Behind every all star in campus recreation, you’ll find mentors, supporters, teams, and individuals who have a knack for spotting talent and a penchant for elevating it. University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Assistant Director of Operations and Student Development, Elizabeth “Liz” Seal, has grown into a campus recreation all star through the support and encouragement of such a network. Liz got her start in campus recreation while pursuing a bachelor’s in public health at The Ohio State University.
But her career trajectory wasn’t as straight or direct as you might think. Her first taste of campus recreation employment came when she applied to be a facility assistant at The Ohio State University’s campus recreation center the summer after her second year as an undergraduate student. She initially thought it would be a stopgap position: “After working the summer, I had every intention of quitting. However, when I walked into my supervisor’s office to tell him, he offered me a promotion to be a building manager instead,” recalls Liz.
Liz credits two NIRSA members—and campus recreation all stars in their own right—Kelly Shorter, Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations at Pennsylvania State University, and Nathan Wolf, Operations & Events Manager at San Diego State University, with contributing to her early career successes. “I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for Kelly and Nate. They both fully supported me in my ambition and provided me with autonomy to introduce so many new student development initiatives at The Ohio State University,” she says.
Liz continued her education at The Ohio State University, earning a master’s in higher education and student affairs while growing her career skills through a graduate assistantship. Along the way, mentors continued to contribute to her development and career growth. Matthew Altendorf, Manager of Strategy & Organizational Effectiveness at The Ohio State University, supervised Liz during her graduate assistantship and supported Liz “through challenging life events and in a time where I was figuring out my professional and personal identities.” Dexter Shorter, Ed.D., formerly the Coordinator of Competitive Sports at The Ohio State University and now Associate Director of Campus Recreation for Programs at Pennsylvania State University-University Park, also played a pivotal role in her ascent. “Dexter has been there for me in every transitional period of my career. Usually, mentors are only a part of a ‘season’ in our lives, but Dexter is always calling me after a new change to check in on my wellbeing,” she says.
Before moving into her current role at UMKC, Liz took up her first professional role as the Student Development Coordinator at Iowa State University. Peers have commented on the work Liz completed at Iowa State and told her how successful it has been. And, again, Liz credits her mentors for facilitating her success: “I would not have been able to accomplish any of those successes without Jason setting the scene and supporting me through roadblocks,” she says. Jason Vlastaras, Associate Director of Student Success at Iowa State University, supported Liz “unconditionally” she says. “His mentorship taught me a lot about professional identity and how to navigate success.”
In her current role at UMKC, her day-to-day job responsibilities include facility staff supervision and overseeing building and aquatic center operations. “In addition to these tasks, I also manage ongoing projects such as guiding the department’s student development initiatives. I also supervise an Operations Coordinator, Senior Coordinator for Aquatics and Safety, and Membership and Operations Graduate Assistant and assist with those areas as needed,” she says. She enjoys the opportunities to be creative and collaborate closely with colleagues that go hand-in-hand with working on a smaller team.
“At UMKC, our program areas collaborate regularly. A great example of that is the Best Roo Wellness Challenge. And the best reward [from that collaboration] is seeing the campus and city community committing to improving their physical and mental health,” she says.
Networking with NIRSA
“One of the best things about our field and association is that there is a network of people who understand the skill sets, accomplishments, and opportunities of one another,” says Liz, who is committed to continuously growing her skills and learning new concepts. “I know that there is always going to be a ‘next thing’ for me, whether that be moving across the country for a new position or serving the Association in new ways,” she says.
Liz currently serves the Association as a Co-Chair of the NIRSA Student Development Task Force and as a Co-Chair of the Region IV Student Development Committee. She has previously served on the NIRSA Assembly, the Service Award Committee, the Scholarship Review Committee, and the Region III Student Lead On Planning Committee. When asked why she volunteers for NIRSA, she responds, “Serving the Association is one of the most rewarding parts of working in recreation. This is often the time of day I am most creative, having time to brainstorm and workshop ideas with other professionals. The networking is also incredible. I could probably name someone from every state of the country with whom I have a close relationship which all stemmed from serving on NIRSA teams.”
While Liz keeps plenty busy with her work and volunteer responsibilities, she is sure to set aside time to recreate. Her favorite activity is to practice and teach yoga: “The practice brings so much mental ease and clarity that I often am needing as a very high-strung person.” She also enjoys strength training in a group fitness format.
NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation is very fortunate to count Liz Seal as a dedicated member and volunteer leader. She truly is a campus recreation all star!
