“Can I play music in the pool?”
Emily McElwain got this question last summer from a student lifeguard. Given the greenlight, the student rolled out a Bluetooth onto the pool deck and started playing music.
The members loved it.
“They’d verbalize it at the front desk,” recalled McElwain, the assistant dean of Student Life and the director of ThunderWolf Recreation at Colorado State University, Pueblo (CSU Pueblo). “Then [the lifeguard] got to a point where she started to build relationships with the various members and got to know them, playing music they wanted to hear when they were there. So, she’s like, ‘Red Wine. I got you. We’ll put that on the playlist for next week.’”
McElwain shared it was a shift in experience for their lap swimmers. Excitement grew and she could see a notable difference in their facial expressions when they came to swim in the morning. “They were excited to be here, engage with staff and do their workout,” she said.
This example is a clear picture of the memorable experiences CSU Pueblo ThunderWolf Rec looks to make for its members. McElwain said not only are their student and professional staff members encouraged to create those experiences, but it begins from the very first part of the hiring process.
The Beginning of RecPack
Derived from when McElwain oversaw Team Mizzou while at the University of Missouri, RecPack is a student staff training and development program. “It’s built off of Disney’s approach to people management,” she shared, noting that includes everything from recruitment to training and beyond.
EXTRA CREDIT: See what Team Mizzou is doing at the University of Missouri.
The first steps for students interested in joining RecPack is to attend a RecPack recruitment session which happen throughout the year. They also submit a resume, cover letter and application form.
During those meetings, McElwain shared they set their baseline expectations. Giving a brief overview of RecPack, they also talk about the types of individuals they’re looking for. Confident, aware of surroundings and the ability to engage in the experience were the qualities they prioritized.
McElwain also noted they want assertively friendly individuals. “It’s our staff recognizing when members and guests need something before they come up to them and ask them a question,” she explained. “It’s like seeing them wandering around the cardio area and going, ‘Hey, can I help?’”
This lends itself to the approach of RecPack that students aren’t just employees but rather brand ambassadors who protect the facilities, services and the ThunderWolf Rec image. “We are focused on customer service, as first impressions are forever lasting,” said McElwain. “A well-trained, well-scripted and well-groomed front-line team of service experts make a powerful and positive impression.”
Beyond the initial training
RecPack also wanted to create a centralized approach to employment where everyone is held to the same standards. That didn’t exist when McElwain first arrived at CSU Pueblo. Before:
- Each area had its own application.
- Staff were managed differently.
- Events and recognition varied greatly from supervisor to supervisor.
“These are very separate groups who are supposed to be united with one mission, one vision, one philosophy about recreation on our campus, yet we’re going in different directions,” recalled McElwain, who noted this was probably the hardest shift for the CSU Pueblo team to make upon her arrival.
Since the implementation of RecPack in 2018, the playing field in terms of training, addressing issues and employee recognition has leveled out.
EXTRA CREDIT: Take a look at the state of the art rec center at CSU Pueblo.
The focus on RecPack isn’t accidental, however. McElwain got into the field of campus recreation because she realized she loved seeing students develop while working for the American Red Cross. During her time there, she worked with students at Mizzou for the Homecoming and Greek Week Blood Drives. “I went back to my mentor [at Mizzou] and said, ‘Hey this is what I’m doing. I really like this piece of my job, working with students and seeing their development. What kind of job can I do that does that?’ And she was like, ‘It’s called Student Affairs,’” shared McElwain.
Jack Schauer, the coordinator of Marketing, and Sports and Competition at CSU Pueblo, also commented on the effect he has seen. “Being able to impact the student life and experiences is one of the best parts of working here,” he said.
Schauer’s experience of finding a home away from home and making lifelong friends as part of the club baseball team at ThunderWolf Rec encouraged him to give back. “Being in the position I am now, I have the ability to create programs and help club teams function with the intention of creating a community any student can be a part of,” he said.
Leadership and Collaboration at CSU Pueblo
Transitioning into a professional campus rec employee, Schauer said one of the biggest lessons he learned was the need for a solid leader. “Without [Emily], I wouldn’t be as successful as I have been in this role so far,” he said. “Having a person like her as a director who constantly motivates and inspires me has been incredible. Working in rec, not everything goes smoothly, and mistakes can happen, but her ability to give constructive criticism and guide myself and the rest of the staff through situations has shown me a great role model in campus rec.”
Sherece Alaniz, the executive staff assistant at ThunderWolf Rec, echoed Schauer. “I’m thankful for my team and who our team is led by,” she shared. “Our director is a leader who understands and gives flexibility in having a work-life balance. She is always willing and eager to listen to new ideas we have and it’s refreshing to have that kind of support. Her leadership is something I value, and I aspire to parallel it one day.”
According to her staff, McElwain’s developmental impact now largely rests on her professional employees. Still, she misses the day to day and having touch points with students directly.
With her role as assistant dean, McElwain oversees Recreation, Housing and Conduct and balancing the dual titles is a challenge. Better delegation has been a staple to her success.
In fact, overseeing housing has helped ThunderWolf Rec be aware of patterns and behaviors of students it otherwise wouldn’t have seen. “We’re a very big suitcase campus, so many of our students pack up and leave on the weekend,” shared McElwain. “We have to be very thoughtful when we’re planning weekend programming.”
It’s just another reason why partnerships can be beneficial to a recreation department — sometimes, they open up new doors. Across campus, ThunderWolf Rec collaborates with departments like Exercise Science and Physical Education to offer paid interns credit for work within campus rec.
Beyond campus
ThunderWolf Rec has a partnership with the Nature, Wildlife and Discovery Center (NWDC) in Pueblo. Certain areas for Outdoor Pursuits trips in Southern Colorado, require a permit holder/guide which can get quite expensive. To combat this, ThunderWolf Recreation provides funding for a NWDC intern each semester. Therefore, the permit holder for their trips is complimentary. “This helps our community partner provide real-world experience for a CSU Pueblo student at no cost to them and very little cost to our department in terms of salary,” said McElwain.
Aaron Garcia, the coordinator of Outdoor Pursuits, said the partnership with the NWDC has been nothing but smooth. “It’s such a pleasure to work alongside this organization due to their like-mindedness we share for our participants and the Pueblo community,” he said.
In fact, the partnership helps Garcia achieve what he enjoys most: providing students with the Colorado experience. “Being able to enrich one’s quality of life by embarking on different adventures within the Colorado land is such a rewarding feeling not just for myself but for the participants as well,” he said. “Being able to educate and provide a place for participants to recreate safely is just one of the many reasons why I love to work within recreation.”
A Youthful Team
Overall, McElwain shared ThunderWolf Recreation is a young, strong team. Tapping into youthful professionals helps keep her in tune with the needs of students on campus.
But even more, McElwain is ready to trust her staff to step up and own the space. Sideline coaching and modeling good behavior is what will help continue to grow campus recreation at CSU Pueblo. Even more, it’s empowering the next generation of student employees and young professionals that they can succeed in recreation.
Every person at CSU Pueblo ThunderWolf Rec is heading toward the same goal: creating memorable experiences for its people.
