SUNY Chancellor King Launches Outdoors for All Program

ESF Earns One of the Initial Grants

10/12/2025

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Oct. 10, 2025 – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced the launch of SUNY’s ”Outdoors for All“ program to promote inclusivity, sustainability, wellness, and community development while at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). The program was included in Chancellor King’s 2025 State of the University Policy Agenda and is designed to empower more students and New Yorkers of all ages and from all backgrounds with opportunities to enjoy the state’s natural beauty. The Outdoors for All program will provide grants to support individual SUNY campus efforts in facilitating year-round outdoor opportunities and encouraging ties between co-curricular activities and academic and career opportunities in sustainability. 

The “Outdoors for All” program grant recipients will use these funds to develop new outdoor programming, create new and improve existing outdoor spaces, and purchase equipment and supplies that can be used to engage more students with nature and improve participation in outdoor activities both on- and off-campus.  

”With the launch of SUNY’s Outdoors for All program, we are working to ensure that our students have access to inclusive, welcoming, and accessible outdoor spaces on- and off-campus,” said King. “Through this program, more students and New Yorkers of all ages will have access to hands-on and engaging experiences that will hopefully inspire a life-long love of nature and demonstrate that there is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, both indoors and outdoors.” 

Chancellor King especially highlighted the winning grant proposal from ESF as an example of how campuses can involve their students in planning, organizing, and implementing educational programming for K-12 students. Through paid and volunteer opportunities, ESF students are reaching more local K-12 students and thereby inspiring more New Yorkers to love nature and enjoy the state’s natural beauty. ESF has several student clubs related to outdoor activities and leads K-12 outdoor outreach programs to connect students to their local environment.  

”The great outdoors is central to our mission at ESF,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “From the evolution of the Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Summer Institute to the wide-reaching K-12 programming our faculty and staff have built and grown, we are active and engaged. We appreciate SUNY for highlighting the relevance of experiential learning. New York is mountains, lakes, rural and urban landscapes, and everything in between. We look forward to being an integral part as SUNY continues to advance outdoor education.” 

The “Outdoors for All” program is the latest climate initiative announced by Chancellor King and supports the SUNY Climate and Sustainability Action Plan’s commitment to engage students on sustainability issues, along with SUNY’s diversity, equity, and inclusion pillar. Thirteen campus proposals will each receive an $8,000 grant award.  

Other campuses receiving funding through the grant program include SUNY Adirondack, SUNY Canton, SUNY Corning, SUNY Farmingdale State College, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Orange, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Polytechnic Institute and SUNY Ulster, 

Studies have shown that immersion in nature is beneficial for student health and that student involvement in co-curricular experiences like student organizations, community service, and service-learning is positively related to academic performance, cognitive development, well-being, leadership, and multicultural awareness. In a recent survey of SUNY campuses, all respondents identified at least one outdoor activity that they offer — including fishing and hiking clubs; adventure activities like rope courses, challenge courses, and alternative spring break hiking trips; outdoor leadership programs; and water and winter sports such as kayaking, skiing, and snowboarding. Additionally, several campuses offer academic courses relating to the outdoors and have dedicated spaces for outdoor activities, including trails, campgrounds, and outdoor education facilities that provide students with hands-on learning experiences. The outdoor recreational industry in New York generates $17 billion in wages and salaries and nearly 250,000 jobs.   

 About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.

About The State University of New York 

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.