Universities across the country offer wilderness-based pre-orientation programs for incoming first-year students. Project Wild is unique among these because it is entirely staffed and organized by students.

The first Project WILD trip took off for Pisgah National Forest in 1974, after several students saw a need at Duke for a program that could stimulate both the minds and bodies of new students, one that could help them prepare for the challenges of university life. These students collaborated with the North Carolina Outward Bound School to create such a program and developed many of the philosophies and practices that form the foundation of Project WILD today.

Since that inaugural trip, Project WILD has expanded and matured. In addition to the pre-orientation wilderness trip, we offer programs on two ropes courses for groups on and off campus. We also offer an academic course on experiential education and wilderness skills in the spring semester that includes a week-long trip to Pisgah National Forest.