NIRSA Region VI is heading to Portland this fall

October 31–November 2, campus recreation students and professionals will be convening in-person for the NIRSA Region VI Conference. Regional conferences are a great place for career development whether you’re learning in sessions, presenting content, meeting new mentors or mentees, or making new connections.

About Portland

Portland is a very walkable city, has an excellent light rail system for easy excursions, several parks, botanical gardens, and more right in the city. If you’re coming to Portland for the first time, you’re in for a real treat. For the NIRSA members who attended the 2022 NIRSA Annual Conference & Campus Recreation and Wellness Expo, which was also held in Portland, you’ll be seeing a whole new side of Portland on the West side of the river.

The Portland Hilton—official hotel and host of the 2022 NIRSA Region VI Conference—is on the downtown side of the river in the heart of the city center. Portland’s compact, walkable downtown offers easy access to food, green spaces, live music, and tax-free shopping. Portland’s waterfront, Pioneer Square, and Portland State University are all downtown.

Region VI supports NIRSA

Members in Region VI may be wondering why regional leaders and conference planners have decided to host the regional conference in the same city as the Association’s most recent flagship event. In addition to the reasons outlined above that make Portland such a compelling locale for conference gatherings, hosting the 2022 Region VI Conference in the City of Roses also makes good business sense; because the contracts for hosting NIRSA 2022 were negotiated in pre-pandemic years using pre-pandemic projections, the Association was facing significant attrition penalties as a result of lower hotel pick-up rates. Booking additional meetings—like the NIRSA Region VI Conference—in Portland allowed NIRSA to negotiate penalty avoidance, saving the Association nearly $130,000.

The leadership of Region VI graciously stepped up and agreed to host the Region VI Conference at the Portland Hilton, which will allow NIRSA 2022 attendees to see a new side of Portland. NIRSA leaders appreciate the willingness of Region VI members to support the Association in this way.

You too can help make the Region VI Conference program great

Presentation proposals for the 2022 NIRSA Region VI Conference are now being accepted! Regional conferences are a great opportunity to participate in transformative learning opportunities, establish personal and professional networks, and strengthen your experience and resume.

One of the main reasons attendees love NIRSA regional conferences is the opportunity to grow their learning through face-to-face education sessions, roundtable conversations, and collaborative experiences. By presenting at the 2022 NIRSA Region VI Conference you have an opportunity to advance your own professional development while fostering someone else’s learning as well.

NIRSA regional conferences are rooted in helping professionals in higher education develop and maintain competencies in the field of campus recreation and wellbeing. Consider sharing your innovative practices and programs with colleagues in Portland!