Juliette Moore—NIRSA’s first Black female President and Honor Award recipient—has passed away

With deep sadness, NIRSA shares the news that NIRSA Past President and Honor Award recipient Juliette Moore, aged 69, passed away peacefully in her sleep in hospice care in New Orleans after complications from end-stage renal disease on Saturday, January 7.

Juliette was a trailblazer in the field, a beloved colleague and friend, and a dedicated mentor to countless students and professionals. “She was impossible to miss—in a group of amazing people, she was always the bright light. Juliette was vivacious, passionate, and tenacious,” says Maureen McGonagle, Director, CENTERS, LLC at DePaul University. Juliette is the first Black female President of the Association, is the founder of the People of Color Social which is held every year at the NIRSA Annual Conference, and it is thanks to her efforts that NIRSA founder Dr. William Wasson became re-engaged with the Association after many years of absence.

She was always bringing others through the doors she had opened. Stefani Plummer, Director of Academic Operations at California Baptist University, says, “Juliette was a legendary leader. She stood at the front, creating a path for others; she stood alongside the middle, challenging and amplifying students and professionals; and she stood in the back shouting encouragement and cheering you on. I have felt her every step of the way in our 30 years as friends and family.”

Mirum Washington-White, Director of Athletics & Intramural Sports and Curriculum Chair for P.E. and Faculty at St Cyril of Alexandria School, adds, “Juliette was a force of nature, a human dynamo that could ignite a spark in anyone she met. She was a dreamer with a limitless imagination who could inspire you to achieve beyond your expectations. NIRSA will forever be better because of her presence.”

NIRSA legacy

A member of NIRSA since 1976, Juliette was an advocate for sharing and preserving NIRSA’s history. She spent a great deal of her time trying to honor and educate individuals about the founding of NIRSA. In fact, in 1988, Juliette invited Dr. William Wasson to attend a NIRSA regional conference she was hosting at Arizona State University (ASU). Dr. Wasson is the founder of NIRSA and served as its first president but he spent many years completely uninvolved with the Association. His presence at the regional conference at ASU marked his triumphant return to the organization. Juliette was also instrumental in ensuring founders had financial support to attend NIRSA Annual Conferences. She prepared a presentation for the NIRSA Board of Directors—it was ultimately approved—that provided full financial support to all founding members interested in attending the NIRSA Annual Conference.

Juliette founded the much-celebrated People of Color Social in 1990. Hosting this social was encouraged by Dr. Wasson as well as by NIRSA founding member Horace Moody. Juliette worked with then-President Judy Bryant to host the social; in exchange for being able to use Judy’s suite to host the event, Juliette agreed to lead icebreakers for new members attending the Annual Conference. The People of Color Social was held informally in this way for a few more years before becoming an official, integral part of the NIRSA Annual Conference program. Today, the People of Color Social remains a beloved tradition at each Annual Conference. It is a place where everyone is welcome to learn about and celebrate the history of NIRSA.

“Juliette was fierce, relentless, and unyielding in her beliefs that everyone should be given the same opportunities,” shares Stan Shingles, Assistant Vice President at Central Michigan University. “When she wanted to host the first People of Color Social in 1990, she called me and asked me to be bring the music, and to be the DJ! This began our 30+ year relationship built on trust, respect, love, kinship, and service to NIRSA. She was a role model whose footsteps I have always followed. What an incredible human. I will miss her dearly.”

In 1998, Juliette became the first Black woman to serve as NIRSA President. While she is among NIRSA’s most celebrated contributors today, recognition hasn’t always been easy to come by. She had to lobby leadership to get recognition as the first Black female President of NIRSA on the NIRSA history timeline.

In 2003, the Juliette Moore Distinguished Leadership Award—which recognizes those individuals who best exemplify the hard work and dedication that go into the continuing creation of a diverse and inclusive community—was named in her honor.

Juliette’s decorated career was marked with many accolades including the NIRSA Honor Award, NIRSA’s highest distinction, in 2012 and a NIRSA Service Award. She was the first Black woman to receive NIRSA’s Honor Award.

“Juliette had strong opinions and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and persist until the right and just things got done, says Maureen McGonagle. “She held a lot of ‘firsts’ and accomplishments in her career, but I’ll remember her most for her frequent laughter and loud presence. She started as a mentor but quickly became my friend, always prioritizing time for our annual NIRSA breakfast and picture. My most cherished memories of Jules are presenting each other with the Honor Award. I loved her dearly.”

35 years of service

Juliette began her recreational sports career in 1975 as a graduate assistant in health and leisure studies at the University of West Florida (UWF). While she initially intended to go into teaching, her life changed after landing a work-study job in recreational sports on campus. Her aspirations shifted and she quickly became an exceptional campus recreation professional. The University of West Florida eliminated its intercollegiate athletics program in the fall of 1976 and, subsequently, expanded its recreational offerings. Juliette was hired as a sport club coordinator at UWF after completing her master’s degree. She ultimately worked at the university for nearly a decade.

Juliette became involved in NIRSA once she was hired as a full-time professional at UWF. She started attending conferences and volunteered to serve on several committees. Bill Healey, Executive Director of Student at the University of West Florida, mentored her at those early conferences and introduced her to many people who served in influential positions within the Association. Juliette went on to serve as the NIRSA State Director for Florida for four years.

She continued to climb the professional ladder in recreational sports and worked as Assistant Director of Recreation, Intramural Sports, and Sport Clubs at Arizona State University from 1985–1989. In this role, she oversaw women’s fitness and the women’s and CoRec intramural programs. Juliette stayed active in NIRSA after moving from Region II to Region VI and served as NIRSA State Director for Arizona for three years. While at ASU, she served as host for the Region VI Conference in Tempe, AZ. Thanks to Juliette’s outreach, this regional conference saw Dr. William Wasson’s reengagement with NIRSA.

Stan Shingles says, “I met Juliette in 1988 at my first NIRSA Annual Conference in Hollywood, Florida when I was a graduate assistant. I recall her incredible presence. Passionate, talkative, and seemingly connected to everyone that she communicated with. What I also recall at that time was that Juliette was the only Black female professional that I met at that conference. This was a bit surprising, but I remember thinking that her mere presence made up for this lack of representation. I served on the Affirmative Action Committee with her the next year as a first year professional. This is where I learned of her passion for diversity, social justice, and inclusion.”

Juliette applied for the director position at ASU when it opened but was told that she needed more experience before they would consider her for the position. She applied for various associate director positions and eventually accepted one at James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, VA. She worked there for two years while remaining actively involved in the Association.

During Juliette’s second year at JMU, she received a call from Northern Illinois University (NIU) and was recruited to fill the open director’s position there. She served as Director for the NIU campus recreation program for six years all while remaining extremely active in NIRSA—now as part of Region III.

Though health issues prevented Juliette from giving her speech as candidate for NIRSA Region III Vice President, the following year saw her was elected NIRSA President. “I’m happy that I was able to serve as NIRSA’s President in 1998 and to work with Moe McGonagle in planning NIRSA’s 50th anniversary celebration,” Juliette recalled during an interview.

Juliette served as NIRSA President from 1997–1998. Unfortunately, she experienced severe health challenges during her term of service. Though she missed the Annual Conference that year, she made arrangements for others to continue hosting the People of Color Social.

In 1997, Juliette became the Director of Campus Recreation at the University of Arizona. She remained in that position until her retirement from the field in 2010. In 2012, she received the NIRSA Honor Award—NIRSA’s highest accolade—in recognition of her extensive service to the Association. Post-retirement, she—a longtime supporter of the NIRSA Foundation—served on the Legacy Society Committee and was instrumental in growing donations via planned giving, leading the charge by making her own Legacy donation commitment. She also served on the Expo Committee for two years and reviewed presentations for the Annual Conference Program Committee in an unofficial consulting role. Juliette was always willing to give back to NIRSA and remained an active mentor to many in the field even following her retirement. Her dedication to NIRSA and the campus recreation field is beyond admirable.

“Juliette left an indelible mark on NIRSA,” says Pam Watts, NIRSA Executive Director. “She often served as our conscience, pushing us to be more inclusive and celebrate our heritage. She had a big heart and big hugs but would also pull you aside for tough love when needed. Her physical presence will be missed, but her spirit and impact will live on in NIRSA.”

Lee “Momma” Wasson adds, “Juliette was my daughter and a sister to Marsha. In all the years that we were family, she was a dynamic force that never stopped pushing to get things done—even when she knew some things would be an uphill battle. Our family will miss her always.”

Memorial service

Mass of Christian burial for Juliette R. Moore will take place at 12:00pm on Saturday, February 4 at Corpus Christi-Epiphany Catholic Church (2022 St. Bernard Ave., New Orleans, LA). Visitation will take place at 11:00am and the burial will occur at Mount Olivet Cemetery. The burial will be followed by a repast from 2:00pm–5:00pm at Charbonnet-Labat Funeral Home (1615 St. Philip St., New Orleans, LA).

The NIRSA Foundation Juliette Moore Scholarship

The NIRSA Foundation Board of Directors unanimously voted to name a professional scholarship to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference, from the NIRSA Foundation Scholarship Endowment, for Juliette Moore. This scholarship will be given to a person of color receiving the highest score in the application review process. The first Juliette Moore Scholarship will be awarded to a professional to attend the 2024 Annual Conference, happening in Phoenix, Arizona—the state where Juliette lived for nearly half of her illustrious 35-year career.