Rebecca Boyd
York University

What do you see as opportunities in collegiate recreation and our Association? How would you collaborate with the Member Network team to address these issues?

The collegiate recreation field has always been an incubator for bringing the passionate together with the active to creatively benefit all members of the community; following the emergence from the pandemic, this has never been truer. Our staff, students, and communities have been reminded and/or taught the value of participating in an activity in the way that is meaningful to them now and long term, and demanding the purposeful application of equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice to engage, review, and revise programs and programming to be even better.

The opportunities for collegiate recreation and by extension NIRSA are significant with the lived experiences of our communities may having changed dramatically, and the acceptance of the status quo environment in which planning and decisions are made no longer being accepted. Opportunities to engage student “where they live” – virtually, in less structured ways, at the level that is meaningful to them – and with an emphasis on participation at all levels of decision making, and with social connections, are exciting for professionals and our organization to pursue. Rather than consider that these types of opportunities may take away from traditional programming, collegiate recreation can expand offerings, reaching those who may have felt excluded previously by environment, programs, or culture. Identifying those communities and members that may have felt this way provides another opportunity – to engage and solicit the participation and advice of marginalized communities and seek to collaborate to do more, to do better.

As the post-secondary student body regains its footing following the pandemic and the reduced of opportunities during, another avenue opens for students: personal leadership development and a shift in the value placed on health and wellbeing through recreation participation as an integral part of their student life and beyond. As recreation professionals in Canada, we are passionate about providing opportunities for health, growth, and wellbeing. Together, we can continue to play a role in lifelong health and wellbeing as we navigate a different landscape.

In describing your contributions to NIRSA, identify how your involvement and experiences meet the position criteria and qualify you to serve NISRA in this role.

The position of Regional Representative is one of leadership, both a strategic value and competency of NIRSA, and one that has a long history of strength and success in Canada. While the scope of NIRSA activities and the Canadian region is vast, the shared vision of supporting student learning and “fostering lifelong habits of wellbeing” is what drives me to strive for more, for better. I am a people-first leader, striving to embed the purposefully use of equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice lenses in all activities and decisions and never “assume” the application. I applied this methodology when revising recreation advisory committees within my work units and departments, resulting in broader engagement and diversity of representation. This approach provided me opportunities to learn, lead, and be vulnerable – experiences and skills that enabled continued growth as a leader.

I have been privileged to contribute to many NIRSA activities – Canadian Region Leadership Team – Provincial Representative, Student Leadership Chair; NIRSA Assembly member and project lead; Championship Series member, Mentorship committee member, presenter at NIRSA conferences. Each project has resulted in advancement of the mission, increased engagement of students and members, and positive relationships with peers on both sides of the border. In looking for ways to engage a different segment of our student body, I accepted the role of a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Collegiate Esports League, an esports program focused on recreational opportunities for Canadian post-secondary students that may not have been previously involved with our departments. Meeting the students “where they live” is an approach I will use as the Canadian Region Representative.

These roles within the NIRSA organization, and others as Chair of non-collegiate sport and recreation provincial, national, and international committees and organizations has enabled me to develop excellent skills in group facilitation, advocacy, strategic planning and application, and communication, while providing opportunities for others to grow as leaders. My strong relationships with the current and potential Canadian Region NIRSA members enables me to continue the provision of this exceptional leadership.

As a member of the NIRSA Assembly and supporting NIRSA’s belief that “collegiate recreation is a significant and powerful key to inspiring wellness”, I proposed and led the development of the NIRSA Recreation for Life Framework for post-secondary recreation departments, bringing light to potential gaps in recreational service models. This project required creative thinking using peer-reviewed research and collaboration with industry experts and organizations, with the result being an evidence-based framework that serves as a tool to further support collegiate professionals and students and building on the community of knowledge.

By actively recruiting non-members, supporting student participation in conferences – virtual and face to face – and facilitating round tables during Covid to connect peers and students, I have worked to keep NIRSA and its activities as an important tool for Canada’s institutions, professionals, and emerging leaders, and would be honoured to transition to the role of supporting the Membership Network and Canadian collegiate communities.

Please share your ideas for engaging volunteers and identifying leaders in your region.

From 25 years of involvement in Canadian collegiate recreation and experience as an academic staff member in a college academic program, I have put the needs of the student body at the forefront of all strategies – their interests, their needs, their challenges, and their successes. Involvement in NIRSA activities (Canadian Leadership Team, NIRSA Mentor/member of committee revising program, NIRSA Assembly member/project lead, Championships Series committee member-contributing to the review of the series, webinar/round table moderator/presenter) and Canadian Region committees (CCEL Board of Directors) has enabled me to continue to recruit volunteers, and develop relationships with peers and students, supporting their growth as leaders using the NIRSA Competencies Framework. As an active member of international and national sport commissions, I successfully recruited volunteers to contribute their knowledge and insights to projects (initiated social media connections for athletes, inclusion rule development) to allow for a sense of belonging and for meaningful contributions, foundations for continued involvement by a volunteer.

As the Canadian Region Representative, I will embed NIRSA’s values in the activities of the Region to engage volunteers and identify leaders:

• Leadership – Expand the outstanding work of the current and prior Leadership Team and Representatives providing participation in professional development opportunities – learning and leading.
• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion – Work to bring awareness of NIRSA’s value to Canadian institutions of all sizes and locations within our vast region, expanding our region and connections with a specific focus on equity deserving communities.
• Global Perspective – Connect Canadian institutions of like size and focus within the region and the organization as a whole. Continue direct connections with both secondary and collegiate academic recreation and leisure studies units, sharing the value and opportunities of NIRSA.

I would be honoured to serve the current and emerging collegiate recreation professionals within the Canadian Region.