Every year on February 22, NIRSA members celebrate Recreational Sports & Fitness Day in commemoration of NIRSA’s founding date. Rec Day is an occasion to remember when Dr. William Wasson brought 20 intramural directors from 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities together to share his research on collegiate recreation. February 22, 1950 was the start of NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, an association beloved by so many today.

What began as just 11 schools coming together to discuss intramurals is today a phenomenon all about supporting the idea that recreation on campus matters and has value. Here are some glimpses at incredible #RecDay 2023 festivities from campuses across the country!

The festivities at Georgia Southern University included archery, cornhole, and free pizza!

Princeton University’s professional staff went all out for Rec Day with a pickleball tournament!

Fairmont State University hosted a day of fun activities including yard games, bubble soccer, frisbee golf, and dodgeball!

Northwest Missouri State University hosted a free throw challenge for their students!

Rec Day at the University of North Carolina Wilmington featured a bench press competition, a basketball shootout, key log rolling, and more!

Sul Ross State University hosted a Winter Rec Night to commemorate the occasion!

Drake University’s Rec Day offerings included a prize wheel.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville celebrated its very first Rec Day this year!

Rec Day celebrations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) included origami, swag, and a game of red light, green light.

Oklahoma State University offered free group fitness, F45, and CrossFit classes!

Saint Joseph’s University offered some exciting Rec Day events including lawn games, a hot shot competition, and yoga!

Texas Christian University offered an information table, activities, and swag to their students for Rec Day. Students had the opportunity to enter a drawing for a chance to win a TheraGun Elite massager!

St. Cloud State University’s Rec Day celebrations included a pickle ball demonstration!

Kenyon College celebrated with a build-your-own trail mix bar, yard games, prize wheel freebies, an American Heart Month kiosk, and the chance to win a Mebak massage gun or a FitBit Sense smartwatch!

Indiana State University offered seven different events in celebration of Rec Day on top of offering an exclusive giveaway!

This is just a glimpse at some of the great things campus rec departments did to make Rec Day an unforgettable experience for the students on their campuses! Check out the #RecDay hashtag across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for more examples of departments taking advantage of Rec Day 2023 to get moving in celebration of what Dr. William Wasson started back in 1950.

Thank you!

Thanks to our participating schools! Don’t see your school on the list? Let us know!

  • American University
  • Arizona State University
  • Augusta University
  • Boise State University
  • California Institute of Technology
  • California State University, Fullerton
  • Catawba College
  • Clemson University
  • Cleveland State University
  • The College of New Jersey
  • East Tennessee State University
  • Emory University
  • Fairmont State University
  • Flagler College
  • Florida A&M University
  • Gannon University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus
  • Georgia State University
  • Grinnell College
  • Indiana State University
  • Kennesaw State University
  • Kent State University
  • Long Beach State University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Millersville University
  • Missouri State University
  • Montclair State University
  • Mount St. Mary’s University
  • Nichols College
  • Northern Arizona University
  • Pomona College
  • Prairie View A&M University
  • Saginaw Valley State University
  • San Francisco State University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Schoolcraft College
  • Sinclair Community College
  • South Dakota State University
  • St. Cloud State University
  • Stetson University
  • Sul Ross State University
  • Temple University Ambler Campus
  • Texas A&M University-San Antonio
  • UMass Boston
  • University at Buffalo
  • University of Delaware
  • University of Hartford
  • University of Idaho
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Louisville
  • University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • University of New Haven
  • University of Northern Iowa
  • University of the Pacific
  • University of San Diego
  • The University of Texas at San Antonio
  • The University of Texas at Tyler
  • University of Windsor
  • University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
  • University of Wisconsin–Platteville
  • Utah State University
  • Valdosta State University
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  • Youngstown State University
Communications Coordinator at 

Nazifa Islam was previously the Communications Coordinator at NIRSA.