Welcome to the Director Download, powered by Campus Rec Magazine.
It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry.
In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with John MacDonald, the director of Campus Recreation Services at the University of Utah.
MacDonald didn’t follow the traditional path into campus rec. With roots in outdoor retail and no undergraduate experience in recreation, he stepped into the field by building an outdoor program from the ground up. Since then, his career has been defined by authenticity, humility and a passion for connecting people — both on campus and beyond.
Sheffield and MacDonald dive into the nuances of team development, the role of data in storytelling and what it really means to be a connector on campus. MacDonald’s leadership philosophy is a masterclass in meeting people where they are while never losing sight of the mission.
In this episode, John MacDonald discusses:
- His unconventional journey into campus rec — from outdoor gear buyer to department director.
- Why connecting with others matters more than networking, and how that mindset has shaped his career.
- How moving from Ohio to Utah expanded his leadership approach and transformed his perspective.
- The strategy behind engaging both seasoned outdoor adventurers and students new to recreation.
- Why campus rec directors must ask uncomfortable questions and be OK not always having the answer.
- How his team is using data and storytelling to better demonstrate impact across the university.
- What it means to truly “report to campus,” and how that mindset shift has influenced his leadership style.
- The three questions he uses to evaluate programs and guide his team: What does great look like? What does done look like? What’s out of scope?
All in all, let this episode inspire you to think differently about impact, connection and leading with purpose.
