Rock climbing, a pastime which Jacob has practiced since he was nine, has profoundly influenced his character and work ethic today. “It’s given me a strong community of friends and people I can trust to keep me accountable,” he says. “Rock climbing has been a place for me to challenge myself both physically and mentally by taking on hard climbs.” On an even deeper level, Jacob says, “rock climbing has helped me to understand my own limits, and motivate me to work hard to push them higher.”

When asked what makes a good climber, Jacob responded simply: “do what makes you happy. Climb with friends, go goof around on real rocks outside. Climbing is about exploring your abilities, and improving your own style.” With that, though, Jacob issued a word of warning. “If you want to explore harder grades of climbing, consistency is key. Push yourself, but be careful. Taking a course or finding a mentor is key.”

Jacob explains a huge part of rock climbing is its community. “Anyone can be a rock climber,” he says, “no matter your background.” As for Recreational Sports’ rock climbing community, Jacob has found everyone to be very respectful. “I really love the the community here at OSU. It’s a fun crowd of really diverse individuals all having fun and working to better themselves.”

One of jacob’s other passions is kayaking, which he came to love in a roundabout manner. A few years ago he became a certified raft guide for the ALI, but it wasn’t until one of his coworkers recommended kayaking to him that Jacob tried it. “I’ve always loved being in water, so I went out with a group of friends once and loved it.

“Kayaking challenges me,” Jacob says, because “everytime I go I learn something new. Out in the water, in my boat, all the worries in my life seem to melt away. All that exists is the relationship between me and the water.” He contends that there are many great places relatively close to Corvallis to go kayaking: “the coastal range, throughout the Willamette Valley, and especially the Columbia Gorge!” 

Jacob harnesses his passions for recreation and the outdoors into his major, Graphic Design. Working as a designer for Recreational Sports, he’s had the opportunity to work on some projects specifically pertaining to his interests. “One of my favorite projects so far has been working on the VertFest 2018 Rock Climbing Competition,” he says. “Being able to combine my passions is a rare and joyful thing.”

Work as a Graphic Designer for Rec Sports is not without its challenges though. According to Jacob, the toughest part of his job is “balancing the workload, because Rec Sports puts out so much content. We’ve always got something new and exciting to create.” With that said, however, Jacob does work with a great design team. “It’s really fun to work alongside other designers and to feed off each other's energy. We get to work on some really cool campaigns that have a positive impact on the wellness of student’s lives.”

Jacob seems to have climbed everywhere, including, but not limited to, Kangaroo Point in Australia, Yangshuo in China, and Joshua Tree in California. However, he says his favorite place is right here at home, at “the incredible Smith Rock” in Central Oregon.