Hello peers! I know I have already spent some time talking about the Recreational Sports Journal (RSJ) in the President’s Notes Blog.

See related: Uncovering the wonders of the RSJ

But what can I say? I’m an RSJ fangirl and I am back to share some more exciting news from the association’s academic journal.

The big news of course is that the RSJ released a special edition issue last month! This edition has seven articles that cover a breadth of topics related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), such as adaptive recreation, weight stigma, belonging, and more. It’s worth noting, the drive to release a special DEIJ edition of the RSJ was a member-driven idea. I love that for us!

The RSJ’s editorial board is working to implement changes that help bring researchers and practitioners closer together. One example is the requirement of an “application to practice” section which supplements every article in this edition. That section is designed to guide practitioners on possible ways to apply the research findings to our daily work as campus recreation professionals and educators.

Another change you might notice if you’ve not been geeking out on the RSJ is that the editorial board is taking the RSJ to the world of social media. You can now follow the journal on two platforms with plans for expansion. Follow the RSJ on:

I hope you can pick one article from the special edition to review before the end of 2024. That is a polite challenge/invitation. For my part, I’ll be sure to reply if you want to ever reach out to me to chat about what we learned! What a wonderful way to end the year.

Your friendly neighborhood nerd,

EP

Associate Director of Administration at  | NIRSA Profile

Erin Patchett, PhD., is currently the Director, Administration & Assessment for Campus Recreation at Colorado State University and the President for the NIRSA Board of Directors; you can email her at erin.patchett@colostate.edu.