Outing Club at 100

“The Outing Club was formed and operates under one premise: fun! It provides the students of New Paltz State the opportunity to escape from the world of study and books to the brighter world of non-tension.”  

That’s how the oldest and largest club on campus today was described in a 1970s SUNY New Paltz yearbook. The statement still reads true over 50 years later.  

“It’s more important now more than ever,” said former club president Brynn McClelland ’25 (Environmental Studies; French), who held the role from May 2023 to May 2025 when she graduated. “I use the outdoors to get away from everything that is happening, just for a short period of time to realize what’s important to me and how beautiful life is. As a college student, things can be really stressful, but having an outlet like this is necessary for me and so many others.” 

The New Paltz Outing Club has evolved over its hundred-year history – there were times when it had a club room, times when it didn’t; there was a debate on whether it should be student-led; there were fundamental questions about its operating structure to be resolved – but the members’ love for the club never wavered. 

And all along the way, the club has grown exponentially while staying connected to its deep and storied legacy. That legacy is as meaningful to current members as to the generations of Outing Club alumni.

Past president Laurena Marji ’22 (Psychology), who helped the club survive through the pandemic, said that “thinking about nature means thinking about future generations and leaving things better than we found them.” That shared mindset across generations is what connects past and present members. 

“It’s so surreal to think of a century’s worth of stories, friendships and adventures,” Marji added. “In our club room, you could see old maps and how the landscape has changed based on pictures. You feel connected because you know you’re standing in the same forests, climbing the same cliffs, hiking the same trails that students did in 1925. You’re continuing in the footsteps of the generation before you.” 

Part of tracing those footsteps means caring for the land so it remains available to future outdoor enthusiasts. McClelland recalls organizing a work session with Minnewaska State Park, in which members of the Outing Club helped reforest social trails to support plant and habitat growth.  

"There were a host of delightful places that waited our coming and we traveled the broad highways and winding paths with a smile and a cheery song.” -1925 Paltzonian 

The New Paltz Outing Club hosted its Centennial Celebration in April 2025 on Old Main Quad, inviting current members, alumni and partners across campus for a day of connecting with friends, flipping through old yearbooks, enjoying live music, hearing speeches from past presidents, and celebrating partnerships that helped support the club throughout the years.

“It all started in 1925 as an offshoot of the biology department and was initially called the Hiking Club,” said Riley Webster ’23 (Studio Art - Printmaking), former club historian and advisor. “It grew over the years from there.” 

The celebration included lawn games like cornhole and giant connect four, arts and crafts from other clubs on campus, free empanadas and giveaways of club merch including shirts, tote bags and buttons.  

“It is an absolute honor to be a part of this, especially to be president at this momentous occasion,” said McClelland. “I can’t believe I’m able to here while this is happening. I love the Outing Club so much and I’m so passionate about everything we stand for.”

Former member Jennifer (Nuccio) Llewelyn ’91 (Graphic Design) was on hand reminiscing about how the Outing Club was where she first met fellow alumnus Paul Llewellyn ’91 (International Relations), now a New Paltz Foundation Board Director — while their daughter, fellow Outing Club alumna Althea Llewelyn ’24 (Studio Art), listened politely to a story she had heard many times.

For more photos of the Outing Club, visit here and here.

"You end up following other Outing Club members’ lives,” said Jennifer. “We’ve been to weddings, people have had children, all of these things. You still have this bond. It’s the humble beginning of Outing Club.” 

"Moonlight, sunlight, and even rain, find us hiking, biking and liking the hill that leads to Sky-Top.” - 1944 Paltzonian 

The Outing Club is a way for students to learn how to hike, rock climb, backpack, camp, kayak and otherwise take advantage of the natural diversity the Hudson Valley provides. That was always a big part of SUNY New Paltz’s appeal for Marji, who hails from Yonkers and didn’t have access to a lot of nature growing up. 

"The ability for it to welcome newcomers is one of the most important things,” said Marji. “Being able to take students on their first ever hike, or climb, or camp – that’s where the treasure of Outing Club is. My hope is it continues making adventures that are accessible to students who’ve never had the chance to explore the outdoors.” 

Since its earliest days, the club has existed to enhance student life by helping them take advantage of the vast recreational resources in the area – a huge draw for many who enroll here. McClelland remembered hearing about the club during her college search, and said it was a key factor in her decision to enroll.  

Today, the club has around 600 members, with about 200 who show up for their general interest meetings and around 80 to 90 that are active throughout the semester. They continue to flourish with unique trips throughout the year, including staples like sunrise hikes and the annual white-water rafting trip.  

Run solely by students, the club is self-reliant and coordinates all of the trips, including transportation.   

"The members of the Outing Club never ran out of ideas or energy. Representing a good time for all, the 35 members of the Outing Club included all who cared to join them in their many activities and, indeed, they did have a good time!” - 1964 Paltzonian 

"The only prerequisite for membership in the Outing Club is a desire to have fun and an enjoyment of the outdoors.” - 1966 Paltzonian 

Thousands of alumni have been members of the Outing Club, all taking a break from their studies to connect with something much bigger – nature. Some, like McClelland and others who might be reading this, spent all four years involved in the club, with hundreds of hikes checked off their list.  

Others go on to be inspired by their time and choose related careers, like former owner of New Paltz’s Rock and Snow Rick Cronk ’76 (Art Education), who first discovered ice climbing through the club and went on to play a prominent role in documenting the sport in the Catskills during the 1970s.  

The same goes for Stephen Hart ’92 (Political Science) ’00g (Elementary Education), who teaches fourth grade. “I take my kids outside as much as possible and connect them with nature. That’s my way of carrying on the tradition of the Outing Club,” he said. 

And then there are those in between, who might have enjoyed the picturesque landscape of New Paltz passively, potentially joining the Outing Club for just a hike or two, or even just on their own time, but are still connected to New Paltz by the views of the Shawangunk Ridge. 

As is a metaphor for life, Marji says “It’s not always going to be a walk in the park. Sometimes you’re in nature and it’s a really hard uphill, or the trail is rough, but it’s the fact you’re with people, doing it together.” 

The Outing Club is looking forward to 100 more years.