NIRSA – and the entire field of collegiate recreation – are powered by the passion, drive, and dedication of truly exceptional individuals and institutions. Each year, NIRSA is proud to honor some of the most outstanding members through a variety of awards. Many of the 2026 award recipients were announced prior to the 2026 NIRSA + IDEA World Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
However, some of the recipients were named for the first time at the conference, and we’re now excited to introduce this newest group of honorees.
NIRSA proudly congratulates the recipients of the following awards:
Juliette Moore People of Color Distinguished Leadership Award
The Juliette Moore Distinguished Leadership Award honors individuals embodying the hard work and dedication required to build and sustain a diverse and inclusive community. Through their actions and example, these leaders set a standard of excellence to aspire to. This award was presented during the 2026 Founders People of Color Social on April 8.
D.J. Preston, Radford University
Regional Awards of Merit
The NIRSA Regional Awards of Merit recognize an outstanding professional from each NIRSA region who demonstrates exceptional performance and dedication to NIRSA and the field of collegiate recreation. These awards were presented during the regional meetups held on April 9.
Region I
Max Miller, Swarthmore College
Region II
Chris Wise, Virginia Tech
Region III
Mark A. Williams, University of Notre Dame
Region IV
Kenneth Morton, Stephen F Austin State University
Region V
Christopher Suriano, University of North Dakota
Region VI
Leah Hall Dorothy, Oregon State University
Canadian Region
Tanya Angus, University of Manitoba
Once again, congratulations to all this year’s NIRSA award recipients, who are true leaders in collegiate recreation! The full list of 2026 award recipients will soon be available on NIRSA’s website.
