Associate Director of Operations at Portland State University, Todd Bauch is serving on the NIRSA Annual Conference Host Committee this year. Todd moved to Portland, Oregon in 1998 and over the past few weeks, he has been sharing on Facebook a series of tips with colleagues who will be coming to his city for the 2022 NIRSA Annual Conference & Campus Rec and Wellness Expo. We’ve compiled and curated some of his top tips to share here.
Food and drink
Cityscapes
Culture
- Tour Burnside skate park and other DIY skate parks
- Grab a Willamette Week paper
- Explore the local street art scene
Outdoor adventure
- See the cherry blossoms
- Get up into the mountains
- Use BikeTownPDX to get across the city
- Scoot Smart offers convenient travel options
Shopping
Miscellaneous
- Watch for Sasquatch
- Bring rain protection
- Respect Portland health and safety culture
- Plan your TriMet travel
About Todd Bauch
Todd spent his first four years in Portland as a professional kayaker and retail store manager. Portland State University has been his professional home for 19 years. However, he still has strong attachments to Illinois State University, University of Idaho, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, James Madison University, and any other university with an outdoor/adventure program. Originally hired at PSU to coordinate its award-winning outdoor recreation program, Todd was eventually convinced to come inside and take the role of Assistant Director of Operations.
He lives with in Northeast Portland with his wife Laura and their dog Tilly Jane. He enjoys any outdoor activity (and a few indoor activities) that takes him to a place he has never been for. However, if you want to really entice him, pull out your bike, skis, kayak, or raft.
You can see all of his tips on his Facebook page.
See you in Portland
“Portlanders love to show off their city,” says Todd. “Sharing the city with others reminds us that Portland is more than just buildings and people with a pretty backdrop. The last two years have been tough on Portland—but they’ve also been important to its future. When you come to Portland, any of the things on this list or your own adventures will be worthwhile. But while you explore, be ready for peeks behind the ‘stage curtain’ for views of a city coming to grips with how to treat and support all of its people, while putting itself back together.”
Travel Portland will host a resource table for attendees at NIRSA 2022. Visit them from 2:00pm-4:30pm on March 29, 8:00am-4:00pm on March 30, or 8:00am-2:30pm for all kinds of local recommendations. If you haven’t registered yet, there is still time. Register today.
- If you have questions about NIRSA 2022, please contact the Professional Development team at NIRSA HQ.
