We invite you to join us in the NIRSA Foundation’s Annual Giving Campaign at NIRSA 2019! Get inspired, move forward, get connected, and fund the revolution. As a campus rec professional, you are on the front line of campus wellbeing and student success. The work you do is revolutionary. Your gifts to the NIRSA Foundation help fund the revolution by supporting future opportunities for NIRSA members. This year, our goal is to raise $90,000 and to engage more than 501 donors in paying it forward. Will you be the one in our 501? Our goals are big, but we know you’re up to the challenge.
Your donations support our profession by providing meaningful opportunities for scholarship, research, and personal and professional development. In Boston, 45 students will attend the Annual Conference on a full-registration scholarship and 21 professionals received full-registration scholarships to attend NIRSA professional development events like the Annual Conference, the Facilities Institute, and the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation. And more than 35 members will be able to attend preconference workshops via the J. Michael Dunn Endowment.
In 2018, $65,000 was provided for NIRSA research initiatives, including funding four projects in the NIRSA Research Grant Program and supporting campus rec benchmarking through NIRSA Institutional Data Set and Salary Census. And in the 2017–2018 season, your donations provided training for 106 up-and-coming student officials at the National Championship Series basketball and flag football tournaments.
At this year’s conference you’ll have the opportunity to make a gift in different ways, including directly from your smart phone via the NIRSA 2019 Guidebook app. You can also stop by the NIRSA Foundation table—check Guidebook or the conference program for times—to make your donation. If you’re not able to attend the conference and would still like to participate in the Annual Giving Campaign, please visit the NIRSA website to make a gift in support of your NIRSA family. Donations toward our Annual Giving Campaign goals can be made via the website beginning February 1 through March 31.
However you make your contribution, know your gift is tax deductible, you will continue to advance through the Cumulative Giving Levels, and you will be recognized on the NIRSA Foundation Honor Roll. Your gift provides financing for student and professional NIRSA members to attend a variety of professional development opportunities through our scholarship program, supports NIRSA’s research for the campus recreation profession, and provides a grassroots solution to the nationwide shortage of young officials through student official’s development training.
Your donation will honor professionals of the past, celebrate the professionals of the present, and champion the professionals of the future.
NIRSA Foundation conference activities—Fund the Revolution!
The NIRSA Foundation is back again this year with numerous activities for conference attendees which will help you support your NIRSA family!
Enter your program/department T-shirts into the historic NIRSA Foundation T-shirt Competition. Entries will be accepted at the NIRSA Foundation table on Friday night, Saturday until the Opening General Session, after the Opening General Session, and on Sunday until noon. Don’t forget to bring two of each entry! We’re also accepting donations of jackets, sweatshirts, golf/polo shirts, and other swag for sale at the NIRSA Foundation Apparel Sale. Be awesome, donate and help shape the future of campus rec!
On Sunday, February 17—support your NIRSA family and get moving by joining in the Mark Fletcher Urban Circuit. This NIRSA Foundation philanthropic event is a great way for NIRSA members to network with each other while living NIRSA’s strategic value of health and wellbeing! Join us for this event, which takes place in the Expo Hall during the Early Morning Workout and is named in honor of the late Mark Fletcher, a beloved member of the NIRSA family, an avid runner, and a strong advocate for the NIRSA Foundation.
The Mark Fletcher Urban Circuit features a variety of exciting activities so NIRSA members of all fitness and mobility levels can choose their favorite way to get moving while giving back. Participants can select one of the following:
- 3K Walk/Roll around the Expo Hall: Lace up your sneakers and grab your best walking buddy for this early morning stroll! No running is allowed in the Expo Hall, so get excited to participate in fun, mini-challenges along the route to get your blood flowing and your smile growing!
- Run with Woodway (limit 6): Whether you run for fun or PRs, Woodway’s got you covered! There are only six treadmills available at Woodway’s booth, so running fans will want to sign up for this activity fast before it fills up!
- Cardio with Matrix (limit 15): Work up a sweat with Matrix! They’re bringing 15 machines that will get your heart pounding and your muscles burning!
- F45 Workout (limit 27): This one’s for the fitness fans! This class combines interval, cardiovascular, and strength training for a fun and challenging workout. The first 27 people to register are ensured participation.
Check-in is at 6:45am in the Expo Hall with the 3K and other events kicking off at 7:00am. Registrants can also join the Early Morning Workout Fitness Forum or Spin Class as space allows. The first 150 registrants receive an event T-shirt! Because activity space is limited except for the 3K, pre-registration is highly recommended. Sign-up in advance and collect your T-Shirt at the NIRSA Foundation Table or in the Expo Hall the morning of the event. All NIRSA members are invited to participate!
We would be delighted to talk to you about the NIRSA Foundation, share ways to get involved in our committees and programs, and thank you for making last year a record one. Stop by the NIRSA Foundation table at NIRSA 2019 to learn more about conference activities, speak to a NIRSA Foundation Board member, or meet some scholarship recipients.
By participating in a series of fundraising events and experiences, many NIRSA Annual Conference attendees see the few days at Conference as a unique opportunity to give back to a future generation of emerging professionals in campus recreation and wellbeing, a field that has greatly enriched their own lives.
Fund the Revolution—we look forward to seeing you in Boston!
- For more information, please contact NIRSA Foundation Coordinator Kelley Hungerford.
Brent Harrison is currently the Associate Director for Programs at the University of Oregon. He is a member of the NIRSA Foundation Board of Directors.
