By Tom Kirch and Breeana Myatt

The NIRSA Honor Award is one of our Association’s highest achievements.

It’s awarded annually to a NIRSA member of outstanding professional achievement who has demonstrated exemplary service to the Association over the course of their career; recipients have made significant contributions to the field of collegiate recreation.

The Honor Award Committee is currently accepting nominations for the 2015 NIRSA Honor Award! The award recipient will be celebrated at the Honor Award Banquet at the 2015 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expo in Grapevine, Texas from March 30–April 2. They will also be featured on the NIRSA website and in an issue of the Know.

Take advantage of this opportunity to honor an inspirational NIRSA colleague! Eligibility and selection criteria, and tips for writing your nomination letter, can be found on the NIRSA website.

Nominations are due Monday, November 3. Submit one today!

About the 2014 NIRSA Honor Award recipient

Mark Fletcher, CRSS, was a prior Director of Intramural Recreational Sports/Associate Athletics Director at the University of Virginia. He is the first posthumous recipient of the NIRSA Honor Award.

Mark Fletcher’s family accepting the award on his behalf at the 2014 NIRSA Honor Award Banquet.

Gina Fletcher, wife of Mark Fletcher, says that “Mark’s nomination and award in 2014 for the Honor Award was the result of a collaboration of Mark’s NIRSA colleagues and friends throughout his career. The family sincerely felt the outpouring of admiration and respect, and enjoyed the many stories of interactions with Mark that were told at NIRSA 2014.”

She goes on to say, “Mark was eager to serve with his many NIRSA colleagues and counted them as lifelong friends. He enjoyed mentoring students in the Intramural Recreational Field and sharing his love of NIRSA with them. Even though he left us too early, it was an honor to have his legacy of professionalism and innovation be remembered in that way.”

You can read more about Mark Fletcher, and his many contributions to the collegiate recreation profession, on the NIRSA website.