University Recreation Amps Up Involvement in National Recreation Association

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University Recreation staff members at the NIRSA national conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

University Recreation had a strong showing at NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation national conference, which was held April 23-25 in Nashville, Tennessee. NIRSA is a national organization for campus recreation professionals in higher education.

“It is an honor for so many of our professional and graduate assistant staff members to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to the campus recreation field,” said Jeremy Battjes, director of university recreation. “We have a diverse, talented staff and we were able to really showcase that this year.”

University Recreation staff members were selected for an array of tasks including presenting at educational breakout sessions, as well as judging creative excellence awards. Many staff members also received scholarships that helped cover the cost of membership and registration fees. Specific involvement within NIRSA include:

• Brittany Acuff, assistant director of facility operations for university recreation, was selected as NIRSA engagement coordinator for the University of Arkansas and serves on the NIRSA Facilities Community of Practice Work Team. Acuff also participated in the NIRSA Mentoring Program this year.
• Becky Dahl, associate director for programs for university recreation, serves as a member of the National Championship Series assessment work team, as well as on the 2014 National Conference Program Committee. Dahl also was selected to present and education sessions titled: From Millennials to Gladiators at the National Conference for NIRSA and Cranky Old Folks, Young Punks and Everyone in Between: Generational Diversity in the Workplace at both the Wisconsin Intramural Recreational Sports state workshop and the NIRSA Region II conference.
• Kristin Durant DeAngelo, assistant director of fitness center operations for university recreation, was selected to present Mission and Goal Development: A Case Study at both the NIRSA Region IV and the national conference in Nashville. DeAngelo was also chosen as Service Project Volunteer Leader for the NIRSA National Conference.
• Shannon Dere, assistant director of club sports for university recreation, was selected as NIRSA’s Arkansas state director and University of Arkansas engagement coordinator. Dere also serves as a member on the Region IV Conference Planning Committee, the Region IV Member Issues Committee, and the NIRSA Foundation Travel Stipend Work Team. Dere was also selected to present Mission and Goal Development: A Case Study at both the NIRSA Region IV and the national conference in Nashville.
• Katie Helms, assistant director of fitness and wellness, non-credit instruction, and aquatics for university recreation, was selected to present Today’s Hiring for Tomorrow’s Outcomes at the NIRSA Region IV and Region IV Student-Lead On conferences on legal and risk management concepts.
• Lindsay Smith, assistant director of marketing and public relations for university recreation, was selected as a judge for the NIRSA Creative Excellence Awards.
• Hannah Campbell, graduate assistant for marketing and public relations for university recreation, was selected one of four students nationwide to serve as an intern for the NIRSA Mindshift Social Media Team.  Campbell was also appointed as a member of the NIRSA Creative Excellence Awards Committee.
• Jade Dworkin, graduate assistant for fitness and wellness for university recreation, received the NIRSA Foundation Woodway Corporate Partner Scholarship, as well as the William N. Wasson student leadership and academic award.
• Kaitlin Howell, intramural sports graduate assistant for university recreation, was the only woman selected for the Officials’ Committee at the NIRSA Championship Series Region IV Basketball Tournament at Texas Christian University. This is the second year in a row that Howell has been the only woman selected for such honors.
• Mike Przydzial, university recreation graduate assistant for club sports, was selected to present at the 2013 Club Sports Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri, and was also selected for the NIRSA National Conference presentation committee for Risk Management. Przydzial served as volunteer for the 2012 Region IV North Soccer Tournament, the 2013 Region IV Intramural Flag Football Tournament, the NIRSA National Soccer Championship, as well as the 2013 Region IV Soccer Tournament.
• Nicole Swank, program assistant for university recreation, received the William N. Wasson student leadership and academic award.