Meet National Park Trust’s 2026-27 College Ambassadors

Watch the 2026-27 College Ambassador introduction video:

A new school year is underway, and National Park Trust is welcoming our newest class of College Ambassadors. This year’s cohort represents 20 campuses nationwide.

Over the coming months, these students will help their peers explore parks, take part in stewardship projects, and get outside. For many of the students they bring along, it will be a first.

What Is the College Ambassador Program?

The College Ambassador Program engages college students in outdoor recreation, conservation, and environmental stewardship. National Park Trust gives ambassadors the resources to lead outdoor initiatives on their own campuses, so they can connect their peers to parks and public lands.

Throughout the school year, ambassadors will:

• Plan and lead outings to parks and public lands near their campuses
• Organize stewardship projects that give back to the places they visit
• Welcome classmates who are new to the outdoors

Ambassadors know their campuses and their classmates. That makes them the right people to open the door, especially for students who have never visited a park.

Building on Last Year’s Momentum

Last year, our College Ambassadors connected 923 students to parks and public lands across 69 outings. They camped, hiked, climbed, and maintained trails together.

The students who joined them told us it mattered:

• 95% said the outing positively impacted their overall mental well-being
• 100% said it increased their desire to advocate for public lands and parks

This year’s class is ready to build on that momentum. With ambassadors on 20 campuses, up from 18 last year, more students will have a chance to get outside together.

2026-27 College Ambassador Campuses

This year’s ambassadors represent 20 colleges and universities:

• Appalachian State University (North Carolina)
• Carroll College (Montana)
• College of the Canyons (California)
• Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.)
• Hampton University (Virginia)
• Harvard University (Massachusetts)
• James Madison University (Virginia)
• Pasadena City College (California)
• Shenandoah University (Virginia)
• South Carolina State University (South Carolina)
• Stephen F. Austin State University (Texas)
• Tennessee State University (Tennessee)
• Towson University (Maryland)
• University of Arizona (Arizona)
• University of Central Florida (Florida)
• University of Colorado Colorado Springs (Colorado)
• University of Florida (Florida)
• University of New England (Maine)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (North Carolina)
• Valparaiso University (Indiana)

We’re grateful to these students for stepping up to lead, and we can’t wait to see where they take their campuses this year. Welcome to the team!

About National Park Trust

National Park Trust is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has protected national park land since 1983, acquiring missing pieces of our national parks and benefiting 58 national park sites nationwide. Our mission is to preserve parks today and create park stewards for tomorrow.

Our youth education and family initiatives — Buddy Bison School Programs, College Ambassador Program, and Military Family Programs, along with National Kids to Parks Day — connect tens of thousands of people to the outdoors each year.

We believe public parks, lands, and waters should be cared for, enjoyed, and preserved by all, for current and future generations. Learn more at parktrust.org.