2025 MSR Staff Arrival Dates

• Tuesday, June 10th - Senior Staff move-in day. Work begins Wednesday, June 11th

• Sunday, June 15th – Junior Staff move-in day. All-Staff training begins at 6pm

2025 Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan Scout Reservation Summer Camp Program Dates:

• Camp Setup Week - June 10 - June 14

• Staff Training Week - June 15 - June 21

• Week 1 – June 22 - June 28

• Week 2 – June 29 - July 5

• Week 3 – July 6 - July 12

• Week 4 – July 13 - July 19

• Week 5 – July 20 - July 26

• Week 6 – July 27 - August 2

• Sunday, August 3 – Staff Departure Date: Must check-out with you Camp Director by Noon

Can’t be there all summer?  In your application or during your interview, let us know if you will need to leave camp during the summer for family events, Philmont, Sea Base, band camp, etc.

If you haven’t worked at Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan before, you’ll need to fill out a [New Staff Application]

If you have worked at Ma-Ka-Ja-Wan before, you’ll need to fill out the [Returning Staff Application]

2025 Application Deadlines

Applications can still be submitted after the below deadlines, but those applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Keep an eye on your emails!

• Monday, September 23rd  – Applications for Camp Directors are due; interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis.

• Friday, October 4th – Camp Directors confirmed

• Monday, October 7th – Office Staff Applications due

• Friday, October 25th – Office Staff Confirmed

• Monday, October 28th – Area Director Applications due

• Friday, November 8th – Area Directors Confirmed

• Monday, December 11th – General Staff Applications due

Staff Interview Dates: General Staff Interviews are generally held over winter break. Updates on interview scheduling and signups will be emailed directly to applicants.

Please note: the above timeline is ideal. There will likely be flexibility in some of the dates, but we will not delay our decision making for unsubmitted applications. if you are keen on a certain position, make sure to get your application in ASAP.

After Submitting your Application:

• Camp Director Applicants

  • Applications will be reviewed within 72 hours of receiving them, and interviews will be scheduled between September 16th and October 4th. 

• Camp Office Applicants

  • Applications will be reviewed starting October 4th, and interviews will be scheduled between October 7th and October 25th.

• Area Director Applicants

  • Applications will be reviewed starting October 28th, and interviews will be scheduled by your Camp Director and Office Staff. 

• All Other Applicants

  • Applications will be reviewed by the relevant Camp Director and Office Staff, with interviews to be scheduled over Winter Break, hosted at the NEIC Headquarters in Vernon Hills, Illinois.  Virtual interview formats will be available as well.  

Interviews typically take place during the time when most schools are on winter break.

Specific dates, times, and how to sign up for an interview will be sent to the email address provided in your application.

If you have any questions, contact the Sub-Camp Director you interviewed with.

You will hear from one of our Sub-Camp Directors after the go-ahead has been given by the Council Program Director and Council Scout Executive to extend offers.

One of the biggest contributing factors to our ability to hire staff is the number of Scouts we have registered to attend camp in the summer. The more Scouts signed up, the more staff we will be able to support.

If you are not selected to join our staff during the first selection round, we hope you will consider keeping your application open . An initial “no” may be a “not right now.” There may still be an opportunity to work at our camp in another role or down the trail, but we need to ensure we have enough Scouts signed up to support hiring more staff.

Here are some additional resources if you are not initially hired. [Resource 1] | [Resource 2]

If hired, you will first be offered a verbal/email hire from one of our Sub-Camp Directors and receive access to our online staff portal. This will be sent to you via the email listed in your application. The staff portal allows you to access and submit paperwork as well as the online training courses.