Leadership Notes

The happy marriage of leadership and involvement

By Diane Sylofski, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, National Student Representative

By becoming a NIRSA Member and by reading this article, you have already designated yourself a leader. Whatever your major, you have already been presented with the opportunity for professional development and a potential career path. But many great student employees of campus recreation never realize the leadership opportunity before them. What about these students stuck with tunnel vision in their academic major? By becoming more involved in NIRSA and recreation, you can lead these students out of the tunnel and towards opportunities in campus recreation.

Talk to professionals in the field, and you might find, as I have, an aerospace engineer directing intramurals, a philosopher developing outdoor programs, or a psychologist coordinating programs in fitness and wellness. If so many professionals have come from unrelated academic backgrounds, why do so many students feel limited?

It is our responsibility as student leaders to reach out to these “lost” students. Consider presenting at a club meeting, course seminar, staff meeting, state workshop, regional conference, or Student Lead On. Presenting not only builds your resume and network, but it aids in the development of your professional skills. Furthermore, you most likely will find that you will touch at least one student, who will learn and benefit from your presentation.

Though this “formal” dispersal of information about NIRSA and the field of recreation is essential, direct, casual contact is sometimes even more effective. Identify those students with great potential for a future in campus recreation and speak directly to them. As an English and Film major, I thought any mention of NIRSA was directed only at the fitness instructors pursuing Exercise Science-related fields. I didn’t even know what NIRSA was, to tell you the truth. We live in a world of acronyms. And no one explained to me what NIRSA is and how I could pursue a career in recreation.

All it takes to reach students is to get involved and seize the opportunity to educate them. If you suffer from a little stage fright, consider getting involved in a workshop or conference within your state or region. Fall is conference season, and program committees are always looking for student input for both regional conferences and Lead Ons. Helping to coordinate a quality conference will support the field of recreation by influencing your peers who have great potential. Contact your Regional Student Representative to see how you can be invited to the happy marriage of leadership and involvement.