2017 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation — Level II, presented by Life Fitness
May 21-25, 2017 • St. Paul, Minnesota
Registration for the 2017 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation is now FULL.
If you’d like to be placed on a waiting list, please your request to the NIRSA Education Department.
NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation Level II, presented by Life Fitness, is designed for professionals with five or more years of full-time experience.
Curricular offerings and the schedule are designed to offer an intensive program structured to provide participants with professionally challenging sessions to further develop their competencies. The interrelationship between course offerings is designed to provide a well-rounded approach to handling challenges in today’s collegiate recreation environment. Participants must attend all sessions to receive a certificate of completion.
NIRSA CEUs available at this event: 1.5
Please Note: This event requires participants to have at least 5 years of professional experience.
Please ensure you meet this requirement prior to submitting your registration.
Topic Areas
Overall Learning Objectives
The Faculty: Learn from the Pros
The Faculty of NIRSA’s School of Collegiate Recreation boasts decades of collective experience in managing campus recreation programs.
Click below to learn more about the 2017 faculty.
Each faculty member’s background and institutional affiliations offers a unique perspective on the profession’s challenges and trends.
Faculty members are selected by the current faculty chair, and approved by the NIRSA Board of Directors. In order to offer a dynamic mix of perspectives and experiences to the faculty, two faculty members are selected annually to serve three-year terms.
Serving on NIRSA faculty team is a great way to contribute to the association, network with members, and learn. To learn about the School and faculty roles and responsibilities, check out the Faculty Guide. Applications are accepted annually. Visit the Get Involved area to get application information.
Ali has also served on several committees, task forces and work teams including: Keystone Advisory Committee to build a co-curricular experience for Virginia Tech students, Co-convener for the director’s leadership circle to build community amongst the division of student affairs’ director cohort, member of the Task for for a Healthier Virginia Tech community. Some of her favorite achievements were serving as the race director for the 3.2 Run in Remembrance and launching the How of Happiness support group. She is a facilitator for Discovery Learning, Inc Change Style Indicator and for Gallup’s StrengthsQuest.
Originally from Mobile, Alabama, Ali earned her bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine at the University of Southern Mississippi. She has since spent the latter half of her life in Blacksburg, Virginia as a Hokie; she earned her master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology with the Human Nutrition Foods and Exercise Department at Virginia Tech. With VT Recreational Sports, Ali served as a graduate assistant, fitness coordinator, assistant director for fitness and wellness, associate director for programs and now the director.
She attended her first NIRSA national conference in 1998 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has been an engaged member of the association since then. She attended the NIRSA Level 1 school in 2003, and Level 2 in 2008. She is passionate about the development opportunity the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation provides to professionals in campus recreation which is why she is honored to be a member of the faculty team.
Yvette Kell, known as Vetty, is the Director Campus Recreation at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She began her career in collegiate recreation as an undergraduate intramural official at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She then did her graduate work at Sam Houston State University as an intramural graduate assistant, receiving her Master of Arts in kinesiology. Her first professional position was as the Coordinator of Fitness and Aquatics at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. From there she went on to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to serve as the Assistant Director of Facility Operations. She was later promoted to Director.
Yvette took a year off from her work in collegiate recreation in 2010 to pursue a lifelong dream to live abroad. She spent a year outside Seoul, South Korea teaching English to high school freshman and sophomores. She returned to the United States in 2011 to act as the Director of Campus Recreation at Morehead State University, and most recently moved to St. Louis, Missouri to serve as the Director of Campus Recreation for Centers, LLC at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Yvette has been a member of NIRSA since 1995, served on numerous committees, attended a number of conferences, been a part of extramural tournaments, and genuinely loves being a part of the NIRSaA community. She is very excited to be a part of the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation faculty!
Christie Stewart currently serves as a member of the Applied Physiology faculty in the School of Biological Sciences at Georgia Tech. She is the co-coordinator of the required health and wellness course and teaches within the program. Prior to moving into her faculty role at Georgia Tech, Christie was the Associate Director for Healthy Lifestyle Programs at the Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center, responsible for GIT FIT, intramurals, sport clubs, and outdoor recreation programs. She is passionate about infusing health and wellness into the campus community as well as providing student development opportunities within collegiate recreation to improve the profession.
Christie received a Bachelor of Science in movement science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Education in clinical exercise physiology from the University of Georgia. Most recently, she received her Doctorate in educational leadership from Mercer University.
Christie has been involved in NIRSA throughout her career, serving on the Fitness Institute Program and Fitness Committees. She has also presented at numerous state, regional, and national conferences. This is Christie’s third year as part of the NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation’s faculty.
Jill Sturts received her undergraduate degree in physical education and sports management from Baldwin-Wallace College—now known as Baldwin-Wallace University—and her master’s degree in sport administration from Bowling Green State University. Her first position following graduate school was at Ashland University in Ohio where she served as the Assistant Director of Programs. Jill then decided to go back to school to pursue a PhD with a concentration in recreational sports at Indiana University. In addition to her course load, she taught and conducted research as she worked towards her doctorate. She is currently a visiting lecturer in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. In addition to her course load, she taught and conducted research as she earned her doctorate. She served as visiting lecturer in the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. Jill is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Virginia Wesleyan College.
Jill has made multiple presentations at the state, regional, and national levels. She publishes regularly in areas of pedagogy, physical activity, and recreational sport, and is a member of the editorial board for the Recreational Sports Journal. She has been a recipient of NIRSA’s William N. Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award, an Indiana Recreational Sports Association scholarship, and an Ohio Recreational Sports Association scholarship. Jill is committed to student development, designing intentional learning environments, and connecting research to practice.
Chad has worked in collegiate recreation for the past 15 years. Chad has served in the Campus Recreation Departments at the University of Maryland, University of North Carolina Asheville, University of Central Florida, and presently serves as a Director of Sun Devil Fitness & Student Activities and Conference Services at Arizona State University.
In his current role, he provides leadership, management, and direction for all recreational facilities, inclusive programming, student staff development, and outdoor adventure programs at all Arizona State University Campuses and provides direct leadership for Sun Devil Fitness and Conference Services at the West Campus. Chad has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University, the University of Central Florida, and the University of North Carolina-Asheville. He earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Leisure Sport Management from Elon University, as well as an M.S. in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University.
Currently serves as Director of Campus Recreation at Elon University. Larry has fourteen years of professional experience in collegiate recreation, including seven years of classroom teaching experience at Towson University and the University of Vermont.
A NIRSA member since 1999, he has presented at several state, regional, and national conferences and has served on a variety of NIRSA committees. Larry is also a StrengthsQuest facilitator and has led more than 25 Strengths sessions over the last five years, including the 2016 J. Michael Dunn Student Professional Development Preconference Workshop.
Hotel Information
Embassy Suites St Paul Downtown
Rate
Two double beds non-smoking/one king bed non-smoking rates from $149.00 USD/night
The special room rate will be available until April 29 or until the group block is sold out, whichever comes first. To book, participants may book online or call the hotel and mention the NIRSA special rate.
NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation is an event that sells out quickly.
NIRSA recommends that participants register for the event prior to booking travel.
Area Airport
Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
Airport Phone: 612-726-5555
website
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Testimonials
What graduates from the 2014 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation Level II (2014) had to say about their School experience.
The School was a great experience- probably the best professional development training I have participated in as a full-time professional. There are so many beneficial takeaways that I want to apply in my facility, and the networking opportunities were truly priceless
Level II was a great way to interact with a small group of colleagues from across the country in a very intentional way. It’s not often that you get to spend that much time with other NIRSA people that you didn’t previously know – some great bonds form from that type of interaction. If you are ready to come and think and be engaged, Level II can provide that! It is definitely a “school” atmosphere and lots of learning is involved!
The School provided an opportunity to network with other professionals in a setting that cannot be matched by any other NIRSA event. Spending 5 days with the same 50 people allows for a deeper relationship to develop. The faculty were so helpful and inspirational and I hope to serve as a faculty one day.
Level II re-energized me. The school, the faculty, my team…everyone…reminded me of why I chose this profession and why I love it so much.
With over 15 years in campus recreation, I am relatively new to NIRSA (< 4 years). The opportunity to learn from knowledgeable faculty and colleagues was valuable experience. The content and context was very applicable and relevant to my current position and career direction: encompassing and broad from a department leadership perspective.
About NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation Events
The School of Collegiate Recreation is where campus rec pros acquire tools and connections they need to advance their careers. It’s offered as Level I and Level II tiers.
Those who have more experience in the field may attend, but must understand that the sessions are geared to their less-experienced colleagues.
Participants must attend all sessions to receive a certificate of completion. It is not required that you attend Level 1 to be eligible to attend Level II.
Need more information?
Questions about the 2017 NIRSA School of Collegiate Recreation can be directed to the NIRSA Professional Development Coordinator, John Raskauskas.
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