NIRSA Pathways to Engagement and Leadership

Scott Flickinger currently serves as the Director for Campus Recreation at the State University of New York at Cortland. He began his journey in campus recreation as a student official at Ohio State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He has also earned his Master’s of Science in Sports Management from SUNY Cortland. Scott started his professional career at Bucknell University as an Intramural Sports intern. From there, he was a program coordinator at Ithaca College, assistant manager at Boston University, and the Robert D. Kennedy ‘54 Director of Intramurals Sports and Noyes Community Recreation Center at Cornell University. Scott is an active member of the SUNY Cortland campus community, serving on several committees during his two years at his position. 

He is currently participates in committees such the AIGen Ad Hoc Committee, the Sexual Orientation Gender Identity and Expression Committee, and Student Wellbeing Committee. At his previous position at Cornell, Scott served as a mentor for the Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar program and was a member of the Cornell Esports Planning Committee and the Mental Health Programmers Work Group. Scott has a long history of serving in NIRSA and as a member. Scott is currently serving as the President Elect on the NIRSA Board of Directors. Prior to his time on the Board, Scott served on the Member Network for three years (two as Region I Representative, one as Chair) and was the New York State Director. Scott worked in the NIRSA Championship Series on the Flag Football Work Team, as chair of the Brand Management Committee, and through the Executive Chair track, not to mention numerous director and volunteer positions for officials, brand management, and tournament experience at regional and national Championship Series Tournaments. Scott was the Chair of the Creative Excellence Awards Committee, and a member of the NIRSA Foundation National Scholarship and #RecChat Committees. Scott also served on the Region 1 DEI Committee. 

Scott is a contributing presenter in the NIRSA Learning: Virtual 101 Series - Officiating 101, and has presented at several state, regional, and national conferences. Scott has been honored with two NIRSA Service Awards, the Horace Moody Award, and rulebook dedication in the 2023-2024 NIRSA Flag & Touch Football Rules & Officials’ Manual.

Dr. April Flint, NBC-HWC, currently serves as the Senior Director for Recreation and Wellness at Emory University and as an Assistant Professor in the Sport Management program at Kennesaw State University. Her career began as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech. April holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, Master of Science in Sport Administration, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Education. April is also a Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Over the years, April’s professional journey includes roles such as Coordinator for Sport Clubs, Summer Camps & Special Event at Georgia Tech, and Director of Intramural Sports at Clemson University.

At Emory University, April has taken on numerous leadership roles, including Co-Chair of the Healthy Emory initiative, Chair of the Campus Life Senior Staff Convening Committee and Chair of the Athletics and Recreation University Senate Committee. Her work extends across campus as a member on the First-Year Curriculum Map Committee, displaying a commitment to embedding wellbeing and leadership into the student experience. April has also served as a Subject Matter Expert in development of a Student Leadership Philosophy Framework.

As a long-time member of NIRSA, April has held various regional and national leadership roles in the organization. This includes contributions as the Host Committee Chair for the NIRSA Region II Conference, Chair for the NIRSA Championship Series Assessment Work Team, Chair for the NIRSA Region II Student Development Work Team, Commissioner for The Registry for Collegiate Recreational Sports, Director of Officials for NIRSA National Basketball Championships, and as a Principal Investigator on NIRSA Large Research Grants. April also serves on the Editorial Board of the Recreational Sports Journal, ensuring research and best practices in recreation are shared widely across the profession.

April’s professional career is defined by a passion for learning and a dedication to leadership. Most recently, her work led to an opportunity to co-author a chapter titled, “Mentoring in Officiating” in the book, “Managing and developing sports officials: Officiating excellence.” Whether advocating for her team or in the classroom, April emphasizes empowering future leaders who will carry forward the vital role of recreation in higher education, ensuring they are well-prepared, adaptable, and ready to make a lasting impact.