NIRSA and the entire field of collegiate recreation are made great by the passion, drive, and dedication of some truly amazing individuals and institutions. Each year, NIRSA is proud to recognize some of its extraordinary members with a variety of awards. Recipients of many NIRSA awards are announced ahead of the NIRSA Annual Conference, while others are first made public during the Association’s signature event.

See related: “Congratulations to the 2019 NIRSA award recipients!”

The Association would like to congratulate all award recipients for their excellence, especially those individuals listed below who were announced for the first time during the NIRSA 2019 Annual Conference and & Campus Rec and Wellness Expo!

Foundation Leadership Award

The NIRSA Foundation Leadership Award annually recognizes an individual or group that has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the NIRSA Foundation and its mission.

Award Recipient

Thomas Kirch, Oregon State University

Juliette Moore People of Color Distinguished Leadership Award

The Juliette Moore Distinguished Leadership Award honors those individuals who have helped further the goals of building a diverse and inclusive culture in our Association by fostering equality of opportunity, encouraging diverse perspectives, and creating a welcoming and supportive climate.

Award Recipient

Lashica Thomas, Columbus State University

Regional Awards of Merit

The Regional Award of Merit acknowledges exceptional performance or dedication of NIRSA Members.

Region I

Kevin George, CRSS, Rowan University

Region II

James Wilkening, University of Central Florida

Region III

Jess Gentry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Region IV

Stephanie E. McAlpine, The University of Texas at Arlington

Region V

Andy Milton, Saint Ambrose University

Region VI

Janice DeMonsi, Santa Clara University

Canadian Region

Debbie Marinoff Shupe, McMaster University

Sarah Fain Distinguished Service Award

The Sarah Fain Distinguished Service Award recognizes cumulative efforts made through years of dedication to the NIRSA Championship Series.

Award Recipient

Howard Taylor, CRSS, Purdue University

Again, congratulations to all this year’s NIRSA award recipients, true leaders in collegiate recreation! The full roster of 2019 NIRSA awards recipients will soon be added to the historical list of recipients on the individual award pages of the NIRSA website.

  • For more information about NIRSA awards, please contact NIRSA Leadership Programs Coordinator, Lani Sherman.
Leadership Programs Coordinator at  | NIRSA Profile

Lani Sherman was the Leadership Programs Coordinator at NIRSA.