October Rec Talk: Voices of Campus Rec

Nick D’Amato currently serves as the Director of Recreation and Club Sports at the University of Hartford. He received his Masters in Recreation & Sport Administration from Western Kentucky University where he served  as the Graduate Assistant for Intramural Sports, and his Bachelors in Sport Management from UMass Amherst. Prior to Hartford, he was the Senior Assistant Director for Sport Programs at UMass Amherst, Assistant Program Director for Intramurals at UConn and Coordinator for Intramural and Club Sports at Keene State College.

He has also served NIRSA in numerous capacities including at extramural tournaments, presenting at regional and national conferences and on the NIRSA Championship Series Social Justice Taskforce, for which he received the NIRSA Annual Service Award. Outside of work, he is an IAABO High School Basketball Official and enjoys golfing.

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.

Jasmine Holmes became part of #RetrieverNation in July 2025 as the Associate Athletic Director for Recreation & Physical Education. Through her progressive leadership experience across campus recreation and wellbeing programs, Holmes brings a powerful blend of strategic vision, inclusive programming, and vibrant energy to the Retriever community.

Holmes holds a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in Spanish from UNC Charlotte and a M.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from Georgia Southern University, where she began her career in collegiate recreation as a graduate assistant combining her love for sport and education to teach fitness courses and manage student involvement in club sports.

A proud advocate for access, equity, and empowerment through recreation, Holmes has risen through the ranks of recreation departments at Duke, Cornell, Central Michigan, and Syracuse University. She serves as a thoughtful leader who uplifts teams, streamlines operations, and builds sustainable programs from the ground up.

At UMBC, Holmes leads a talented team of full-time professionals and student staff across aquatics, fitness, club and intramural sports, and recreational facilities, while providing sport supervision for a designated NCAA Division I program. She also manages all aspects of the Retriever Summer Day Camp, ensuring it remains one of the region’s most engaging and enriching youth offerings.

Holmes’ influence extends far beyond the boundaries of a single campus. A recognized and dedicated leader within NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, she has served as President of the NIRSA Services Corporation Board and co-led the NIRSA Black Community Caucus. Her written and spoken contributions on social justice, volunteerism, and the evolving role of recreation professionals have been featured in national publications and at conferences across the country.