Applicants must meet all of the following criteria to be nominated:

• Work must originate from the collegiate recreation department. Consultants or agencies can be used for the work, but submissions must come from the school.
• Work must be produced, launched, or published within the two-year period, May 1, 2023 – April 30, 2025.
• A single project can be entered in only one category. Institutions may submit multiple entries in the same category if each represents a distinct project.

• Creativity & Innovation
• Alignment with Recreation Department Brand/Mission
• Execution and Professionalism
• Audience Engagement & Impact

• Standout creative work focuses on brand elements for recreation programs, facilities, or services. Focus on branding elements.
• Examples: Logo refresh, facility signage or maps inside the rec center, coordinated graphics for a campaign.

• Celebrates excellence in digital storytelling formats such as video, interactive web features, or short-form content highlighting the impact of recreation.
• Examples: Member spotlight videos, virtual facility tours, interactive wellness hubs.

• Highlights creative, on-campus experiential promotions or activations that drive participation or awareness in recreation.
• Examples: Pop-up group fitness classes in public spaces, tabling events.

• Recognizes comprehensive campaigns that use multiple channels (print, digital, social media, on-campus activations) to promote a recreation program, event, facility, or initiative.
• Examples: New facility opening campaign, semester-long fitness challenge promotions.

• Excellence in design and content for printed materials that promote recreation programs, services, or facilities.
• Examples: Brochures, seasonal program guides, posters, banners, or specialty print pieces.

• Outstanding use of social media to engage the campus community and promote recreation programs or initiatives.
• Examples: Instagram reels series for promotions, TikTok challenges, hashtag-based community building.

• Recognizes campaigns created primarily by student staff that reflect the student recreation experience.
• Examples: Student social media takeovers, peer-created highlight videos.

Entry fee for Institutional Members: $20 per entry

Entry fee for Institutional Nonmembers: $85 per entry

• You can pay for your entries online using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover credit cards. A link for payment can be found at the end of the application. Applications are not considered complete until payment is received.
• If you wish to pay with a credit card via telephone or by check, please contact NIRSA at 541-766-8211 after submitting your application.