Ben Oliver is in his third year as Director of the Williams Outing Club in the 2025-26 academic year.
"I am pleased to announce that Ben Oliver has accepted our offer to become the next Director of the Williams Outing Club," said Williams College Athletic Director Lisa Melendy. "The committee was impressed with his depth of experience and his educational background, as well as his demonstrated commitment to inclusion and outreach to the greater campus community."
Oliver takes over the largest student organization at Williams with over 750 members and will be tasked with continuing the great tradition, which dates back to 1915. The main mission of the club is supporting and making outdoor activities accessible for all students.
The Williams Outing Club (WOC) provides activities throughout the year, including sunrise hikes, polar bear swims, camping trips, indoor climbing and physical education classes. Some notable yearly events feature Mountain Day, Winter Carnival and the WOOLF outdoor orientation program for first-year students.
The WOC provides many terrific resources for Williams' students, faculty and staff, along with visitors, who want to get outside on their own schedule. The group publishes a trail guide and map for the Williamstown area, with the Pine Cobble Trail being a local favorite.
Prior to Williams, Oliver's most recent position was remotely serving as Manager of Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness for the Sierra Club in Oakland, California. He oversaw risk management of domestic and international outings and activities, bringing over 200,000 people per year outdoors. Additionally, Oliver served on the emergency response team for critical incidents.
Oliver brings a wealth of collegiate experience to Williamstown, previously working on the Colgate University Outdoor Education program from July 2011 - July 2022. He served as Assistant Director of Team Building & Group Facilitation from July 2011 - May 2016 and Director of Outdoor Education from June 2016 - July 2022.
During his tenure as Director, he provided program oversight, evaluation and instruction, supervised staff and facilities, prioritized inclusion and diversity and handled risk management. As an Assistant, Oliver created the team building program, while growing participation by 460.0% and increasing revenue by 685.0% in four years.
At Colgate, he oversaw all aspects of the 200-plus-person, pre-orientation wilderness program, increasing registration by 94.0% in his first two years. Oliver supervised two full-time professional staff members, three casual wage workers and 60 student leaders. He promoted equality by requiring Title IX training for all trip leaders and prioritized safety by writing and designing a comprehensive risk management and policy manual.
Oliver served as Graduate Assistant of Campus Recreation Outdoor Adventure from August 2008 - May 2010 and Coordinator of Outdoor Facilities and Programs for Campus Recreation from June 2010 - June 2011 at the University of New Hampshire. He organized on-campus events in Durham, New Hampshire, including wilderness first aid, outdoor film showings and bouldering competition.
Oliver's additional outdoor education includes working as an Instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Facilitator of Project Adventure, Facilitator of The Browne Center for Innovative Learning at UNH, Physical Science Teacher at The Fay School, Adventure Coordinator of the Summer Day Camp at The Fenn School and an Experiential Education Facilitator at the Princeton-Blairstown Center.
Oliver has also often served as a volunteer during his career. At Colgate, he was involved with the Orientation Committee, Sustainability Council, Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics Operations, First Year Experience Advisory Board and the Robert A. Fox Leadership Institute Planning Committee. Oliver graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Geology and a minor in environmental studies from Hamilton College in 2002. He earned a Master of Science in Kinesiology – Outdoor Education from UNH in 2010.
