National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association

The National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, or NIRSA, is a professional organization and a leader in higher education.  It advocates for the advancement of recreation, sport, and wellness by providing educational and developmental opportunities, generating and sharing knowledge, and promoting networking and growth for members.  I have valued my membership and promote the organization regularly.  Not only because of what it has done for me, but for the job and career potential it might have for others.

I am also a member of The Michigan Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, also known as MIRSA.  I have been a member of MIRSA since 2004 and am currently serving as the Fitness Committee Chair.  It serves as the Michigan arm of the NIRSA national organization.  While these organizations might not be for everyone working in a fitness or wellness related career, it’s very worthwhile for those exploring job opportunities or already working in a higher education setting.

MIRSA has an annual state workshop and this year’s will be held over the next two days at Saginaw Valley State University. It will be hosted by their Campus Recreation department.  The meeting is typically held in the fall each year and it’s membership runs right around 100 people.  It serves as an excellent opportunity to talk with others in the field, attend workshops, and look at best practices.

I like to tell people about both NIRSA and MIRSA because many new professionals are not aware that fitness and wellness related jobs are available in higher education settings.  A great website I regularly refer people to, and can be found on my jobs page, is BlueFishJobs.org  This site focuses largely on positions that are fitness, wellness, and recreation related – many in higher education settings.

I could go on about NIRSA all day, but I am off to put the finishing touches on my presentation for the state workshop on Friday.  Go Tigers!