Presenter(s): Claire Daley — Global Studies
Co-Presenter(s): Yesenia Vargas, Mia Rivas, Ana Gastelu
Faculty Mentor(s): Chantelle Russell
Session: (Virtual) Oral Panel—Strive to Thrive ARC
Outdoor recreation is an important part of our community at UO because of the many benefits, such as better mental/physical health, increased academic success, and social connections. However, while there have been attempts to attract minority groups, such as Hispanic women to outdoor recreation activities at the university, there is still a big disparity in participation. We hypothesize that with more inclusive promotion strategies within outdoor-oriented programs on campus and increasing Hispanic representation in leadership positions, people who identify as a part of this community will be more inclined to participate. Our research study explores factors contributing to the inclination to participate in outdoor activities, awareness of university outdoor events, and the interpersonal barriers that influence participation. We used data from interviews with UO outdoor recreation professionals and information from the Redefining Outdoorsy Summit. We looked at statistical and demographic data of Outdoor Program participation records provided by the Department of Assessment and Research. Lastly, we researched how other universities promote diversity in their Outdoor Recreational activities. We found factors that influence Hispanic women’s participation in outdoor events are: lack of inclusion and awareness in the promotion of these events, history of childhood participation in outdoor adventures, and negative perspectives related to involvement in outdoor activities.