From Raft Guide to Operations Manager: Jack Cunnison’s Journey at Outdoor Adventures
Senior Human Development major Jack Cunnison has spent his college years navigating whitewater rapids, building lasting friendships, and growing into a leadership role at UC Davis Outdoor Adventures. From his first trip as an assistant raft guide to his current position as Operations Manager, Jack has discovered that some of the most meaningful parts of college happen outside the classroom.
Finding His Place at Outdoor Adventures
Growing up in Santa Barbara, California, Jack already had a connection to UC Davis Outdoor Adventures (OA) before arriving on campus. His older sister had worked as a raft guide and Land Manager for the program, and her stories gave him a glimpse of what he could expect.
“She made it sound like a great place to work, and she emphasized how important it was to find a way to get outdoors when living in Davis,” Jack recalled.
Inspired by her experience, Jack joined the rafting program during the fall quarter of his freshman year in 2023. What began as an opportunity to spend weekends outdoors quickly became one of the defining experiences of his college career.
“It sounded amazing then, but I had no idea how great of a community I would be joining once I got here,” he said. “I’ve made many close friends through Outdoor Adventures, and getting to venture out every weekend to go rafting (and get paid to do it?!) has made joining Outdoor Adventures one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Growing into Leadership
Jack's journey through Outdoor Adventures has taken him well beyond the river. Although he initially imagined his involvement would be limited to rafting, he soon discovered opportunities to contribute behind the scenes.
During his sophomore year, Jack joined the equipment team, where he helped repair, clean, organize, and prepare the gear that makes OA's outdoor programs possible. The position gave him a new appreciation for the work involved in supporting outdoor adventures.
“Initially, I wasn't very interested in working in the Rental Center, and only wanted my role at OA to exist on the river,” Jack explained. “However, once I heard about the equipment team I loved the idea of rafting on the weekends and repairing, washing, and packing gear during the week.”
His growing interest in the program led him to become Equipment Team Manager, taking on responsibility for coordinating staff and overseeing equipment operations.
When the equipment team and Rental Center were combined to create the Adventure Operations team, Jack stepped into an even larger leadership role as Operations Manager.
Today, he helps coordinate the team's daily work, delegates responsibilities, and supports the staff who keep Outdoor Adventures running.
Taking on the newly established position came with challenges, but Jack considers it one of his proudest accomplishments.
“I felt as though I jumped into this role with little direction and it was very satisfying to be able to figure things out on my own and perform well in this position,” he shared.
Through these experiences, Jack has developed leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills while learning how to guide a team through change.
Learning Lessons on the River
Of course, some of Jack's most memorable lessons have come from the river itself.
During his very first trip as an assistant guide, Jack was still developing his confidence despite having spent the previous summer working as a commercial raft guide.
He remembers feeling eager to prove himself.
After successfully guiding much of the day, he approached Hospital Bar, the final rapid of the trip, on the South Fork of the American River. But a misjudgment of his paddlers' strength sent the raft toward the shoreline and left the boat approaching a large hydraulic feature backward.
As the raft entered the rapid, Jack found himself in the water.
“The last thing they saw before they hit the hole backwards was me, about 15 feet up from them, in the water,” he recalled.
Jack ended up swimming the entire rapid while his crew navigated the remaining whitewater without him at the helm.
“It was a humbling experience, but I’m glad I got to experience it.”
For Jack, moments like these are part of what makes guiding so rewarding. Working on the river requires adaptability, quick decisions, and the willingness to learn from mistakes.
Not every lesson comes from a successful run, and sometimes the most memorable experiences are the ones that don't go according to plan.
More Than Just Coworkers
While Jack has grown as both a guide and a manager, what stands out most about his experience is the community he's found at
Outdoor Adventures.
Unlike many campus jobs, OA brings together students who share a passion for outdoor recreation, adventure, and helping others discover new experiences.
For Jack, those shared interests have created friendships that extend far beyond work.
“Not very many coworker communities like each other enough to go rafting, camping, and skiing together all in the same weekend,” he said. “The OA community feels less like coworkers who are also friends, but friends who also work together.”
That sense of connection is central to what makes the program special. Whether staff are preparing equipment, supporting customers in the Rental Center, or working together on a rafting trip, they share a common purpose: helping others experience the outdoors.
Jack finds particular fulfillment in those everyday interactions.
“Whether I'm interacting with my coworkers, customers, or participants on rafting trips, I feel a sense of fulfillment when I get to help them make their adventures possible.”
Making Adventure Possible
As Operations Manager, Jack plays an important role in ensuring that Outdoor Adventures can deliver its programs. While guiding a raft down the river may be the most visible part of the experience, preparing equipment, coordinating staff, and maintaining an organized operation are equally essential.
Jack's experience across different areas of the program has given him a broader understanding of what it takes to make those adventures happen.
His progression from assistant guide to student manager also reflects one of the distinctive opportunities Outdoor Adventures offers UC Davis students: the chance to take on meaningful responsibilities, develop professional skills, and lead their peers while pursuing activities they love.
For Jack, the combination of hands-on work, leadership, and outdoor recreation has made his time at OA both professionally rewarding and personally meaningful.
A Unique Part of the UC Davis Experience
As Jack approaches the end of his undergraduate years, he recognizes how much Outdoor Adventures has contributed to his college experience.
The program has provided opportunities to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and create friendships centered around a shared love of adventure.
But it's also the smaller moments that make the experience memorable.
“Outdoor Adventures is a special part of the UC Davis experience because there aren’t very many other places or times in your life that you can guide a rafting trip with your friends, go get a Guad’s burrito after, work together the whole week, and then do it all over again.”
For students considering getting involved, Jack's advice is simple: give it a try.
“Whether you’re just interested in coming on a trip or you want to come be an integral part of the OA community, there’s no reason not to give it a go,” he said. “Outdoor Adventures is so worthwhile in any capacity, and it would be a shame for you to miss out on such a welcoming, adventurous, caring community by not checking out the coolest part of Campus Rec.”
When asked to describe his Outdoor Adventures experience in just three words, Jack offered a fitting summary:
“Empowering, Memorable, and Splashy.”
For a student who has spent the past several years learning to navigate both whitewater and leadership, it's hard to imagine a more appropriate description.