The first month of 2019 is almost over.
But that doesn’t mean we have to stop reflecting on the past. As such, we want to take a moment and reflect on cover stories from 2018. Each has its own flavor and focus. In Part Two of two – check out Part One – we have pulled some of the biggest themes from each and highlighted them here. Read below to learn something new, even if it’s from something old:
July/August
Cover Story: The Calling Card of St. Ambrose
Who: St. Ambrose University
Where: Davenport, Iowa
Most resources at a small school are limited. However, students are in abundance.
A professional staff of three oversees 60 student employees and two graduate assistants in the Wellness and Recreation Center (WRC) at St. Ambrose. Director Andrew Milton said their goal is for students to leave the WRC prepared for real life. In fact, they attach learning outcomes to job descriptions, giving students the idea of what they should be learning and then applying to other jobs.
“For us, it’s a lot about trying to help them realize what they’re getting out of this job. It’s not just standing at the front desk checking IDs; it’s how can you apply this to your future career?” explained Taylor Fietterer, the wellness coordinator at St. Ambrose. Read it.
September/October
Cover Story: A Contemporary Rebirth
Who: Pennsylvania State University
Where: State College, Pennsylvania
Penn State has embraced the model of contemporary campus recreation.
“Contemporary to me means really understanding the emerging needs of our students to balance their academic pursuits on campus,” said Laura Hall, the director of campus recreation. “It really is the approach of serving the whole student, not just the physical well-being part of it, and helping them understand the importance of a holistic well-being model.”
This means campus recreation embodies areas beyond just the physical. They are looking at how to cater to students’ social needs, the creation of safe spaces and the provision of leisure. “We are here to serve our students, so if we can’t stay flexible and amendable and dynamic, we’re not doing our jobs in serving the students,” said Hall. “What sets us apart is we are an incredibly evolving model, and with that comes opportunities to really go in a multitude of directions.” Read it.
November/December
Cover Story: ‘57
Who: Purdue University
Where: West Lafayette, Indiana
After the six-year expansion and renovation of the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center (the CoRec), the reservations profit center took off for Purdue’s campus recreation department.
The gymnasium offers the largest space on campus. Now, the department does close to $300,000 in reservation revenue. But, it wasn’t just the space that did it; it was also the mindset of building relationships across campus. Mitch Nettesheim, the senior associate director of operations, said getting out and about on campus was essential.
“The campus knows this facility is there to serve a lot of needs, and we’ve become a vital player in what happens on campus,” said Howard Taylor, the director of recreation and wellness. “It’s important not to be a siloed entity, that ‘all we do is recreation. We’re not going to let anyone else in here because we’ve got to guard this completely.’ We guard it, but we share it.” Read it.
