If you’ve ever interacted with the Outdoor Program (ODP), then you’ve likely met Ben. Ben Casteel is a long time CREC Outdoor Program employee whose passion for outdoor education could not go unnoticed. As the Graduate Student Coordinator for the ODP as well as a trip leader, one of Ben’s favorite parts of his job is, “Being an active part in people's self-discovery and watching people overcome self-limiting beliefs that they've held. It's really one of the most heartwarming things I've ever experienced.” Starting to work at the ODP was almost second nature to Ben as he explains, “I met Chris (Chris Bullard, Assistant Director of Member Engagement at Campus Rec) at Party in the Park my very 1st week at PSU. He told me I should check out the Wilderness Leadership Development (WiLD) program. I'd been into hiking in high school so it sounded interesting to me. I applied and got accepted into WiLD, and then I just fell in love with it, and it eventually became my career path.”
Ben grew up in the Portland area and loves the access to the outdoors, food scene, and the thrift stores it boasts. Additionally, you might find Ben anywhere outdoors from climbing, skiing, mountaineering, rafting, backpacking, and more. Ben appreciates photography, “old school hard rock and roll,” and collecting vinyl records in his spare time. His family is “an Oregon State University household,” and so Ben previously thought he would end up there, but when COVID hit around his college application time, Ben began looking at Portland State University. He applied and was accepted to start his bachelors degree in Business Management and Leadership. Now, Ben is in the second year of his masters program, studying Leadership for Sustainability Education. After graduation he hopes to continue his work in outdoor education at the collegiate recreation level, or expand into being a professional rock climbing or mountain guide. In his current program, Ben also spends a lot of time at the PSU garden working on sustainability projects.
Here at Campus Rec, some of the most rewarding moments for Ben have been making friends and connecting with coworkers; “I've made some great friends here, obviously, I love the people at the outdoor program.” Furthermore, Ben has found working with participants on trips incredibly rewarding. He says, “ the outdoors is for everybody and that's where we belong. The outdoors is our home, not cities and houses; we really belong outside. So I think the more time you can spend out there, the better, and if I get to be a part of that, I'm totally for it!” These opportunities have given Ben the opportunity to recenter accessibility in the outdoors. While leading a climbing trip, Ben had the chance to work with a physically limited participant and provide support in making the trip work for them. Through working together this experience was transformative on both ends. Ben says that once the participant got going, “It was like the biggest smile I've ever seen on a person. He was so happy and just, absolutely stoked for himself. I was just like, this is what it's all about.”
Similarly, the Campus Rec values that connect with Ben the most are community and inclusivity. On these values he states, “It’s important to think about how we can make the outdoors, as a whole, more accessible and inclusive because, historically, it hasn’t been that place for a lot of people. I think anything we can do to make people feel like they can take up space, learn things outdoors, challenge themselves, or just enjoy and reap all the benefits that it can provide, is important to me and it's been a very fun challenge to work on at the ODP.” Working to uphold these values day to day, as a coordinator, and as a trip lead is an area that Ben has seen himself grow over the years. Particularly, receiving, evaluating, and giving feedback is central to Ben’s development as a leader. “Our feedback system at the outdoor program is also super developed. I've gotten life-changing feedback and it's a very consistent way of getting to watch yourself grow. You always get positive and constructive feedback too, so you're always working towards a better version of yourself, which has been helpful, not only in this position, but just my life.”
The advice that Ben would pass on to new staff is to, “say yes to things.” He explains, "It's what I struggled with the most, being nervous and thinking I didn’t want to go to an event or training because I didn’t know anyone and didn’t feel totally ready. But if I hadn’t said yes to those opportunities, I wouldn't be in this position today, and I wouldn't know all the skills or the people that I know today. I tend to think that if it's scary, I probably should do it. So, for me it's really saying yes to things, trusting yourself, and being able to do the uncomfortable thing to get to get better.” In this spirit, Ben has started playing in the Campus Rec staff basketball games. He played in high school and has “had fun getting back into it.” Outside of new activities for himself, Ben would recommend checking out the bouldering wall, kayak pool session, or going on an ODP trip! Something Ben will always advise for any college experience is to, “Find your community, no matter what that is. You're really becoming an adult in college and you get to make those connections, figure out where you fit in the world, and explore lots of different avenues. It just makes the school experience so much more worth it. ”