Nyindu Kabangu, Jr.
Rowan University

Please provide a statement of your personal views on the role and contributions of collegiate recreation in higher education. In your response describe how collegiate recreation has influenced your development.

I believe that collegiate recreation has a very important role in higher education for both participants and employees. I think that there are opportunities for both student staff and participants to grow as people throughout their college experience. It also creates opportunities to create great lifelong connections. In my time in collegiate recreation I’ve been able to grow in my positions as an official, intramural sports supervisor, intramural sports program assistant, and graduate coordinator. I have learned that I am never done growing and I can learn anything from anyone, regardless of their age or position. I’ve also made friends and connections that I can maintain for life with both professional staff and fellow students.

Within the context of the NIRSA Strategic Plan, what area/item would you say is a major issue students face today? Please identify a student-driven issue that we are currently facing today and how you would like to address this during your term. How will you create solutions in your role on the Student Leadership Team to address it?

I think that a major issue that students face today is mental health. From my time as an undergraduate at UMass to my time as a graduate coordinator at Rowan, I have seen plenty of students deal with various mental health issues while not getting sufficient support to help deal with these issues. I would like to address this during my term by creating a space where students can talk about their concerns about life in general, their respective institutions, or really anything with people that they can trust. From the relationships I’ve made at Rowan, I can see that many students are willing to share their concerns with people that they trust, and when others hear those stories/experiences that they can relate to, they tend to feel more at ease and less alone.

In describing your contributions to NIRSA (i.e. presentations, volunteering, previous leadership roles, etc,), identify how your involvement and experiences meet the Regional Student Leader position criteria and qualify you to advocate for and serve the students of the Association?

I have been lucky to have many opportunities to contribute within NIRSA. Outside of my time as an official, supervisor, program assistant, and graduate coordinator, I’ve been able to contribute in NIRSA through various events. I was an official and volunteer at the 2018 UMass Regional Basketball Tournament, and I also was the director of the very same tournament in 2019. I was an official at the 2018 Maryland Regional Flag Football Tournament. During my time at Rowan, I have been on the Officials’ Committee for UMass’s first regional flag football tournament, and I am currently assisting in planning and directing a Garden State Basketball Officials’ Clinic at Rowan. Throughout all these opportunities, I have gained experience in student development (both as a student and a mentor), team leadership, and event planning.

As a Regional Student Leader within NIRSA, you have the opportunity to leave a lasting impact on the field of collegiate recreation. With a focus on Student Member Recruitment & Retention, and Student Development what skills, talents, and perspectives would you bring to the Student Leadership Team?

Some perspectives that I would bring to the Student Leadership Team is that empathy is the most important attribute as a part of a team and that we are all constantly growing as people and there is no limit to the amount of growing that we can do. My skills that I’d bring are that I am very personable, understanding, and not afraid to make mistakes. I want to hear everyone’s opinions and make everyone feel comfortable and like they are a part of a family.