By Chris Muller
The NIRSA Annual Conference is the only place where more than 2,000 students and colleagues from collegiate recreation gather expressly to advance the profession; it is also the only time most members from across all six NIRSA regions get to gather face-to-face with their colleagues from across North America.
Yet, the NIRSA Foundation recognizes that funding travel costs—no matter how great the pay-off—can pose a significant challenge.
It is to this end that the NIRSA Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with NIRSA associate member Star Trac, offering NIRSA professional members the opportunity to attend the 2014 NIRSA Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expo, held April 23-26 in Nashville, Tennessee. This new Travel Assistance Stipend will allow six professional members the opportunity to advance their careers in the field of collegiate recreation by gaining valuable knowledge and networking with other professionals in the field— without having to shoulder the full cost of travel and lodging.
Appy by November 17 for your chance to get your NIRSA 2014 travel and lodging costs covered.
It makes sense that Star Trac, as a diamond-level corporate partner, has made a substantial commitment to supporting the work of collegiate recreation professionals because both Star Trac and NIRSA hold the development of healthy people as a core value and feel “it is important to invest in the future of fitness, as those habits are formed or solidified at the college and university level,” says John Brey, Star Trac’s Education Marketing Manager.
However, Star Trac’s gift to the NIRSA Foundation to fund the travel stipends goes above and beyond their partnership obligations with NIRSA: “We didn’t want the dollars that it takes to get to conference and associated hotel costs to become the reason why someone couldn’t get there,” John explains. “Star Trac felt that the education and networking opportunities that exist at the NIRSA Annual Conference are extremely valuable to the development of the professional. [Therefore,] we felt the desire to aid those people who couldn’t otherwise afford to make it far outweighed not providing the travel assistance.” Travel stipends will be awarded based on need to one NIRSA professional member from each of NIRSA’s six regions. The stipend is specifically designed to cover the travel expenses, up to $1,000, associated with attending the 2014 NIRSA Annual Conference. Monies can be applied to airfare, mileage, and hotel costs.
Stipend information, including the application, eligibility, and submission guidelines, can be found on the NIRSA website. The application deadline is Sunday, November 17. Applicants will be notified if they have been awarded one of the NIRSA Foundation travel stipends no later than Friday, January 6, well in advance of the March 12 early bird registration deadline.
