Hello Region V! 👋
Fall is officially here, and with it comes a semester full of opportunities to connect, learn, and celebrate all the amazing work happening across our campuses! From state workshops and leadership opportunities to upcoming conferences and scholarships, there’s something for everyone to get involved in this month.

In this issue, you’ll find updates on recent events, ways to share your campus stories, professional development opportunities, and exciting NIRSA programs designed to support you and your teams. Dive in and see how you can grow, contribute, and stay connected with our Region V community!

– Region V Leadership Team
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NIRSA Town Hall Reminder
Join NIRSA Board President Lashica Thomas and NIRSA Executive Director Pam Watts as they share NIRSA’s goals for 2026. This interactive session will also include time for member questions, feedback, and ideas.
This live web event is on 10/02/2025 at 9:00 AM (PDT)

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about NIRSA’s strategies to support members and advance the field of collegiate recreation.
👉 RSVP Here 
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Call for Hosts: 2026 NIRSA Region V Conference
We’re excited to announce that applications are now open to host the 2026 NIRSA Region V Conference! This is an incredible opportunity for your campus to showcase its facilities, programs, and community while playing a key role in shaping a memorable professional development experience for our region.

Hosting a Region V Conference offers your team the chance to:

  • Highlight your campus, facilities, and local community to colleagues from across the region.
  • Showcase your innovative recreation programming and creative approaches to student engagement.
  • Build strong connections with campus rec professionals and students throughout Region V.
  • Gain valuable leadership and event planning experience for your staff and student teams.

How to Apply
Submit your application using the link below by Friday, October 17, 2025: https://forms.office.com/r/Lpa0gR4UUR
The Region V Leadership Team will review applications based on the following criteria:

  1. Local Experience: Availability of nearby attractions and opportunities for engaging social programming, proximity to a major airport, and accessibility for long-distance travelers.
  2. Campus Facilities: Quality, condition, and capacity of recreation and conference facilities.
  3. Innovation: Strength of recreation programming and opportunities to showcase creative approaches to conference programming.
  4. Planning Capacity: Evidence of staff and institutional commitment to lead and deliver a successful conference.

Based on the applications received, Region V Leadership will either make a host selection or bring the top choices to a vote by the region.
We can’t wait to see which campus will help us create an unforgettable Region V Conference in 2026!
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Region V Rec Happenings: 
Share What’s Happening in Region V at your campus! We want to spotlight the amazing work happening across our Region V recreation departments! Whether it’s a new program, staff highlight, event, or student story, we’d love to hear from you. Submissions may be featured on Region V Instagram or the monthly blog.

Region V Rec Happenings: Share What’s Going On at Your Campus!
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CO/WY State Workshop Recap
A huge thank-you to our Wyoming colleagues for hosting an outstanding NIRSA CO/WY State Workshop! Our hosts shared how much fun it was to open their doors and showcase their facility and programs with friends and colleagues from across both states. We’re grateful to everyone who made the trip, contributed to the conversations, and helped create such a valuable experience—we can’t wait to gather again soon!

What participants had to say:
“Seeing colleagues from across Colorado and Wyoming is always such a treat—the CO/WY State Conference offered great networking, idea sharing, and even a fun road trip for some of us. I can’t wait for the next gathering!”
— Deana Main, Senior Coordinator of Aquatics, CU Boulder

“It was great to have the opportunity to connect with other leaders in collegiate recreation in CO/WY that we don’t get to see all of the time. The opportunity to chat with professionals located across the state in an in-person setting is so valuable to us continuing to grow as a state! Shout out to the great hosts for this event.”
— T.J. Hill, Assistant Director for Facilities & Aquatics, CSU
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Iowa State Workshop
📍 Location: Drake University
📅 Date: Wednesday, November 12
🔗 Registration Link
🔗 Presentation Proposal Link

Stay tuned for more details coming soon—we’re excited for another chance to connect, share, and grow together!
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Student Leader Application – Still looking for applications
We are still looking for applications for NIRSA Student State Leaders! Region V is looking for passionate student leaders to represent their state within NIRSA. This is a great opportunity for undergraduate or graduate students involved in campus recreation to build connections, develop leadership skills, and make an impact across the region. Great resume building opportunities as well!
👉 Apply here for NIRSA Student State Leader
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Notes from the Member Network
The September issue has been posted HERE!
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Help lead the association 
NIRSA is currently recruiting for leadership positions!  Are you interested in helping move the association forward?  Do you know someone who is a strong leader and wants to get more involved in NIRSA?  Take a few minutes to learn more about the NIRSA Member Network or the NIRSA Board of Directors and reach out to us with any questions.

NIRSA is recruiting for the following positions for the 2026-2027 leadership year:

  • Member Network Regional Representatives (Regions II, IV, and VI)
  • NIRSA Board of Directors – One Presidential Track position and one At-Large position

Applications for these positions are due September 12.
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Check out NIRSA’s Mentor Program
For many of us, it’s the beginning of the academic year and the perfect time to join NIRSA’s  Mentor Match program. Fill out the brief questionnaire, and our member experts will match you with a mentor or mentee and provide you with monthly conversation starters so you can make the most of your new relationship. Participation in the Mentor Match program is FREE for NIRSA members.
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Are You Connected?
There are so many resources available on NIRSA’s social networking site!  NIRSA Connect is your platform to ask questions of your peers, share resources & policies, and learn about what others are doing. Be sure to check out this great member benefit.
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Update Your Member Profile to Help Us Serve You Better!
Over the last several months, NIRSA staff and member volunteers have been working hard to refine and improve the demographic and engagement data of our membership. This helps us ensure that we are taking all our members into account when we develop professional development, resources, and opportunities to meaningfully connect. We do our best to keep up to date with members’ careers and skill sets but we can’t do it alone!

If you haven’t updated your profile in a while, please take just a few minutes to log in and make sure your information is up to date. Thank you!
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Enhance Your Knowledge Base
The sixth in NIRSA’s popular series of Recreation 101 courses launched on August 25. Introduction to Collegiate Outdoor Programs 101 is now available as a fully online, asynchronous experience with four hours of expert on-demand content. Register today or sign up your entire team with special bundled pricing!
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Share Your Job Posting or Find Your Next Career
NIRSA’s Bluefishjobs website features a Career Learning Center and job listings for campus recreation positions at all levels across the US and Canada. Post your resume, apply for jobs, and sign up to receive job alerts!
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Join the conversation!
Since April 2025, more than 250 NIRSA members have participated in the newly revamped Ideas in Motion virtual roundtables! Join your colleagues to connect, share ideas, and tackle challenges together during these engaging discussions.
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✨ NIRSA Annual Conference 2026 Updates
Be Part of the Program!
Interested in helping shape the educational experience at Annual Conference? Volunteer as a Conference Proposal Program Reviewer and play an important role in reviewing session submissions that will guide the conversations, learning, and professional development in 2026!

🌟 NIRSA Foundation Scholarships – Applications Now Open!
Don’t miss your chance to attend Annual Conference with support from the NIRSA Foundation. Scholarship applications are officially OPEN September 15 – November 15 (notifications sent by February 11).
This year brings exciting news:

  • 20 Travel Grants Available! 🚀 An increase from just 7 previously offered by region.
  • Each recipient can receive up to $750 in reimbursement for travel, lodging, and transportation (per diem not included).
  • Reimbursements are issued after the conference with submitted receipts.

Whether you’re a student or professional, there’s a scholarship opportunity for you:

🌍 Additional Opportunities

Take advantage of these opportunities to grow your network, advance your career, and make the most of your Annual Conference experience!
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NEW! Wellbeing Collaborative Pilot Application 🌱

  • Apply here: Wellbeing Collaborative Pilot Application
    Please note: this application also includes an Institutional Support Form. Applications are due by 11:59 PM PT on September 19, 2025.
  • NIRSA is inviting four schools to join a year-long, high-impact pilot initiative designed to help campus recreation departments embed wellbeing into their culture, operations, and strategy.
  • The pilot will include:
  • The NIRSA Wellbeing Collaborative is proudly sponsored by Wellfleet.

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Upcoming NIRSA Events

There are scholarship opportunities available for many NIRSA events thanks to the generosity of the NIRSA Foundation!
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Final Thoughts
There are so many ways to get involved this semester—especially by stepping up as a Student State Leader. We encourage you to apply, attend upcoming events, and continue to share the incredible work happening across our region.

With gratitude,
Your NIRSA Region V Leadership Team