Endowments & Funds
Regional Endowments
Celebrate the culture of your region! The NIRSA Foundation provides avenues of scholarship based on established NIRSA Regions.
The Region I Endowment was developed by members of the region in 2012 to provide registration scholarships for undergraduate and graduate NIRSA student members from Region I to attend
The Philly City Six Endowment, established in 2014, provides registration scholarships to NIRSA professional members from a Philly City 6 institution to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference. The Philly City 6 institutions are Drexel University, LaSalle University, University of Pennsylvania, St. Joseph’s University, Temple University, and Villanova University. When the endowment is able to support an additional scholarship, it will go toward a student member from one of the Philly City 6 institutions.
The Region II Excellence Endowment was established in 2018 to provide registration scholarships for NIRSA student and/or professional members from Region II to attend the Region II Conference. This endowment ensures the long-term legacy of the Region II Conference and allows for fundraising at the Region II Conference to support the same event.
The Fletcher/Leonida/Region II Endowment creates an enduring legacy for two of our NIRSA colleagues and friends, Mark E. Fletcher and Mark M. (Leo) Leonida. Endowed in 2011, it awards registration scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference to NIRSA student members who attend a Virginia college or university with a secondary priority to student members in NIRSA Region II.
The Region III Endowment was developed in 2014 to provide registration scholarships for NIRSA members of Region III to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference. Currently, it covers scholarships for Region III student members.
2018 to provide educational opportunities for Illinois students and/or professionals to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference. Scholarships awarded from this endowment pay for the NIRSA Annual Conference registration fee. The first two scholarships awarded from this endowment are for two, full-time students at an Illinois school; when the endowment is able to sustain a third scholarship, it will go toward a professional at an Illinois school.
The Region IV Endowment was established in 2014 and provides registration scholarships for NIRSA student and professional members from Region IV to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference.
The NIRSA Foundation Salado Consortium Endowment was endowed in 2006 by directors from Texas universities to support student and professional development. Funds provide registration scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference for NIRSA student members attending and professional members employed at a Texas school of higher education. The professional scholarship from this endowment is named in honor of Steve Kintigh, former Campus Recreation Director at Texas Christian University and Region IV Award of Merit recipient.
The Region V Endowment awarded its first scholarship in 2010. The endowment provides registration scholarships for NIRSA student and professional members from Region V to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference.
The first NIRSA Foundation endowment, the Region VI SoCal Endowment was developed in 1997 and updated to the Region VI Endowment in 2013. The Region VI Endowment provides registration scholarships to NIRSA student members from Region VI to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference and for NIRSA professional members from Region VI to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference or one of NIRSA’s specialty institutes or schools.
Named Endowments
This endowment supports numerous scholarship opportunities, including dedicated scholarships for individuals at small program schools, scholarships established from NIRSA Student Leadership Team fundraising efforts, and NIRSA Foundation General Scholarships. Heritage scholarships awarded from this endowment honor some legends of the profession, including Barbara Brimi, Tony Clements, Mark E. Fletcher, Jeff Vessely, Steve Young, and Juliette Moore.
Established by Laurie Braden in 2011 to honor her father, who dedicated his life to social justice and equality, the Frederick R. Braden Scholarship for Social Justice in Collegiate Recreation Endowment provides registration scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference for student and professional members who are LGBTQI and/or identify as allies. Recipients are selected because they actively work to provide an environment of inclusion and safety for LGBTQI community members in campus recreation.
n 2005, Christopher Chivetta established the Anthony (Tony) J. Chivetta Endowment in honor of the works and passions of his father, Tony Chivetta. As a distinguished architect for over 45 years, he completed some of the nation’s most unique and creative recreation, fitness, and wellness centers on collegiate campuses. The Anthony (Tony) J. Chivetta Endowment provides registration scholarships to NIRSA professional members to attend the NIRSA Recreation Facilities Institute.
The Jennifer R. de-Vries Endowment was endowed in 2013 to create an enduring legacy for a friend, NIRSA colleague, and mentor, who’s love of play and commitment to recreation was evident to all. Jen’s greatest gift was to create learning environments for NIRSA students and professionals to grow. This endowment provides registration scholarships for student members to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference and for professional members to attend the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation, and it allows the NIRSA Foundation to continue what Jen always did: help others reach their potential and bring their dreams to life.
Mike Dunn passionately believed in developing students, and he dedicated his life to helping students grow and learn both personally and professionally. J. Michael Dunn Endowment is a fitting tribute to Mike’s passion and was established in 2011. Its primary mission was to ensure students could learn and develop personally and professionally through their participation in the J. Michael Dunn Student Professional Development Workshop. Through generous donations made in Mike’s memory by those who loved and respected him, professional scholarships are now also awarded for pre-conference workshops at NIRSA Annual Conference.
NIRSA began in 1950 as the National Intramural Association when founder Dr. William Wasson convened a meeting of 20 men and women from 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) at Dillard University in New Orleans. NIRSA proudly recognizes its founders, whose shared vision of the importance and benefits of recreation for all has led to the Association we know today. The Founders Endowment, endowed in 2006, honors their legacy by providing professional and student scholarships for NIRSA members from HBCUs to attend NIRSA professional development events.
The Sonia and Max Gartenberg Endowment was developed in 2003 to create an enduring legacy for the parents of long-term NIRSA member Mitch Gartenberg. Mitch learned the value of hard work and commitment with a charitable spirit through the teachings of his parents, which inspired him to create this endowment in their honor. The endowment was established to give priority to supporting student members from HBCUs to attend the NIRSA Annual Conference. If no candidate is available from an HBCU, then the scholarship is made available to another deserving student.
The Will Holsberry Endowment was developed in 1997 in recognition of Will Holsberry’s 24 years of service to NIRSA. Will served as the third Executive Director of NIRSA, and the Association experienced tremendous growth under his direction. Will’s vision, dedication, persistence, and especially his commitment to NIRSA are the elements that made him such an outstanding advocate on educating professionals within collegiate recreation. The Will Holsberry Endowment provides registration scholarships to NIRSA professional members to attend NIRSA schools or institutes. The Bill Thompson Scholarship was established from this endowment in 2012 to advance the development of NIRSA professionals through registration scholarships to NIRSA schools or institutes.
The Presidents Endowment, established in 2005, is Board-restricted and provides specialized funding for creative or innovative initiatives through the NIRSA Foundation that would not normally be funded by operational funds. Currently, it provides the President’s Award for the Article of Distinction, which recognizes contributing authors to the Recreational Sports Journal, which is produced by the NIRSA Foundation, for their excellence in writing through important scholarly contributions in the field of collegiate recreation.
Established in 2002 in honor of Dr. William Wasson, founder and first President of the National Intramural Association (now NIRSA) and Honor Award Recipient, the William Wasson Endowment provides registration scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference for the two students with the highest grade point averages in the cumulative scoring process by the scholarship selection committee.
Juliette Moore Endowment
Funds
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Please contact NIRSA Director of Philanthropy, Becky Sowers