Women making history – Transforming the profession (1990s-Today)

A surge in women’s empowerment started in the 1990s and continues to this day. The 90s inspired the daughters of the second-wave feminists to choose new paths unavailable to their mothers. More and more women were pursuing higher education, joining the workforce, delaying starting families, and asserting independent identities outside of the home. Yet, women continue to be underrepresented in managerial positions, especially within nontraditional occupations.

The field of collegiate recreation has been one industry that’s taken earlier steps towards shattering the glass ceiling. “However, the metaphorical glass ceiling does not accurately articulate the complexities of experiences had by women as they progress in their professional career,” explains Cara Lucia, Associate Professor of Sport at Elon University and NIRSA President, and Mila Padgett, Director of Campus Recreation & Wellness at University of South Carolina-Aiken and NIRSA President Designee. They are coauthors of the recently published qualitative study “Passage Through the Leadership Labyrinth: Women’s Journey in the Collegiate Recreation Profession.”

The evolution of women in NIRSA continued to mirror the increasing representation of women in collegiate sports into the early 90s. This steady growth allowed space for women to make their mark and display their leadership potential to the benefit of the profession. William Manning of the University of California-Berkeley—who was NIRSA President in 1978—acknowledged the significant impact women were making across the profession, stating in 1992 that “there have been extraordinarily talented women who brought a different view to the organization of NIRSA, which allowed us to move in new directions.”

Changes did not come without resistance. The considerable courage of pioneering leaders—such as Carol Harding of Michigan State University and Hazel Varner of Keene State College—led to a shift in culture. These women demanded respect and took their seats at the table, thereby creating a pipeline for women in the profession to excel in leadership positions. Due to their efforts, the humble number of the 29 women who attended the 1972 reinstatement Annual Conference at the University of Illinois has grown exponentially. Today, thousands of women attend NIRSA Annual Conferences. They range from undergraduate students to associate vice presidents working in higher education.

In their qualitative study, Cara and Mila state that “It is imperative for women to have guides along the journey and the leadership labyrinth metaphor provides a hopeful framework from the discouraging glass ceiling. Having a woman who has gone before another woman provides a potential guide who can support the younger, less seasoned woman on her journey.” This capstone article in our recent series on Women in NIRSA allows us to hear the stories of some remarkable women who walked the path carved out before them. It gives us the opportunity to learn how they continue to influence this organization and mentor our future leaders.

We asked NIRSA members who are at different points in their careers during this latest period of NIRSA’s history to reflect on the time and changes. The insights and recollections of recent Honor Award recipients and a current crop of NIRSA leaders foster a better understanding of the changing dynamic between men and women campus rec professionals during recent history and in our current times. Explore responses from Vicki Highstreet, Jocelyn Hill, Victoria Lopez-Herrera, Maureen McGonagle, Stefani Plummer, and Dr. Wendy Windsor.

Vicki Highstreet

Vicki Highstreet has been employed at the University of Nebraska for nearly 40 years, spending 33 of those years working in collegiate recreation. In January of this year, Vicki entered her current role in the university’s Division of Student Affairs where she is charged with developing a sustainable structure for staff growth, development, and assessment of learning in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Additionally, she facilitates discussions, workshops, and trainings to grow the capacity for diversity, equity, and inclusion across the division.

Vicki is passionate about education, training, facilitation, and personal/professional coaching. Her impressive quiver of certifications and skills reflects these passions: She’s a Gallup Certified Strength Coach; Franklin Covey Facilitator with experience teaching: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, Leading at the Speed of Trust™, and the 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity®. She has a proven track record in project management, leading across generations, strategic planning, and in enhancing inter/intra-personal team relationships. She’s also the mother of two daughters who are both educators.

Vicki’s involvement off-campus is equally generous and as a result, she’s served and been decorated by many organizations and groups: ACUI’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Team; Nebraska Women’s Leadership Network Council (NE Alumni); Nebraska First Generation Advisory Council; Sertoma International as a trainer & former board member; and ACPA as part of the Senior Level Support Network. And these are just a few of her non-NIRSA involvements.

Acknowledged by Mick Deluca, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Campus Life at UCLA  as “a NIRSA leader of the highest order,” she’s a lifetime NIRSA member and has volunteered her service in almost every capacity possible. She has served NIRSA as state director, Region V Vice President, President-Elect, President, Past President, Past Presidents’ Representative to the Member Network, as a member of the NIRSA Foundation and NIRSA Services Corporation Boards, and has been a member of the faculty for the School of Collegiate Recreation. Her impact across all these various roles has been immense. She received NIRSA’s highest accolade, the Honor Award, in 2018.

Vicki recently connected with us to explore a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions either to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“The new beginnings! I was fortunate to be the sitting President of NIRSA in 2009 when the bylaws were amended to bring our governance into the current structure we have now.”

“The collaboration among leaders—and, more importantly, among the membership—to develop, assess, adapt, and confirm our direction was inspiring and a proud moment. At the University of Nebraska, too, it is also about new beginnings. I was hired to bring non-credit fitness and wellness into our department and onto our campus. To see how that has grown and developed over the years is extremely rewarding. And now, being asked to create the structure for the Division of Student Affairs at UNL to increase our capacity for diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of the most rewarding accomplishments I hope for when I think about what I will remember after leaving my professional career.”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“I believe that we sometimes create our own barriers when we think we have to be better than our male counterparts in order to be good enough for influential roles or leadership positions. Women, in general, will not put themselves out there if they feel that they are missing any skills, knowledge, or experiences that make them the perfect candidate. Men will generally ‘go for it,’ even if they only have a portion of what is asked for in the role/position description.

Having said that, I also believe that there is a perception that if you’re going to be anybody in the field you have to aspire to be a director, and if you don’t share that aspiration or aren’t interested in that role, you’re not a leader in our profession. I’m happy to say that I look up to many colleagues in our profession who are not directors, but who lead by their actions. People follow them because of their actions, not their position. I also admire those who have set their path toward being a director and have attained that position in a fashion that sets their ego aside, and, again, leads by example.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“Women became more prominent in Association leadership roles. The focus on leadership development put more emphasis on getting younger professionals involved in the Association’s business, whether that be through service on committees, participation in focus groups, or inviting them to stand for elected offices. Increases in levels of member engagement have introduced the profession to a broader spectrum of knowledge, skills, and experiences. Women have provided a much-needed relationship component in what is often seen as an operational profession.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women and other underrepresented identities?

“Continue having the open conversations for groups to express concerns, celebrate, ask questions, and find affirmation with regard to the profession and their particular identity. The only way we continue to learn and grow regarding our membership’s needs is by being good listeners and acknowledging that there is more than one way to accomplish our Association’s goals. I believe NIRSA is in a position to establish a leadership series that could help build a structure to encourage many people to consider what the next step in their career might look like. I would like to see it get away from a man/woman dichotomy and consider the many identities we all hold as individuals throughout the profession. Oh, the learning that could take place!”

Jocelyn Hill

Jocelyn Hill started her career in campus recreation with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 1994 as an assistant director, where she was responsible for fitness and wellness programs. She opened the first recreation center built on campus during her five-year tenure there. In the fall of 1999, she moved east to work at her graduate school alma mater, American University. She started out as an Assistant Manager of Jacobs Fitness Center, and also held the titles of Assistant Director of Recreational Sports and Fitness and Associate Director before being promoted to Director of Recreational Sports and Fitness. She’s been working at American University for over 20 years.

Jocelyn received her graduate degree in health-fitness management from American University. She received her B.S. degree from James Madison University, where she worked in the intramural program as an official. She also played club softball for two years while attending school.

Jocelyn has been an active member of NIRSA for over 20 years, serving the Association in many capacities, notably as:

• State Director
• Member of the NIRSA Nominations and Appointments Committee
• Member of the NIRSA Governance Committee
• NIRSA Strategic Planning Task Force member
• Founder of the HBCU Summit
• Chair of the 2012 Region I Regional Conference
• Chair of the 2017 NIRSA Annual Conference Host Committee
• Co-Chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategic Values Commission
• Various regional committees
• Presenter at NIRSA regional and Association-wide events

Jocelyn served as the NIRSA Annual Director on the NIRSA Board in 2017–2018 and served as the At-Large Director on the NIRSA Board from 2018–2021. She’s worked on several university committees and work teams, serves as a member of Staff Council, the President’s Council, and as a member of the Campus Life and Athletics Committee and the Access and Disability Work Team. She completed the first-ever 21^st Century Leadership Institute that identified university leaders across campus. For years, Jocelyn has been actively involved in increasing the membership and engagement of students and professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Jocelyn has received the NIRSA Regional Award of Merit for her contributions to Region I, the NIRSA National Service Award for her work with the HBCU Summit, and the Juliette Moore Distinguished Leadership Award. Jocelyn is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Inc.—service to the community is one of their highest priorities.

Jocelyn recently connected with us to explore a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions either to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“For NIRSA, I am most proud of the work I have done to bring HBCUs back into a more prominent view. I could not have done this without the help of my NIRSA colleagues, especially Bill Crockett, Executive Director, Division of Student Affairs at the University of Maryland Baltimore, and Sev-Ira’ L. Brown of Syracuse University and Region I Vice-President at the time. Since the Association was founded by HBCUs, and given the fact that I grew up on an HBCU campus, I felt the need to work at making this happen. I am still actively involved with bringing more HBCUs and individual members to our association to take advantage of what we have to offer.”

“Of my career at American University, I am proud of the fact we have increased the role of our unit. When I arrived here, we were very small with just five people on staff. Now that I’m the Director, we have 12 members on staff who encompass the many facets of recreation and wellness.”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“One of the barriers I encountered when I first joined NIRSA was a lack of recognition for women in leadership. When I joined NIRSA in 1994, there were not a lot of women in leadership roles and none who looked like me. I was very grateful to have a director who tried to introduce me to as many people within the Association as possible—and especially in my region. The first Black woman who I identified with who was serving in a leadership position was Juliette Moore. As I started to venture out to conferences, I started meeting more and more women. But not too many were serving in director roles.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“I feel we have more allies within the Association who recognize the contributions of women. Over the past 20 years, I have seen an increase in the numbers of women who are serving as directors or in executive-level roles. I have also seen more and more women stepping up to serve in volunteer positions for leadership opportunities. The best change is seeing more sessions dedicated toward women in the profession.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women (and other underrepresented identities)?

“I feel the Association is doing a great job of recognizing and supporting the affinity groups of women. I am doing my part with young African American women. I am doing all I can to uplift and lead by example.”

Victoria Lopez-Herrera

Victoria Lopez-Herrera is a partner, mother, sorority woman, Xicanista, and lover of coffee. Victoria’s passion for the empowerment of women, social justice issues, and advocacy for underrepresented students has guided her work in student affairs for 20 years.

Victoria currently serves as the Senior Associate Director for Campus Recreation at the University of Texas at San Antonio. In her role, she oversees the development and training for approximately 300 student staff, the management of a 185,000 square foot facility, the Aquatics Center, Members Services, and administrative staff. Victoria is a certified indoor cycling instructor and Clifton Strengths Coach. She has served in administrative capacities at Columbia University, The New School, Cornell University, and Texas State University-San Marcos where she earned her bachelor and master’s degrees.

Victoria currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) and NIRSA as well as serving as a volunteer leader for Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.

Victoria recently connected with us to explore a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“When I first entered the field of collegiate recreation, I was one of a few professionals in the department whose primary job responsibilities were focused on student development. That has since evolved and more departments across the country have incorporated this focus into their structures. On campus and within NIRSA, I have been able to bring knowledge and experience from my previous roles outside of collegiate recreation to this area, share with colleagues, and enhance our overall program. As a result, our education and training for student employees is a model that others look to inside and outside of the university.”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“A common experience I have when entering male-dominated spaces is that it is assumed my level of competency and skill is not at the same level as theirs. Attempts to demonstrate these or share my voice are often met with remarks about coming across too strong.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“I think I am in a unique situation. I entered collegiate recreation only almost eight years ago. However, I had worked in higher education for almost 15 years before that. My perspective is limited, relative to others who may have been working in collegiate recreation since graduate school, but one notable and highly visible change is the volunteer leadership of NIRSA at the highest levels. A couple of years ago, women presided over all three NIRSA Boards of Directors for the first time in the Association’s 70-plus year history.”

“Additionally, we are seeing, again for the first time, that the presidential track of the NIRSA Board of Directors—the President, President Designee, and President-Elect—is currently all women. More and more women are stepping into leadership roles throughout the Association and the voice of women is being amplified through other avenues, like Talks with Tiffany, the NIRSA Women’s Caucus, and other preconference sessions.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women and other underrepresented identities?

“Be open to different ways of learning and knowing. Then, support opportunities for women. Ask yourself, How do I know what I know and who did I learn it from? and What type of knowledge do we value most? Higher education is inherently patriarchal and favors those with privilege.

I think this past year has forced the larger community to recognize that professional and personal development does not have to happen at a conference or in a formal workshop. Some of my most profound learning experiences this past year have been experiences within the community and in the outdoors. Neither of which reflect the widely practiced and accepted rigid dichotomy of instructor and learner.”

Maureen McGonagle

Maureen “Moe” McGonagle started officiating intramural sports as a freshman at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She became a graduate assistant of intramurals and special events at Illinois before graduating with her MBA and landing her first job as Director of Intramurals at UIC in 1989. By 1994, she had been promoted to associate director, and grew her responsibilities to include overseeing intramurals, group fitness, and facilities. In 1998, Moe took a director job with Centers, LLC at DePaul University where she has been ever since.

Moe joined NIRSA in 1986 and gave her first presentation in the spring of 1987 while at her first Annual Conference. She’s delivered more than 150 presentations at NIRSA and related conferences.

She founded the Student Lead On in 1988 and coordinated the first two workshops in Region III. Moe has served as a state director and volunteered on dozens of committees and hosted many NIRSA events. She has served as faculty of the NIRSA School and chaired six Annual Conference Program Committees.

She served as NIRSA President from 2006–2007 and has completed terms on both the NSC Board and the Foundation Board. She served on the NIRSA Governance Commission and Sustainability Commission, founded (and hosted) the Collegiate Recreation Leadership Summits for aspiring directors in 2017, and in the same year initiated the Aspiring Directors preconference workshops. She’s been decorated with the NIRSA Honor Award, six NIRSA Service Awards, a Regional Award of Merit, a Horace Moody Award, and an IIRSA Service Award.

Moe recently took some time to explore with us a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions either to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“Helping other students and other professionals learn and grow, including my service as a faculty member for The School, coordinating an Annual Conference program, presenting, working with the student development preconference and career opportunities committees. But I’m most proud about the opportunities I started when I founded the Lead On workshops and the Aspiring Director workshops.”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“There weren’t many women in leadership positions when I was a student and young professional, but those few who were in the field—women like Hazel Varner at Keene State College, Mary Daniels from The Ohio State University, Jan Gong from the University of California-Davis, Pat Besner from the University of Toledo, and Juliette Moore from the University of Arizona—were incredibly influential.”

“I felt very supported by my mentors, both men and women, who were incredibly generous with their time and attention—particularly Mike Dunn from The Ohio State University, Tom Jones from Central Michigan University, and Robyn Deterding from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. But there were lingering prejudices about women in the profession, which made it more difficult to get a seat, and a voice, at the table.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“The number of women in the field has increased tremendously, as has the number of women serving in leadership positions. Having more role models available to students and younger professionals has built confidence, changed expectations, and aided growth and development. Seeing women succeed in leadership positions also helped change ‘old-school’ attitudes and built a foundation for further success.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women (and other underrepresented identities)?

“By providing meaningful and impactful opportunities. By providing members with an appropriate balance of challenge and support. As individuals, recognize and respect that every individual’s definition of—and path to—success is different. Create a culture where there is a shared sense of belonging based on respect, integrity, and credibility. Take actions, big and small, to identify and change inappropriate systems and behaviors.”

Stefani Plummer

Stefani Plummer started her journey into the campus recreation profession at the University of California-San Diego as a student employee. She proceeded to Arizona State University as a graduate assistant. She remained at ASU after graduation, progressing through the ranks from coordinator to assistant director, gaining experience along the way with outdoor recreation, team building, aquatics, outreach, student development, student employment, equipment management, marketing, and more. She then moved to California Baptist University where she served as Director of the Recreation Center.

Her active membership in NIRSA allows her to serve as a member of the NIRSA Foundation Board of Directors and as a co-founder of the Black Women in NIRSA group. She received the 2021 NIRSA Regional Award of Merit in Region VI.

Stefani recently connected with us to explore a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions either to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“I am proud of a few things over my career thus far. For example, my investment into people–meeting them where they are at and helping them progress to exceed their potential. Others invested into me and I want to give that back!”

“So, seeing both students and professionals progressing in their careers and their lives, and knowing I had a small part in helping them succeed—that is incredibly satisfying! The events I have been able to create and the programs I’ve had a hand in executing have been fun to assess and it’s been a joy to see what people got out of them. I have been a lifetime member of NIRSA since almost the beginning. I love how much value I get from being a member and what I am able to be part of. I also enjoy having an avenue to progress the profession. And, of course, the people who share in that!”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“There are barriers: lack of opportunities, immature mentorship, denial of a place at the proverbial table. I also think there are so many factors at play. We all have to work better at identifying and working through obstacles at an organic level. I don’t believe every individual’s experience ‘at the table’ is interchangeable. It’s why I think storytelling and experience sharing is so important. These interpersonal exchanges become opportunities for others to understand perspectives different from theirs.

I’ve been talked down to. I have been unfairly relied upon to fix problems that were not caused by me. I have been ignored. And I have been underappreciated. I can’t say every time it was because I am a woman, or that singular factor was the most significant influence on those experiences. But without hesitation I can say there have been moments when had I been a man, a situation would have gone differently. But I am not a man, so I work with who I am.

I’ve become much more observant and intentional in how I engage, lead, speak, etc. as I have matured in my career. I now consider myself a leader on campus and in the profession and try not to focus on the detail that I am a woman leader. For me it is just one of my identities. And my experiences are not necessarily the same as any other leader—man or woman. I also identify as a mom, a Christian, a wife, and an extroverted introvert. People bring so much of themselves to a position that we gain more when we begin looking at an individual. I am a huge advocate of females leading and recognize the importance of balance. I think if we invest in building up good leaders and do so by sharing our stories, we can better learn from each other and we will better appreciate both the similarities and the differences we bring to the table.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“From my perspective, there are a lot more females in significant leadership roles. There have been some incredible trailblazers within our profession; some have not only led well, but also created leadership opportunities that have led to the advancement of others. The mentor/sponsor relationship is strong. It isn’t always a formal relationship, but I have seen incredible advocates for women in leadership across our profession. And the beauty is I have seen that amplification come from men as well as women. We build each other up, but we have an amazing collective of people who work to provide opportunity, experience, challenge, and growth to our leaders.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women (and other underrepresented identities)?

“Storytelling! I am a strong believer in the idea that our stories inspire, educate, and ignite others in their journey. NIRSA does a great job of creating space and opportunity. We have to nudge people to step into those spaces and do what they have been gifted to do! Encouragement is a powerful tool.”

Dr. Wendy Windsor

Dr. Wendy Windsor is Director of Campus Recreation at Tulane University. Wendy’s first professional position in campus recreation was in the role of Associate Director of Recreational Sports at Texas A&M University, Kingsville (TAMUK). Following her tenure at TAMUK, she’s held positions at Middle Tennessee State University, Louisiana State University, and UCLA, before her current role at Tulane. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Education in Health & Human Performance, and a Doctor of Education in Sport Management.

An active member of NIRSA for more than 16 years, Wendy currently serves the Association in the role of NIRSA President-Elect. Wendy has also served as a faculty member for the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation, Chair of the NIRSA Championship Series Standards Committee, Chair of the Student Professional Development Committee, member of the Leadership Commission and Sustainable Practices Commission, and committee member on the Nominations & Appointments Committee and NIRSA Annual Conference Program Committee.

Regionally, Wendy has been an active member too. She’s served on local conference planning committees and helped to secure over $70K in regional event sponsorships and donations. She envisioned and is a co-founder of the Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance (an organization for Region II Soccer). She also served as Tennessee State Director in 2009 and 2010, hosting a Tennessee State Workshop and several state and regional extramural sport tournaments. Wendy has presented at the state, regional, and Association-wide levels and served as the 2014 keynote speaker during the 2014 Region VI Student Lead On.

Wendy connected with us to explore a few questions about her journey working in campus recreation.

What contributions to NIRSA or to your campus community do you take the most pride in during your career as a campus recreation professional? 

“Two specific contributions come to mind. The first is serving as co-founder for the Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance, the governing league for NIRSA Region II Soccer. The creation of this league provided a working framework for Region II club soccer and provided new professional development opportunities for upcoming leaders in the region.

The second contribution is more recent and involves my involvement within the Black women of NIRSA network. Forming genuine relationships with other black women leaders in collegiate recreation, as well as serving as a mentor and role model for younger professionals, has been one of my major career milestones. This ability to influence and impact others was a driving factor in my decision to stand for NIRSA President.”

What barriers to attaining or serving in influential roles or leadership positions did you, or women who are your peers, face in pursuing a career in campus recreation?

“Being a woman, and in particular a woman of color, is a barrier within itself. Some people might only see you for your race and gender and not for your qualifications or experiences. As women we have to work harder and smarter to gain recognition and land that ‘seat at the table.’ Once we’re at the table, it’s up to us to show our value. Women can break down those barriers by proper positioning, networking, and developing self-worth. Believe in yourself and your unique talents.”

How did conditions and circumstances change for women working in campus recreation during your tenure in the profession?

“Opportunities are more prevalent now as more women in senior leadership roles and other positions of influence emerge. Those of us who are in positions of influence must continue to be intentional in the recruitment and mentorship of our next generation of leaders. We must continue to open the doors for others to succeed and achieve upward movement through professional growth.”

How can NIRSA as an organization and NIRSA members as individuals support the leadership development of women and other underrepresented identities?

“By continuing to provide both equal and equitable opportunities. We must be intentional in recognizing and addressing when our opportunities or services are not accessible for all. Intentional mentorship and networking will continue to be key in establishing the best leadership pathways for others.”

Explore the rest of the series

On behalf of all the authors and interviewers who contributed to this series, we would like to thank all the NIRSA members who took time to share their stories and wisdom with us. Their experiences and insights enrich our understanding about the evolving gender dynamics in our profession over time. If you haven’t yet already, please be sure to explore the other articles in this “Women making history” series:

• NIRSA’s founding and the early years (1950s)
• The interregnum (1959-1971)
• Trailblazing the return to NIRSA (1970s and 1980s)

And be sure to check out Cara and Mila’s recently published “Passage Through the Leadership Labyrinth: Women’s Journey in the Collegiate Recreation Profession.” It appears in the latest issue of the NIRSA Recreational Sports Journal and access is free to NIRSA Members, using your NIRSA login credentials.