By Sierra Smith

There are many things that make the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation a member-favorite event, but perhaps chief among them are the faculty members dedicated to making The School so beneficial.

In addition to leading sessions that allow participants to practice, discuss, and refine their skills for success, faculty members also design the program schedule and create the event’s curriculum.

At the most recent Board of Directors meeting, the appointment of two new faculty members was approved. While being on The School’s faculty is no small commitment, NIRSA is lucky to have many qualified applicants, eager to contribute their time and talent to guiding fellow NIRSA professionals. The NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation is excited to announce Christie Stewart, Associate Director for Healthy Lifestyle Programs at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Jill Sturts, PhD, Visiting Lecturer for the Department Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University, were appointed for the 2015-2017 term.

Faculty and attendees of the 2013 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation

Christie has extensive experience in health, wellness, and professional staff development. Her experiences surrounding healthy lifestyle programs will provide the faculty with an expert in the wellness component of recreation.  She has extensive experience in developing annual budgets; determining area goals, objectives, and learning outcomes; and devising strategies for program implementation and assessment. Christie’s health and wellness experiences will bring another level of leadership to the faculty.

Along with excellent qualifications, The School also looks to bring together a faculty with a diversity of experiences. Jill brings a thorough understanding of “connecting the research with practical” within a campus recreation environment. Additionally, her expertise in pedagogy and curriculum development will be a great asset to ensuring The School continues to engage and challenge participants in the most immediate and relevant ways. Jill says she is fully committed “to advancing the field and body of knowledge” of collegiate recreation, which is, of course, one of the things The School is all about.

Jill and Christie will be in attendance when the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation convenes in Baltimore this June, observing current faculty members and the event structure. Once the 2014 School is complete, they’ll jump right into action preparing for the next event.

Congratulations to Christie and Jill! And congratulations to all of the members who have already reserved their spot at the 2014 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation; if you haven’t gotten yours, be sure to hurry—this event is almost full!