2015 Regional Award of Merit for Springfield College's David Hall
NIRSA professionals wear countless hats; to be successful they often become innovative, dedicated, pioneers in the field of collegiate recreational sports. Many of us know colleagues who have demonstrated an outstanding capacity for innovation, gone above and beyond in their dedicated volunteer service to the association, or have significantly contributed to the advancement of the profession in our states and regions.
The NIRSA Regional Awards of Merit recognize a professional from each NIRSA Region who demonstrates exceptional performance or dedication to NIRSA or the field of collegiate recreation on a statewide or regional basis.
Presented each year during the Annual Conference & Recreational Sports Expo, awards will be conferred on individuals who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to serving their NIRSA region.
Leadership of a pioneering nature in the formulation or development of regional/state activities.
- Significant contributions to the establishment, development or operation of a NIRSA endorsed regional or state conference, workshop or tournament.
- Significant contributions to the cultivation of individual or institutional NIRSA membership within the state or region.
- Extraordinary dedication or creativity exhibited as a member of a regional/state NIRSA committee.
- Significant contributions to NIRSA publications, media presentations or special projects conducted on a regional or state-wide basis.
- Significant contributions to the implementation of the Association’s affirmative action objectives, conducted on a regional or statewide basis.
By Dave Hall and Catherine Cramp and Kristal Fehring
In the spring of 2014, NIRSA and the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) launched a work team to study how the skills gained through participation and employment in cocurricular experiences helps to prepare students for their careers. The goal of the project was to identify ways that students are gaining skills that make them more desirable to employers by participating in campus recreation programs and by working in the field of collegiate recreation.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) produces an annual “Job Outlook Survey,” which asks employers to rank the skills they find most desirable when hiring college graduates. Many of the skills identified by NACE are developed through participation and employment in collegiate recreational programs. To many campus recreation professionals, this connection is intuitive—but data to support this conclusion are currently limited. The NIRSA/NACA working team sought to develop a comprehensive list of experiences that are common in many programs in campus recreation and campus activities and that could potentially lead to learning about where students could gain these desirable skills.
To aid in these conversations, the work team developed the white paper Considering the Impact of Participation and Employment of Students in Campus Activities and Collegiate Recreation on the Development of the Skills Employers Desire Most. This white paper seeks to change the narrative and drive the conversation with our college and university presidents and well as other stakeholders by clearly demonstrating the value of our programs as part of the educational experience.
Please consider contributing to the conversation about which programs and activities influence this learning by sharing your insight on the current list developed by the working group by completing this form. Also, to hear more about this important project and to share your insight, think about attending the session “Telling Our Story to Employers: Demonstrating the Impact of Cocurricular Experiences including Campus Recreation on Employment Ready Skills” at the upcoming 2015 NIRSA Annual Conference.
For more information, please contact the NIRSA work team representatives, David Hall of Springfield College and Catherine Cramp of the University of Florida, or NIRSA Director of Membership Kristal Fehring.
