@vobs.org • 612.978.9671
It’s About Resilience
From rising mental health concerns to societal division, disconnection, or social media pressure, today’s students are under more stress. Anxiety, self-doubt, and fear of failure can hold promising students back from reaching their potential.
But we can help them grow resilience. When students embrace opportunity and challenge alongside peers and caring adults, they grow the character to thrive.
This learning expedition isn't about surviving in the wilderness—it’s about thriving in life and school. Through immersive, hands-on experience, students develop life skills that will serve them long after their Outward Bound expedition ends.
Imagine Your Students
- Paddling a misty lake at first light
- Setting a destination and charting a course together, initiating a courageous conversation
- Listening with an open mind and empathy, carrying a canoe on their shoulders
- Lightening a friend’s load
- Resting lakeside, and discovering the power of self-reflection, forging new friendships around a campfire
- Lying under the stars and learning to live in the moment
Outward Bound is character development that sticks.
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College Readiness & The Character Skills Snapshot
Colleges are looking beyond tests and grades—they are seeking students with character. Students who thrive in college are resilient; they take initiative, manage adversity and adapt. Resilient students have the courage and self-confidence to keep going, even when the going gets tough. EMA will use their Character Skills Snapshot to explore and measure Character Expedition participant experience and character growth. The goal is to learn how quality character development programs like Outward Bound align with EMA Character Snapshot skills, and prepare students for college. EMA’s Character Snapshot measures the skills that both independent schools and college admissions teams value:
- Intellectual engagement– willingness and enjoyment of pursuing learning opportunities
- Open-mindedness– willingness to try new things
- Initiative– preference to start tasks promptly
- Resilience– rebounding from unexpected situations and changing circumstances
- Self-control– monitor and control thoughts and actions, and what to say to others
- Social awareness– responding to everyday situations appropriately
- Teamwork– engaging in supportive behaviors and emphasizing empathy that enables productive collaboration
Character Assets
Give your college-bound students a character-building experience with valuable assets to elevate their character in college admissions:
- Outward Bound Character Expedition: To highlight in the admissions process
- Personal reflection: To articulate self-discovery
- Outward Bound character certificate: To demonstrate character program completion
- Character letter of recommendation: To show personal skill building
- Character publication, video, and social: To elevate, validate, and share growth
Character Roundtable
One of the most valuable aspects of this experience happens after the expedition. Students won’t just grow leadership during their expedition; they’ll have an opportunity to lead during our post-program Character Roundtable. Students from all participating schools will convene to share their expedition experience and insight with one another, EMA, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and college admissions decision-makers. This is an opportunity for students to lead change and advance character in college admissions. This isn’t just an outdoor trip. It’s an opportunity to shape the future.
Learning Community Impact
Schools understand that developing character is as important as academic achievement. Many EMA member schools already assess character through The Character Skills Snapshot. The Character Expedition will put your school's community and culture goals into action. Participating students will return to campus with higher self-awareness and a deeper skillset. Their character experience will have a positive impact on your community.
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