Wellbeing is all the buzz in higher education right now and it seems everyone is striving to be part of it. But what does wellbeing actually mean? How does it show up in the work of campus recreation? How does recreation’s work impact campus wellbeing? Whether you’re a director or a coordinator, whether you’ve been in the field for decades or are just starting your recreation career, whether your department has long been a part of campus wellbeing efforts or you’re just starting out, there is so much to learn in this dynamic and ever-evolving area. Recreation for Wellbeing guides participants through understanding the foundations of wellbeing, why wellbeing is critical to and inherent in all areas of campus recreation, how to understand the landscape of wellbeing on your campus, and how to advocate for wellbeing on and beyond your campus. As a result of participating in the Recreation for Wellbeing course, participants will be able to advocate recreation’s impact on wellbeing for the campus community, and they will leave the course with an action plan in mind so they can immediately put their learnings into practice and further foster wellbeing within their department and campus. Join for 8 weeks of study, dialogue, critical examination, and growth; we’re always stronger when we move forward together.

This publication highlights the University of Richmond's UR Well initiative. Using both campus-specific data and national data to foster campus-wide change, the University of Richmond has been dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of wellbeing.

NIRSA members are cordially invited to login and join Association leaders for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Members. The agenda includes reports on NIRSA’s financial and program results for 2022 as well as a look ahead at 2023. Leaders from the NIRSA Board, NSC Board, NIRSA Foundation Board as well as the Member Network, Assembly, and NIRSA Executive Director will share accomplishments from 2022 and priorities for 2023 that advance NIRSA’s strategic plan and deliver value to members. In addition to updates on the strategic work of NIRSA, we’ll also cover financial information—including the financial results of 2022—for all three entities. There will also be a 15 minute Q&A in order to respond to those questions posed during the live session. The Annual Meeting of Members is free and only current NIRSA members are eligible to register.

Leaders from the NIRSA Board, NSC Board, NIRSA Foundation Board as well as the Member Network, Assembly and NIRSA Headquarters will shared accomplishments from 2021 and priorities for 2022 that advance NIRSA’s strategic plan and deliver value to members. The financial results of 2021 are also presented.

This publication highlights Rowan University’s “Rowan Thrive Well-Being initiative.” Several years ago, campus recreation founded the Rowan Thrive initiative, which created a diverse committee to develop a holistic framework to support university wellbeing. The initiative has strategically been woven into many aspects of the campus to support student and employee wellbeing. This publication describes their unique approach to this work.

On the 90s sitcom Home Improvement, Tim “The Toolman” Taylor may have been a handyman on his show, Tool Time, but he still needed to spend time sharpening his tools. Likewise, student staff managers must keep their tools sharp to be effective educators and supervisors. This interactive presentation will offer time for self-evaluation, a chance to learn about the benefits of student development, and resources to sharpen or supplement your supervisor ‘toolbox’. Attendees will leave the session with the tools to take their management style from transactional to transformational.

Health coaching has been proven to play a pivotal role in producing long-term lifestyle change, and it can also be a powerful catalyst for cultivating a culture of wellness that differentiates your campus recreation department. In this session, explore the essential ingredients for creating a well-defined integrated wellness focus for your university and examine specifically how health and wellness coaching can successfully engage students and allow for collaboration with other departments and community partners.

The profession-based learning model provides students with opportunities to apply the learning that occurs in the classroom to projects and experiences that typically occur within the professional environments of their future employment (Mottet et al., 2017). In this presentation, the audience will gain an understanding of the current student population and what motivations could impact students deciding on a major/career.

Traditional campus rec marketing, programming, and engagement have reached their limits because we have traditionally focused on filling spaces (programs, rentals) & negotiating access (time, location, cost) rather than helping students feel like they belong in our programs and spaces. This leads to a silo approach to programming, marketing & engagement, staff development and revenue generation, which in turn leads to wasted resources, wasted time, and an untapped potential of new, sustainable participant flow. By focusing on BELONGING - where participants feel invited, welcomed, and included, campus recreation can have stronger recruitment and retention of participants leading to healthier, more active, and engaged students. Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzz words; they are essential in helping to create a healthier community for ALL.

Explore tactics or strategies needed to assist in navigating obstacles or challenges that often impedes the development and professional growth opportunities of Black women on campus.