Foundation

Who Supports the NIRSA Foundation?

Suzi Smith, University of Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Chair, NIRSA Foundation

Have you ever noticed, in the NIRSA Recreational Sports Directory and on the NIRSA Foundation Web page, that there is a listing of the current donors who support the NIRSA Foundation? These donors can probably tell you what the NIRSA Foundation is and why they have donated some of their hard-earned dollars to support its programs. Would you consider adding your name to that donor list?

In case you're not entirely sure of everything the Foundation supports, there are scholarships for students to the Annual Conference to cover registration costs, professional scholarships for registration to the National School of Recreational Sports Management and selected symposia, support for the Career Opportunities Center to aid members in finding jobs and in locating students and professionals to fill graduate assistantships and full-time positions, and support for publication of the Recreational Sports Journal, a forum for recreational sports research and scholarly writings.

Following the 2005 Annual Conference, the Foundation Board of Directors had some exciting news to share. With six percent of the 2,119 registered members participating, your NIRSA Foundation raised over $25,600 through a combination of events and activities designed to support the mission of the Foundation. Can you imagine what could be done if ten percent or more of the membership participated in the "Be a Star" campaign at the Annual Conference, bought two more raffle tickets for the Quilt, or purchased one more T-shirt from the T-shirt Competition silent auction?

In addition, physical, not just fiscal, support of the Foundation continues to be a key to achieving its mission. Since the inception of the Foundation in 1992, many Very Important People have volunteered to sew a quilt, work an hour or two at the T-shirt Competition, or offer their time and expertise to the Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors.

Many individuals have provided their support to the NIRSA Foundation. These individuals continue to be resources, offering one more idea, hour, or dollar to ensure that your NIRSA Foundation is there for the members who follow. Are you involved? If so, then you are the answer to: Who Supports the NIRSA Foundation?