#AwardSZN: Notes from the NIRSA Member Network

Welcome to October! This time of year is when so many seasons open and close. We say goodbye to the warmth of summer and begin to experience the bluster of fall. Baseball and the WNBA regular seasons are winding their way to playoffs and league championships, and football season is heating up on the gridiron. The ghostly decorum is unpacked as spooky season approaches, with the cornucopias not far behind. For those of us in NIRSA and campus recreation, though, an additional season has emerged on the horizon. Awards season is here, and with it an opportunity to celebrate colleagues and departments for their outstanding achievements during the last year.

The chance to nominate an individual or group, citing recognition for the innovative work or extraordinary service they have achieved is an honor, and receiving a nomination is even more so. It means the world to those who put care and time into their creations and the trust and knowledge to those they love and mentor. The road to #AwardSZN starts with you, and we hope you take advantage of that opportunity to let those that you work with and care for know that you SEE them and that you value their contributions as meritorious.

The professional take

I am willing to wager that we all know a member of NIRSA that deserves recognition for their exemplary achievements. Honoring someone with an award is a powerful way to recognize their dedication, hard work, and impact within campus recreation. It serves not only as a moment of celebration but also as a public acknowledgment of their contributions, often achieved through perseverance, commitment, and innovation. An award validates their efforts, brings visibility to achievements that might otherwise go unnoticed, and offers a chance for others to be inspired by their example.

When we present an award, we do more than hand over a plaque—we affirm the values the individual personally and professionally represents. Whether it’s innovation, leadership, or excellence, the recipient is honored by becoming a symbol of what is possible when passion meets purpose. This recognition is both a thank you for what they have done and an encouragement to continue making a difference. Ultimately, honoring someone in this way strengthens our membership by spotlighting role models who lead with integrity and inspire others to strive for greatness.

There are several professional awards that NIRSA offers for individuals, groups, and institutions that exhibit work that deserves praise and recognition. The Awards page on the website highlights those awards and describes what each award represents to our membership. Recognition for specific, regional, and association-wide achievements fill the page and offer members several outlets to nominate others. If writing a nomination intimidates you, there is even a page that guides you on writing a nomination or recommendation that will leave the award committee in awe of your nominee’s achievements.

There are several awards that highlight regional, association-wide, and career achievements such as the NIRSA Honor Award, the NIRSA Annual Service Award, and the Regional Award of Merit. Some highlight an individual’s work within specific areas of our association, such as the Herman Williams Founders Outstanding Service Award, the Juliette Moore Distinguished Leadership Award, and the NIRSA Foundation Leadership Award. Some offer distinction to institutions like the Creative Excellence Awards and the Campus Rec Innovative Programming Award. There is really no excuse for not finding an award that best fits the colleagues, mentors, or institutional achievements who inspire you.

An award I feel is especially important is one that celebrates and highlights our students’ achievements in the classroom and in the field of campus recreation: the William N. Wasson Student Leadership & Academics Award. This distinction honors those students who not only achieve high marks in the classroom but also touts your institution’s campus recreation program and lights the way for other students to participate and lead within their respective departments. What a phenomenal chance to recognize your students and show how their efforts make immediate and lasting impacts in your programs. Students are at the heart of our offices, and their work cannot go unnoticed! I hope you take the opportunity to nominate and recognize valuable work and contributions to campus recreation. At the very least, send them a note, email, card…WHATEVER YOU WANT…to let them know that what they do means something to you and the people and institution they serve.

The student take

It is October and you know what that means! It’s NIRSA awards season! Oh, did you say it was spooky season? Well, that too.

NIRSA members, whether students or professionals, bring tremendous value to the field of collegiate recreation. That’s why we strive to recognize the work of our colleagues. As students there is one key award we can be recognized for: The William N. Wasson Student Leadership & Academic Award.

Dr. William N. Wasson is NIRSA’s founder. The Wasson Award recognizes top students, both graduate and undergraduate, in collegiate recreation who participate in or are employed by their university’s Department of Recreational Sports. Students can be nominated for this award, or they can apply for it. To see more information about eligibility requirements and the award timeline, check out the William N. Wasson Student Leadership & Academic Awards page on the NIRSA website!

Other awards students can apply for include scholarships. With the 2026 NIRSA Conference coming up, both students and professionals can apply for a scholarship. The application is open until Saturday, November 15. Recipients will be notified of their status by February 11, 2026. Within the scholarship application for students, there are multiple scholarships you may be eligible for.

Here’s a list of the scholarships available:

• General registration scholarships are available to any campus recreation student
• Scholarships and travel stipends for LGBTQ+ students
• Small program scholarships and travel stipends for students attending a “Small Program” college or university

There are also 20 scholarship opportunities for students and professionals in campus recreation to attend the 2026 Emerging Recreational Sports Leaders Conference. With educational programming, opportunities for mentorship, and a platform for career networking, this unique conference—happening February 19-21 in Dallas, TX—empowers young minority students with the skills and knowledge that lay the foundation to building meaningful careers in the field of collegiate recreation. The ERSL Conference encourages diversity in our association to better reflect the populations and demographics that NIRSA members serve.

Want to apply for a registration scholarship for either event? You should! You can find the link for the scholarship application on the NIRSA Foundation Scholarship page on the NIRSA website.

Additionally, you can nominate professional staff in your department for the NIRSA Horace Moody Award, which recognizes professional staff who have made contributions to student development through their encouragement, support, and performance.  If you think your supervisor or a professional staff member in your department deserves this award, you can submit your nomination on the Horace Moody Award page on the NIRSA website. Up to two individuals from each NIRSA region can receive this award each year.

Although it may be spooky to submit a scholarship application or an award nomination, I promise the effort is well worth it. You deserve to be recognized through scholarships and awards, and the benefits of receiving them are tenfold. Receiving a scholarship or an industry award can be résumé fuel. It’s something you can talk about in future job interviews or experiences. We want to celebrate you and others’ outstanding efforts and contributions in collegiate recreation. Help us do this by applying for scholarships or nominating others for awards!

As always, if you have any questions about this month’s note, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.