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, sits down with Dr. Iisha Voltz, the executive director of Recreation and Well-Being at Texas Southern University.
Voltz shares her incredible journey from student fitness attendant to executive director. In fact, that journey took place at one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). With over 20 years of service and 15 as a director, her story highlights the power of consistency, student impact, and leading with clarity and heart. She also opens up about her role in Project COURAGE, her passion for student leadership and what it means to lead at an HBCU.
Show Notes from the Conversation on HBCU Campus Recreation Leadership
- Her rise from student staff to executive director at Texas Southern University.
- Why transparency, accountability and passion are non-negotiables on her team.
- The layered role of HBCUs in shaping student experience and staff responsibilities.
- Integrating student leadership councils and grad assistants into the department structure.
- Why focusing on your purpose — and not getting lost in university politics — matters.
- The importance of cultural authenticity and family connection within HBCUs.
- Her involvement with Project COURAGE and its impact on HBCU access to the fitness industry.
- What she would tell her younger self stepping into the director role for the first time.
Are you a campus rec leader looking to grow your impact and learn what it takes to lead with intention? Then this episode is a must-listen.
