Congratulations! Fellow NIRSA Students, we did it! We made it through another semester of long days and long nights, trying to achieve success and find balance in our academic, personal, and professional lives. Amidst the celebration, summer is a time of new experiences—whether that’s due to graduation, summer internships, preparing to start a graduate assistantship, or onboarding your first professional job.
Graham Greene said, “A story has no beginning or end: arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back from or from which to look ahead.” As your life may be beginning to change, remember that doors never truly close. We have the ability to make choices—such as maintaining communication with our friends and taking time to reflect on our memories.
Like many of you, the 2019-2020 Student Leadership Team is preparing to move through the transition process. We believe that the students are the future of collegiate recreation and hold the power to create a movement for positive change on your campuses and within NIRSA. As said so elegantly by Andy Lemons at NIRSA 2019: “Build bridges of love, not walls of hate.” And it is only through YOU and your voices that we will be able to achieve this. We are eager to begin connecting with you to hear where you would like to see NIRSA Students go this year. Please do not hesitate to contact any of us with any questions, concerns, or other feedback.
Michael attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro as an undergrad and now attends Rowan University as the Sport Clubs and Student Development Graduate Assistant. Michael loves watching and playing sports. His favorites include wrestling, football, and basketball. When asked what he is most excited for in serving as a student leader, Michael said the opportunity to connect with students and leave his mark on NIRSA.
Juliana attended Kennesaw State University before becoming the Graduate Assistant for Competitive Sports at the University of Alabama. Juliana is originally from Marietta, Georgia. She is an avid snapchatter, bargain shopper, and explorer of new places. Her favorite quote is from the philosopher Will Durant: “Don’t stop until you are proud. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” She is passionate about NIRSA and hopes to be able to share that.
Bailey started out in undergrad at the University of Oregon and now attends Central Michigan University as the Competitive Sports Graduate Assistant. When asked what his favorite quote is, Bailey said “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” He loves to get outside and be active with his friends. As a student leader, Bailey looks forward to the opportunity to work with students across the Association and emphasize the importance of mental health in our field.
Katie attended Missouri State University during undergrad before moving to serve as a Graduate Assistant for Intramural Sports at the University of Arkansas. When asked who her hero is, she said that all four of her siblings are her heroes and that she cannot imagine her life without any of them. Katie loves working with students; she says it is easily the part of her job that brings her the most joy. She says she’s excited to further that in her work with the Student Leadership Team.
Nick attended the University of Iowa as an undergrad before becoming the Graduate Assistant for Facilities and Aquatics at Drake University. Nick grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota in a place called Eden Prairie, living just two miles away from Prince. Nick likes to explore new places and try new foods, but humbly does not consider himself a foodie. He looks forward to being able to share all the opportunities NIRSA has to offer and helping students get connected with their passions.
Zachary attended York College of Pennsylvania for his undergrad before moving to the great state of Nevada to attend the University of Nevada – Las Vegas as a Graduate Assistant for Intramural Sports and Sport Clubs. When asked who his hero is, Zach says his grandparents who moved to the United States from Cuba and worked hard to build a successful and happy life for his family. In his free time, Zach enjoys relaxing scenic drives through his new home of Las Vegas on his Harley. He is excited to meet and work with the amazing students of NIRSA.
Judith attends York University where she works as an Intramural Student Assistant with a focus on Programs and Officials Development. She would say that her parents are her heroes because they’ve supported and encouraged her throughout her development and have had an impact on their community. These are traits that Judith hopes she can exemplify in her work as a student leader. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports, rollerblading, and attending concerts. She is excited for the network that NIRSA has and cannot wait to get to know as many students as possible and share stories of their unique experiences.
Past President’s Representative: Tom Kirch
Our SLT is advised by Tom Kirch. Tom is a NIRSA Past President and the former Director of Campus Recreation at Oregon State University. Tom is vital in bringing a historical and strategic perspective to help advise the SLT.
NIRSA HQ Liaison: Sarah Leskovec
Sarah is our representative from NIRSA HQ. She works with the Member Network and specifically the SLT to help educate us on the specifics of NIRSA and guide us to success. Sarah is vital to the functioning of the SLT and, truthfully, we would not be able to function without her constant support.
Getting Connected
This association has had a lasting impact on all of us—and so it is our goal to ensure that we can help offer you similar opportunities to grow within your personal and professional lives.
Check out the Student Resources page on the NIRSA website for information about the Mentor Program, Awards, Scholarships, and other ways to get involved. The NIRSA Championship Series is another way to get involved with NIRSA through extramural tournaments. These are great ways to grow your network and skills. We encourage you to reach out to myself or your regional student leader and introduce yourself. Each of our email addresses are linked above and mine is linked here. We want nothing more than to embody the students of NIRSA and need your feedback to do so!
We are so glad to be a part of your NIRSA family and—as said by Will Trent—wishing you Peace, Love, NIRSA!
Cheyanne Clouse is currently Fitness Graduate Assistant at the University of Mississippi.
