A 2016 UC Santa Cruz graduate, Nik Madsen was a student Rec Leader and a Wilderness Orientation leader. Nik was one of the kindest, most thoughtful and joyful student leaders ever at the Rec. The family of Nik Madsen created this endowment in 2018 to further outdoor leadership development among Adventure Rec student leaders. Since its inception, the endowment has grown to over $200,000.
The endowment provides Rec student staff and volunteers with professional outdoor leadership opportunities. In our most recent year, we had a record amount to allocate ($4,000) with six students receiving funding awards of $200-$760. Each fall, Adventure Rec student leaders are encouraged to apply to receive financial awards to further their leadership development through outdoor professional certifications or related experiences. The annual interest from the Nik Madsen Memorial Endowment makes these awards possible. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making these leadership development opportunities possible.
Read the 2025 Endowment Student Awards Impact Report here.
Here are past year's student recipients and their awards:
