NIRSA President Dr. Wendy Windsor recently connected with five distinguished campus recreation leaders in her latest episode of the Hidden talents in NIRSA series. Zac Brost, Associate Director for Campus Recreation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Matthew Dunigan, BRIC Operations Manager at Cal Poly Pomona, Natosha Harris, Intramural Director at the University of Kentucky, Heather Marshall, Assistant Director for IM Sports & RWC Park at the University of Central Florida, and Chris Morriss, Associate Director – Programs at Louisiana State University share with President Windsor some of their hidden talents and their perspectives on “blowing the whistle” and officiating across various sports.

Meet Wendy’s guests

Zac has spent his professional career at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “Campus recreation saved my experience as an undergraduate,” says Zac. “I come to work every day well aware of the positive impact this work can make,” he says. Student development has been a passion for Zac for as long as he’s been in the field. He continues to work in the field because he values the “opportunity to have an impact on the educational experience, to help students find their communities, and to have an impact on student success.” Zac specializes in officiating college women’s basketball.

Matt says he had “the stereotypical start in recreational sports: I was looking for a job while attending The University of Arizona and got hired to be a soccer official.” Matt credits the “atmosphere and day-to-day difference in the work” with really getting him hooked into campus recreation profession. He says that he never thought he would be a “facilities person,” but that he wanted to challenge himself to grow outside of competitive sports, “because I was bored with where I was,” he says. “Professionally, it has challenged me to understand WAYYY more than just the sports realm of recreation and wellbeing.” Matt specializes in officiating college basketball.

Natosha applied for a graduate assistantship after completing her undergraduate degree in organizational communications at Eastern Michigan University but wasn’t selected at her first time of applying. She would spend that first year after graduation working in the corporate world while continuing to elevate her officiating skills, which allowed her to stay connected to her mentor and officiate at a high level: “I worked my first collegiate game before finishing my first full schedule of high school varsity,” she says.

Natosha credits her mentor with helping her obtain a graduate assistantship at Western Michigan University where she earned a master’s degree in sports administration. After grad school, it would take another year of primarily officiating before she landed her first professional role at Millersville University. That is where she was working when she landed her first Division-I officiating contract. Her start at the D-I level was in the Patriot League, but she’s called games in numerous divisions. In 2011, she moved to the University of Kentucky where she continues to specialize in officiating women’s Division I college basketball.

“I work in campus recreation because I enjoy developing students. I hope to make an impact on not just them as students or employees but as overall people,” says Heather, whose first ever job was as an intramural sports basketball official while she was an undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida. From there I grew her skill while working for the program at UCF and continued her education and skill development during a graduate assistantship at the University of Georgia. After graduating, Heather spent a year at Appalachian State University before taking an opportunity to return to UCF. Heather specializes in officiating college basketball.

Chris got into campus recreation during his time as an undergraduate student at Nebraska. “Zac actually helped me figure out that this was a career, after deciding late that I did not want to be a high school math teacher,” says Chris. Since Nebraska, he’s had professional stops at the University of South Dakota, Stephen F. Austin State University, and now at LSU, where he is currently the Associate Director of Programs. Chris specializes in officiating college football.

Hidden talents in NIRSA

All five of these professionals have a passion for campus recreation! But they are all also distinguished by being high-level officials and for sharing their enthusiasm for the art and science of officiating. “When I began in campus recreation, as a student, it gave me experiences and opportunities that I never thought would be possible. It is my passion to provide these same types of experiences and opportunities to the students that I work with,” says Chris. “The skills and lessons learned in recreation transfer to any career path and prepare students for success in professional and personal life,” adds Natosha.

But working the whistle is more about grit than it is a story of glamour. All five of them share personal insight about the very real challenges that come along with blowing the whistle. “Working in a male dominated field, I have had to overcome challenges of being a woman in leadership roles within sports,” says Heather.

“Attempting to find the balance of being friendly and not letting your guard down” around other officials, says Matt. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of people that will push you into the fire to save themselves. Not everyone is clapping for you when you’re not around,” he adds.

Chris notes the “mass resignation” because “not only was it challenging to work through staff shortages, but many of my closest peers in NIRSA took other opportunities outside of campus recreation. It challenged me to find new colleagues to engage with and rebuild a portion of my network. But the challenge has turned out to be a great one as it forced me outside of my comfort zone but has rewarded me with some fantastic new relationships with different people across the country,” says Chris. And Zac echoes his sentiment: “I never have to talk myself into getting off the mat, so to speak. The work is always worth it.”

Fearless vulnerability

With campus recreation, student affairs, and higher education all rapidly changing, fearless vulnerability is a technique that leaders in campus recreation can employ to continue progressing and advancing in the field. Fearless vulnerability describes a mindset of not allowing fear, embarrassment, or shame hold you back from achieving your goals. Spend a few minutes this month with Zac, Matt, Natosha, Heather, Chris, and Dr. Wendy Windsor to hear more about their stories, and to find out what inspires them to be authentic and bold leaders in our profession.

Watch the conversation