National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Selects Rich Majerus as New Vice President of Expeditions

July 9, 2024

Experienced higher education and operations executive starting August 1, 2024, after an extensive and competitive national search

LANDER, Wyo. – July 9, 2024 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rich Majerus as its Vice President of Expeditions. Majerus, selected among a competitive field of candidates and extensive national search, brings years of experience in college and university operations, from enrollment and advancement to strategic planning and capital projects. He is to begin on August 1, 2024.

Majerus brings an extensive background and experience in high-level leadership positions, including leading a higher education start-up, Third Coast Analytics (TCA), which applied data science advances to the admissions and financial aid process. Before being acquired, TCA developed software products and delivered consulting services that assisted campus leaders in managing and predicting enrollment and optimizing financial aid. He has also taught sports analytics courses at Colby College and workshops for Hobart &William Smith Colleges, Reed College, and the State of Oregon Health Authority.

Most recently, Majerus worked as the Vice President of Planning and Strategy at Queens University of Charlotte, where he led the university’s strategic planning efforts in addition to several operational areas, including campus safety, human resources, and information technology. This work included creating new signature programs like the Charlotte Talent Initiative, an innovative economic mobility and employment pipeline program in partnership with Lowe’s and Ally Financial. He also led an advancement strategy at Colby College that helped increase total fundraising at the liberal arts school from $21.8 million in 2015 to $203.1 million in 2018.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rich to the NOLS community,” said Sandy Colhoun, President of NOLS. “Rich brings not only a wealth of knowledge, experience, and energy but also a proven track record of leadership and an innate ability to connect with the NOLS team. His humility and strategic thinking make him a perfect fit for our school.”

As the Vice President of Expeditions, Majerus will lead a global team and oversee 13 campus locations and several support departments. He will also develop and implement all expeditionary programs, including wilderness courses, alumni courses, custom education, and youth programs. He will also orchestrate data-informed processes for NOLS courses and curriculum.

“I am incredibly excited and grateful to be joining the NOLS team,” stated Majerus. “I could not ask for a better opportunity to align my personal passion for spending time in the wilderness with my professional experience leading colleges and universities. I believe we need what NOLS offers more than ever – opportunities for everyone to learn to lead in challenging times and have experiences that unite and inspire– and I look forward to working with everyone at NOLS to expand our impact.”

Majerus graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Carleton College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology and a concentration in Education Studies. He studied at the Center for Research on Educational Opportunity, earning a performance commendation while completing a Master of Arts in Sociology at the University of Notre Dame.

For more information, please visit www.nols.edu or call 800.710.6657

MEDIA IMAGES | LINK

# # #

About NOLS

Established in 1965, the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) is the leader in wilderness education. What began in a small cabin in Wyoming’s Wind River Mountain range has evolved into a global, multifaceted nonprofit school offering a proven leadership curriculum through expedition courses, wilderness medicine certifications, risk management training, and custom education solutions for organizations. Today, NOLS operates 13 campuses worldwide and provides classroom instruction in over 40 countries. The NOLS community includes over 930 active instructors who teach various outdoor skills, from mountaineering and sailing to wilderness medicine that empower students to step forward in their lives. www.nols.edu | @nols | 800.710.6657

MEDIA CONTACT

NOLS Communications Director

Kelli Lusk

208.309.3793 | kelli_lusk@nols.edu / pr@nols.edu