Brian Kabel

What is your NIRSA “Why”? (What does NIRSA mean to you?)

NIRSA is why I am where I am today (both personally and professionally). It has opened doors for me, challenged me to do more and given me a career. I can remember sitting at my first Annual Conference, listening to Tony Clements emcee the Honor Award Banquet and knowing then that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The energy, passion and inspiration that I felt then, I still carry with me today.

The most important thing is the connections I have made through NIRSA. The individuals I have worked for along the way who still serve as mentors. The colleagues I have volunteered at tournaments with and still see a few times a year. The students that have worked for me and I still hear from. The examples and stories are endless and are still growing.

The opportunity to have a leadership role will deepen my impact to create connections between and among my colleagues. Getting involved in campus recreation completely changed my college experience. It gave me a sense of purpose. To now be on the other end of that, and hopefully have a similar impact on students, is the reason I go to work every day.

What are the current trends in collegiate recreation and higher education that you see impacting our work and the Association? How would you collaborate with the members in your region and the Member Network team to solve these issues?

The biggest trend and topic that I am seeing come up is Artificial Intelligence. It is slowly but surely beginning to enter into multiple aspects of everyday life – and we are no exception. Emails are being written differently, marketing is starting to look different and mundane job tasks are now being completed with the click of the button.</br />The other topic I frequently hear is how to engage with this current generation of students who have largely grown up influenced by social media and cell phone access. Attention spans seem shorter than ever, emails are rarely read and commitment is a forgotten concept. How can we adjust the way we operate to meet some of these challenges yet continue to provide the same level of recreational experience?</br />Working within the region and Member Network is an excellent place to face these (and any other) challenges that we are seeing on our campuses. During my time as state director, I have strongly benefited from the collaboration among those groups. Colleagues in Region 1 are always willing to pick up the phone and help. To continue to facilitate connections is one way to help combat some of the new challenges we are facing with a new generation of individuals on college campuses.

How has your experience in your state, region, and/or NIRSA prepared you to serve on the Member Network? What unique skills or talents would you bring to the Member Network?

I have been fortunate to gain a wide-range of experience that will set me up for success to serve on the Member Network. I have served on a state leadership team, currently serve as a state director and have volunteered on regional and national committees.

This has given me the opportunity to observe, listen and participate in many different initiatives. I have worked closely and learned from many colleagues across the country. This has helped me build a strong network that I can rely on for guidance in this endeavor.

Outside of NIRSA, community matters deeply to me. As President of the Little League in my neighborhood, and a leadership role in my neighborhood community counsel, I feel strongly about building strong communities. I would bring this strength to the Member Network.