By William J. Trent, Graduate Assistant for Marketing & Social Media at James Madison University
If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’ve made it to summer and another successful year is in the books.
Summer, for a lot of us, is a catalyst of change—whether that’s due to graduation, summer internships, landing a graduate assistantship, or onboarding at your first professional position.
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” –John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America
The Student Leadership Team is gearing up to make changes in personnel as the 2016–2017 onboarding process is well underway. This team has shown an inspirational amount of passion while setting our leadership and service goals for the coming year.
The SLT wants you to know that your voice is essential in the planning and development of tournaments, conferences, and other networking opportunities. We strongly encourage you to reach out to myself or your regional student leader with questions, concerns, and other feedback:
Region I: Pat Shank
Pat is currently the Graduate Assistant for Facilities & Management for West Chester University’s Campus Recreation Department. His recreation experience began at Temple University where he was an undergraduate student and building supervisor. His passion for sports shines through his loyalty to the Temple Owls, Villanova Wildcats, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Pat’s relentlessly hilarious sense of humor never fails to give us a good laugh.
Pat’s dedication to NIRSA is credited to “the fact that I love the culture and being around others with the same interests.”
Region II: Kelsey Jones
Kelsey is the Graduate Assistant for Competitive Sports at the University of Florida. Florida born and raised, she attended the University of Central Florida as an undergrad and eventually became a lead intramural sports supervisor. I’ve never seen Kelsey without a smile on her face, and her upbeat personality is infectious.
Kelsey is so impacted by her NIRSA experience because “I get the opportunity to develop and learn from everyone I come into contact with.”
Region III: Margie Wallington
Margie serves as the Graduate Assistant for Fitness & Wellness Programming at Ball State University. She attended Central Michigan University as an undergraduate student and quickly found her love for campus recreation. She’s currently the Region III Student Lead On Planning Committee Registration Chair and truly believes that Region III is the place to be! Her favorite sport is baseball and she’s all about the Detroit Tigers.
Margie’s call to NIRSA service is attributed to “all of the awesome people who I can learn from and also teach about campus recreation.”
Region IV: Megan Normansell
Megan is the Graduate Assistant for Intramural Sports at Texas A&M University. She completed her undergraduate career at Ohio University where she found her fit with rec sports as a program supervisor. She’s a testament to the value of a post-graduate internship thanks to her time as the Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs Intern at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The reason she most enjoys being a member of NIRSA is “the abiding feeling of a work family that is bigger than just me and my institution.”
Region V: Tiffany Wieser
Tiffany began her campus recreation experience in member services and facilities as an undergraduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She eventually landed an internship with the marketing department, which led to her current Graduate Assistantship for Marketing & Promotions at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She loves the mountains, all things chocolate, and listening to Eric Church.
Tiffany is committed to service with NIRSA because “I meet so many people just as passionate about recreation as I am.”
Region VI: Jordan Bishop
With Jordan, you only get three strikes! He found his love for recreation as a baseball/softball umpire at Washington State where he completed his undergraduate experience. He currently umpires at the collegiate level and is the Graduate Assistant for Shared Facilities at Washington State.
Jordan enjoys being a member of NIRSA because “play is work, work is play!”
Moving forward
Impetus, scientifically and grammatically, is defined as “the force that sets a body in motion” and “the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.” I’d like to encourage you, as student leaders on your campuses and in your regions, to continue serving as the impetus of positive change.
The SLT is here to provide you with inspiration and resources along the way. The NIRSA Mentor Program assists with pairing professionals and students who will grow and learn with one another. Pairs are provided inspiration such as articles, videos, and book suggestions to help facilitate productive and impactful conversation.
Want to have an impact on NIRSA’s involvement in your state or on your campus? Consider standing for a student representative position for your state or lead on your campus as an engagement coordinator. Additionally, there are countless opportunities to volunteer with the NIRSA Championship Series and the many tournaments it hosts.
So, as you go about your summer, I’d like to encourage you to be involved, stay active, and carry out your NIRSA membership to its fullest potential. We’re here to support you in hopes that as students we can be the impetus of change toward “A Strong Core, A Bright Future.”
“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.” –William Arthur Ward, author
