Where are they now? Emily Abrams
Emily Abrams knows that collegiate recreation is “a great environment for growth, whether you’re a student or a full-time staff member.”
Where are they now? Kyle Urban
“NIRSA has become like a second family to me,” says Kyle Urban, Competitive Sports Coordinator at UCLA. “NIRSA is kind of a melting pot of a lot of things that are right in the world.”
Where are they now? RJ Canning
RJ Canning worked as a camp counselor during his summers off from high school, and it was actually one of his supervisors there who set him off on a path in collegiate recreation.
Congratulations to all the 2016 NIRSA Foundation Scholarship winners!
By Breeana Myatt
The NIRSA Foundation is committed to supporting the future of collegiate recreation. With this goal in mind, the Foundation funds scholarships and stipends that help ensure that all NIRSA members—regardless of personal income—are able to take advantage of the many NIRSA educational and professional development opportunities available each year. The Association would like […]
Where Are They Now? Yvette Kell
By Nazifa Islam
When Yvette Kell began working in collegiate recreation her freshman year at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, she’d already worked for the local park district in her home town, so the Intramural Physical Education (IMPE) building seemed like a logical place for her to look for an on-campus job. It was […]
Where Are They Now? Jeff Ryder
By Nazifa Islam
Jeff Ryder began working in collegiate recreation his freshman year at Rutgers University where his very first job as an undergraduate student was as an intramural floor hockey official. “I love hockey,” he says, “so I thought I would give it a try.” Fortunately, he ended up really enjoying his first season […]
Where Are They Now? John Washo
John Washo has been working in recreation centers since he was just 12 years old. He started out as a scorekeeper for men’s league games and an official for third grade soccer and basketball games at his community recreation facility. His work in recreation continued throughout high school—he worked just about every position at the […]
Where Are They Now? Mary Kate Sullivan
“I cannot imagine working in any other setting than on a college campus,” says Mary Kate Sullivan, Assistant Director of Intramural Sports at the University of Maryland and 2006 NIRSA Foundation scholarship recipient. “I thrive in the cyclical nature of the academic setting—every year you get the chance to do things better, to learn from […]
Where Are They Now? Justin Anderson
As a junior at Texas A&M University-Commerce, Justin Anderson was working towards a Music Education degree. He began picking up shifts at the Morris Recreation Center because it was “the one place flexible with a student teaching schedule.” As he swiped cards at the front desk, however, Justin couldn’t help noticing the recreation professionals around […]
Where Are They Now? Jeremy Battjes
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
“At one time,” Jeremy Battjes says, “I was set on becoming an elementary school teacher, with recreation and fitness being a fun thing […]