The purpose of this study was to identify how the summer camp experience impacts staff members and to better understand if emotional intelligence is developed through summer camp employment. Knowledge about this relationship is important, since emotional intelligence competencies have been seen as the keys to personal and professional success. An understanding of the changes that take place throughout a summer camp experience can prove extremely beneficial to camp administrators and outdoor professionals. The BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory, EQ-i, was selected as the primary instrument to collect quantitative data to measure and assess emotional intelligence for this study. It is the oldest and most well-known instrument for emotional intelligence assessment. A second instrument, an Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, was also utilized for this study and was administered at the end of the summer camp season. A total of 81 different summer camp staff members provided responses that were used to analyze the influence of summer camp employment on emotional intelligence. All eligible participants were asked to complete a pre-test EQ-i on either the 2nd or 3rd day of their summer season, and a post test when the camp had completed 90%–100% of the season. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized to detect significant differences. An analysis of the pre test and post test EQ-i scores showed several statistically significant differences. The EQ-i generates 21 different scores, including an overall emotional intelligence score, 5 composite scale scores, and 15 subscale scores. The overall emotional intelligence scores, 4 of the 5 composite scale scores, and 8 of the 15 subscale scores; including stress tolerance, self-actualization, social responsibility, optimism, flexibility, empathy, happiness, and interpersonal relationships, showed significant increases. This new understanding, of how the camp experience impacts staff members' emotional intelligence, is valuable for camp directors, leaders in the camping industry, and outdoor recreation professionals. The results of this study can assist the industry in attracting and recruiting staff members, dismissing some of the negative perceptions of working in the camping industry, competing in a competitive employment market place, and describing a summer camp employment experience as an investment in the future.