When Courtney Johnson graduated from UNI with her community health and recreation MA degree–now the recreation administration MA–she stepped into her next professional role feeling remarkably prepared.   

“Everything that I did in my graduate assistant (GA) position at UNI has been a transferable skill for what I am doing now,” Johnson says. 

In her work as an outdoor education program assistant for the Minnesota-based College of Saint Benedict and Saint John University (CSB+SJU), she draws heavily on her UNI GA experience planning trips, teaching outdoor skills and managing the behind-the-scenes administrative work that kept the outdoor program moving forward. 

Finding a passion in outdoor leadership 

It was during her undergraduate years at UNI as an environmental science and mathematics double major, with a certificate in sustainability, that she found her passion for outdoor leadership. 

During her second year at UNI, she encountered the UNI outdoor program through working at the rock wall at the Wellness and Recreation Center. She picked up the outdoor recreation certificate and threw herself into the outdoor community, becoming a trip coordinator, equipment rental supervisor and more. After graduating, she worked for Adventure Treks, helping teenagers explore the backcountry of Idaho and Alaska. She then returned to UNI. 

“Courtney came into the master’s program with a lot of outdoor experience,” says Kathy Scholl, professor of recreation, tourism and nonprofit leadership (RTNL). “She was already a creative problem-solver, professional and organized.” 

Multiple roles as a GA and student 

Going to graduate school and working as a GA honed her skills in group facilitation as she assumed more administrative responsibilities and learned about leisure psychology and other topics. 

While working 20 hours per week as a GA, she created new systems for the RTNL Outdoor Adventures program. She planned itineraries and budgets for trips to the Grand Canyon, Lake Superior and other locations, while managing equipment and program marketing. She also produced training materials for the students who led the trips and taught 1-credit courses such as canoeing. She discovered teaching others helped further develop her own skills.

“It was tough at first learning how to balance all the different aspects of being a GA,” Johnson says, “but learning how to be organized, schedule times for everything  and lean on my support system helped me a lot.”

Johnson added her own flair to the trips that she led. According to Scholl, Johnson really cares about students’ emotional and social well-being. To encourage participants to get out of their shells and participate more fully in group activities, Johnson often wore a colorful tutu while hiking and backpacking. “It worked!” says Scholl. “Other students asked to wear the tutu and everyone had fun.” 

Back on campus, Johnson attended classes and worked on her thesis research. She calls her RTNL course on financial management “particularly helpful.” 

“Learning about budgeting and cash flow helped me in my GA position and my current job,” she says. 

The final steps–and support–to her degree 

Johnson also earned a master’s certificate in geographic information systems (GIS) and cartography to complement her MA degree. She found her spatial data analysis class challenging but useful, especially in analyzing her thesis data on Post-COVID Impacts of Particulate Matter and Visibility on National Park Visitation from 2019 to 2023.  

“It was really fun research to do,” says Johnson. “Hard work, but the reward of being done was amazing!”

“Courtney set ambitious, but realistic, goals for herself with her thesis research. She took advantage of UNI research support services to overcome challenges in terms of statistical analysis or the writing itself,” says Disa Cornish, associate professor of public health and a co-chair of Johnson’s thesis committee. “It was a pleasure to see her development during the thesis research process.”

Other faculty members, including Scholl, Emily Hanson and Andy Martin, gave critical support during her master’s program. When struggling to balance all her responsibilities, her professors offered advice and patience.  “There is so much feedback in our program,” said Johnson. “The ability to receive feedback and not take it personally is probably the largest lesson I learned being a GA.”

“Courtney was always eager to grow,” says Scholl. “Watching her development was incredibly rewarding. She became a valued member of the outdoor program, and her leadership as a lead GA made a lasting impact.”

New role, drawing on what she learned 

Johnson finished her master’s degree in August 2025 and immediately hopped into her current position with CSB+SJU, which is home to about 2,800 students

She helps plan and lead outdoor trips, sets routes for a rock wall, plans special events, manages outdoor equipment rentals and even uses some materials she created during her time at UNI to help grow the CSB+SJU outdoor program. Johnson also oversees about 25 student workers. 

“I truly love it,” She says, “it keeps me busy and I can choose if I want to work indoors or outdoors.”

As Johnson continues her work at CSB+SJU, she looks back at UNI with fondness.  

“I loved my GA position because it grew my love for the outdoors. I was doing the activities I enjoyed while also learning.”