Outward Bound USA to Host Benefit Dinner This October

Outward Bound USA will showcase its commitment to serving students from every background and circumstance at a formal event that brings together supporters from across the country on Tuesday, October 18, 2016. The National Benefit Dinner is Outward Bound USA's most significant annual fundraiser, raising critical funds to support Outward Bound's philanthropic work and its network of chartered schools.

Outward Bound schools develop and tailor learning experiences to meet the diverse interests and abilities of a very broad range of student populations. In addition to courses open to the general public, Outward Bound Schools forge active relationships with school systems, educators and adult leaders involved with youth character development, corporations and professional training resources, and other organizations to weave the threads of character, leadership and service into the fabric of communities across the country.

Honoree Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has displayed a shared commitment to diversity and inclusion. Since its founding, the global firm has sought to promote diversity and break down barriers to achievement. Its firm culture sees differences as strengths, and the organization actively promotes this value.

"Respect, resilience and teamwork are in our firm's DNA. We champion these values every day and consider them vital to our success as an organization and as leaders in our field," said Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. "Outward Bound advances these same values and more - through its work with student populations of diverse ages and backgrounds. We are proud to celebrate this newfound and productive relationship."

Michael Lewis, author of "The Big Short" and "Moneyball," will emcee the event. Describing his past experience with Outward Bound, Lewis said, "Nothing creates memories like Outward Bound. Even though I wasn't necessarily looking to change who I was before I went on my expedition, the truth is: I did - just a little bit."

"Ask an Outward Bound Instructor, when a course or expedition is made up of students from very different backgrounds, the results for the individual student and the group are the most profound," said Peter Steinhauser, Executive Director of Outward Bound USA. "This event provides the funds needed to help students from all backgrounds and circumstances take part in an Outward Bound course."

"Outward Bound's National Benefit Dinner is always a night to remember," said Laura Kohler, Chair of Outward Bound USA's Board of Directors. "Throughout the dinner, attendees will hear remarkable stories of transformation. We will come together to celebrate the stories and to renew our commitment to create more of them."

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by a seated dinner and program.

IF YOU GO:

The Outward Bound National Benefit Dinner
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Cipriani
25 Broadway
New York, NY 10004

For more information, visit OutwardBound.org/give-back/events/nationaldinner.

Outward Bound, founded in 1941 by educator Kurt Hahn, is a nonprofit educational organization serving people of all ages and backgrounds through challenging learning expeditions focused on character development, leadership, and service. As the pioneer and leading provider of experiential and

outdoor education in the United States, Outward Bound offers over 1,000 courses throughout the year across the country. Outward Bound serves 40,000 students annually and has a nationwide community of more than 1 million supporters and alumni.

Outward Bound is a national network of regional schools dedicated to helping individuals learn through challenging experiences so they may grow as individuals and become active in the communities where they live and work. With expeditions in remote wilderness settings, in close proximity to bustling urban communities and in classrooms, Outward Bound serves a diverse population of students while delivering courses with consistently high standards of quality, safety, and results.

Akin Gump's philosophy on diversity can be summed up in one word: commitment. At Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, we strive to create a culture of inclusiveness, one open to differences in people, backgrounds and ideas. We recognize that, in today's global marketplace, it is imperative to have a work force that reflects the diversity of our world.

Michael Lewis has published bestselling books on various subjects. His most recent works are "Flash Boys," "The Big Short," and "Boomerang," narratives set in the global financial crisis. "The Blind Side," published in 2006, tells the story of Michael Oher, a poor, illiterate African-American kid living on the streets of Memphis whose life is transformed after he is adopted by white Evangelical Christians. Before that he wrote "Moneyball," a book ostensibly about baseball but also about the way markets value people. Both of his books about sports became movies, nominated for Academy Awards, as did his book about the 2008 financial crisis, "The Big Short."