Welcome back to the Director Download podcast, hosted by Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University, and powered by Campus Rec Magazine.
In this episode, David Hall, the director of Recreation at Quinnipiac University, discusses his 30-year career in campus recreation and the keys to his success and longevity.
Hall started his journey as an intramural sports official at Virginia Commonwealth University and then as a graduate assistant at the University of West Florida. He became a director at the University of the Pacific at 29, transitioned to an associate vice president (AVP) position in Student Affairs at Springfield College to be closer to home, and later went back to the director role but this time at Quinnipiac.
Hall reflects on stepping back from an AVP role to return to the director position — trading title for better work-life balance and a continued passion for recreation. He explores his career path across the country, the classic “move up, move out” dynamic in campus rec and how he manages a generational gap with a young staff — including his decision to eliminate graduate assistant positions in favor of full-time hires.
The conversation also covers the leadership lessons Hall has learned throughout his career, including the value of external program reviews, what makes a director successful over decades in the field, and how the perceived value of campus rec has evolved over the past 20 years. He closes with reflections on lifelong learning and staying relevant as the field and the workforce continue to change.
Episode Highlights:
- How patience and perseverance are keys to success in campus rec.
- Why lifelong learning is vital in campus rec and how staying relevant requires an ongoing willingness to learn new skills.
- Navigating generational gaps in staff and adapting to what young professionals need.
- The impact learning to manage up, down and sideways can have on being a good leader.
- How external program reviews can build expertise and sharpen the ability to sense what needs to change.
- The deliberate trade-off Hall made when moving from an AVP role back into a director position.
