WILD ROCKIES

May 2025 Newsletter

WRFI Is Hiring!

Field Education Manager

This critical role ensures successful field seasons for WRFI and its programs by playing a role in everything from field education, gear, logistics, academic course design, field operations, and more. If you or someone you know would be a good fit, please reach out!

Visit the link below for the full Position Description, and reach out to matt@wrfi.net with any questions. Priority will be given to candidates who submit a complete application prior to May 30th, 2025; Interviews will occur in June and July with a projected start date of August 18th, 2025.

Position Highlights:

Objective:

The Field Education Manager will lead a variety of operations and education duties necessary to support our courses and serve as an organizational leader at WRFI. This position is responsible for field education, gear, logistics, academic course design, and field operations to support the educational experience of 60-80 (with anticipated growth to 100 students by 2028) students annually.

Qualifications:

•Excellent communication and computer skills

•Ability to work well with the public, students, field instructors, and office staff

•Proficient in outdoor education programming, familiar with collegiate-level academics, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion work, an experienced risk manager, an exceptional operations manager, and be familiar with field based programs.

•Masters Degree strongly preferred due to requirements through the University of Montana.

•Current WFR or higher certification required within 6 months of date of hire

Compensation: 

Full-Time, Flexible Schedule • Opportunity for Hybrid Work • $44,000-$50,000

Competitive PTO • Health Insurance Stipend • 403b match up to 3%

WRFI's New Impact Report!

Have You Seen It Yet?

Help us celebrate a successful year in WRFI courses, community outreach, and fundraising by perusing our newly-released 2024 Impact Report! Hear from Matt, 2024 students, instructors, donors, and more while also diving into behind-the-scenes insights that you can’t find anywhere else. We owe so much of the success to you all, our community, and are so grateful to share these accomplishments with you all. Thank you!

Featured Course: Restoration Ecology

21 Field Days | 3 Semester Credits | $4,700 - $5,875

Section 2: August 3-23, 2025

This course explores the iconic Greater Yellowstone Ecoregion, both in Yellowstone National Park and in surrounding landscapes, through two backpacking trips, field investigations, site visits, and meetings with guest speakers. Students on this course receive an introduction to the principles of restoration ecology and natural history, followed by the unique opportunity to immediately apply what they have learned through hands-on participation in important ongoing restoration projects in the area.

Scholarships are available for this course, including the Joel DiBiase Memorial Restoration Ecology Scholarship, which is reserved specifically for Restoration Ecology students. Apply today!

Fresh From the Field: Chloe Brackenbury

Systems of Horseshoe Canyon

Are you ready for the first blog post from the 2025 field season? 🥳

We’re starting off strong with Chloe’s reflections on the interconnectedness of all things in a system - from water in the desert to students on a WRFI course. She weaves these connections together beautifully as she shares the many lessons already learned on the first backpacking stretch of our spring semester course Colorado Plateau.

Read the full blog post at the link below to be inspired by her insight and impactful storytelling.

Last Chance: Missoula Gives 2025

Campaign Ends May 9th - Donate Now!

*You don't have to be in Missoula to participate!* Missoula Gives is a community-led fundraiser that benefits local nonprofits in fulfilling their missions, and we’d be honored to have you support WRFI in this year’s campaign. When you donate to WRFI, you are empowering college students to break out of traditional classrooms and into the real world. All funds raised through Missoula Gives will go towards student financial aid as we aim to award more scholarships and discounts to our students than ever before. Thank you for your support towards this goal! 💙🧡

Scholarship Highlight: Kelty Camping Gear

Open to All 2025 Summer Students

This new $1,000 scholarship, provided by Kelty Camping Gear, is open to a 2025 WRFI summer student with demonstrated financial need. Take advantage of this opportunity and you just might have the best summer of your life. This scholarship is first come, first served. Questions about scholarships can be directed to Kelsey, our Student Experience Manager, at kelsey.wellington@wrfi.net.

Featured Job Opportunity: Camp Denali

Naturalist Guide - Summer 2025

From Camp Denali: Naturalist Guides lead guests into the trail-less backcountry of Denali National Park and customize those outings to deliver the educational mission of Camp Denali in a compelling and personalized manner. Our Naturalist Guides are teachers of experiential learning, experienced backcountry hiking guides, and trained drivers.

This is a last minute opening that WRFI instructors and alumni have the unique skills for - we live and work in an incredible place here in Denali! It's a one-of-a-kind gig for a terrific, family-owned lodge. Come join us!

Tell them WRFI sent you!