By Sarah Leskovec

Service, of course, comes as second nature to collegiate recreation professionals who strive daily to serve their campus communities by providing and promoting opportunities for health and wellness.

Likewise, NIRSA thrives because of the vital contributions of its members—from strategic planning and our Assembly think-tank, to the renowned NIRSA Championship Series tournaments, to the plethora of educational institutes, workshops, lead ons, and conferences, every bit of this association has the passion and dedication of NIRSA volunteer leaders behind it!

What makes all of the effort, all of the work that extends far beyond standard job descriptions, worthwhile for these NIRSA volunteers is, unsurprisingly, not awards or recognition, but rather just the act of giving to others. “To share with students and colleagues in our profession as they strive to learn and grow toward their own professional passion, as well as intentionally mentoring others in skills that benefit them personally and professionally inspires me,” says Vicki Highstreet, Senior Assistant Director at University of Nebraska-Lincoln who recently received a NIRSA Service Award for her exceptional service and leadership as Chair of the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation.

Kristen Hayes also was recognized at NIRSA 2014 for her service on the 2013-2014 Student Leadership Team.

Kristen Hayes, Graduate Intern at The Ohio State University and recent recipient of the award for her dedication and exceptional leadership as student coordinator of the Region III Student Lead On, affirms Vicki’s sentiments, saying, “To provide students opportunities and to have any part of the development of others is what inspires me to serve. To help empower other students…is worth all the hard work.”

And Director of Campus Recreation at San Francisco State University, Pam Su, who received the award for her significant contributions in promoting NIRSA’s value of Sustainable Communities and leadership as co-chair of the NIRSA Sustainable Communities Commission, agrees. “I love every time I see a NIRSA member or higher ed colleague taking a look at the NIRSA model of “Valuing Sustainability in Collegiate Recreation” and getting that ‘ah-ha’ moment. All of a sudden, they can see what sustainability is, what it means, and why we should do it. It’s each of those ah-ha moments that makes my work so rewarding!”

When it comes to awards, NIRSA members inevitably echo Vicki’s feelings that they “don’t go into situations with the purpose of receiving an award for their efforts. The passion is what drives them, and receiving the award is extremely humbling because you know so much more than just your efforts [went into that end product].” But still the recognition, though humbling, is always appreciated.

Sarah Fain, seen here with Jerrod Jackson, accepting recognition from the NIRSA Championship Series on behalf of Georgia Southern University.

Sarah Fain, Intramural Sports Program Director at Georgia Southern University, who received the award for her outstanding leadership and dedication as the Tournament Director for the NIRSA National Flag Football Tournament and Chair of the work team, reflects on this point, saying, “It has been such an exciting and humbling experience because it truly is an honor to know my hard work and service are appreciated and valued by my colleagues and the NIRSA membership.”

We all know fellow NIRSA Members like Vicki, Kristen, Pam, and Sarah, those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their volunteer service to the NIRSA community. They’ve added significantly to collegiate recreation’s professional development—now it’s time to make a difference in theirs; nominate a NIRSA professional or student colleague for his or her outstanding contributions to the Association over this past year (May 2013 through April 2014).

Nominations take just small amount of your time—but they make a big impact on those whose time and efforts have affected so many within the NIRSA community. “I feel so honored to know my efforts to serve the students and professionals in the NIRSA organization are considered worthy of such recognition,” Sarah says of her award. “It inspires me to want to do all I can to be a mentor and resource to others.”

Nominations for the NIRSA Annual Service Award are due on Monday, September 15. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to recognize NIRSA colleagues and support your peers’ pursuit of professional excellence!