By Abe Drabkin

Update, January 10, 2014: In an effort to allow as many qualified students as possible to take advantage of this exciting internship opportunity, the application deadline has been extended until January 30, 2014. Additionally, full conference registration and hotel accommodation costs will not be covered by this program; instead all interns will be provided a $500 stipend to cover part of conference registration and hotel accommodation costs.

The business of collegiate recreation has changed drastically over the past few years, and new approaches are a must to keep pace with the evolving marketplace. Recognizing the need to “think different,” a group of NIRSA marketing professionals has created the Mind Shift Educational Series for the 2014 NIRSA Annual Conference & Expo. The goals of these interactive educational sessions are to help NIRSA members understand the tools and strategies necessary to transform their campus recreation departments through brand storytelling, business development, and audience engagement.

The Mind Shift education sessions will include interactive panel and break-out discussions featuring the best and brightest marketing professionals from the field of collegiate recreation, as well as number of local and national industry experts.

This dynamic experience will allow for audience participation both in-person and through social media, expanding both potential reach and resources.

The Mind Shift social media team will play a large role in not only the Mind Shift educational sessions, but also building community and engagement throughout NIRSA 2014.

Mind Shift Social Media Internships for students

The Mind Shift social media team will play a large role in not only the Mind Shift educational sessions, but also building community and engagement throughout NIRSA 2014. We are looking for exceptional and outgoing student-members to apply to the social media internship program. Complementary conference registration and hotel accommodations will be provided.

The Mind Shift Social Media Internship program will provide highly motivated student leaders with the opportunity to gain marketable skills and industry exposure with other marketing professionals in campus recreation and the private sector.

The online applications are due on January 17, 2014. The internship program will officially begin in March 2014 with virtual training and preparation for the conference.

This member-led initiative is made up of NIRSA professionals Joe Watz, University of California, Berkeley; Stephanie Patterson, University of Southern Mississippi; Wendy Little, Oregon State University; Abby Millsaps, Kent State University; Steve DiPaolo, Stanford University; Melanie Alverio, Rowan University; Melissa Fadler, Sam Houston State University; and Kendra Bayne, Louisiana State University.