For Directors

NIRSA 2025 Orlando

Exclusive Programming for Directors

Directors are invited to attend exclusive programming on Thursday, April 24 and Friday, April 25, tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities facing campus recreation leadership. This dedicated conference track empowers directors to harness the strength of the NIRSA network, fostering collaboration to tackle the field’s most urgent priorities with greater speed and impact.

The focus of this year’s directors track is on what you’ve said is most important to you! In today’s rapidly changing landscape, the era of doing more with less is no longer sustainable, and there is an urgent need to prioritize employee wellbeing to ensure the long-term success and satisfaction of current and future professionals. Retaining and developing staff to navigate the “new normal” is critical to meeting these challenges effectively.

This track provides a rare and valuable opportunity for directors to engage with peers, share innovative strategies, and build actionable insights into the evolving conditions impacting campus recreation. Together, attendees will explore immediate steps to strengthen their teams, elevate their operations, and advance the field.

Overall Learning Objectives

Equip directors with strategies to strengthen the leadership pipeline within their departments
Foster collaboration and peer learning among campus recreation leaders
Gain actionable strategies and solutions to address key challenges and support workforce development within campus recreation

The track incorporates dedicated learning and discussion time, beginning on Thursday, April 24 with a two-hour, director-only session block. “Building for the future: Changing culture, transforming systems” features guest speaker Amelia Parnell (NASPA’s new President/CEO) and micro-presentations from several NIRSA peers, interspersed with significant time for roundtable conversations and engagement.

At 12:30pm Thursday, April 24, directors are then encouraged to attend the AVP panel session that, while open to any conference attendee, is aimed at directors and furthers the morning’s conversation and learnings around staff retention and development, as well as higher education’s current challenges and opportunities.

Directors are then encouraged to take advantage of the Expo grand opening at 2:00pm where they can explore cutting-edge produces and services designed to elevate spaces.

On Friday, April 25, reconvene with your colleagues for a director’s only roundtable discussion influenced by the previous day’s learnings. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide input in advance to help shape this time.

Directors Track Schedule Overview

Thursday, April 24

9:30am-11:30am: Director-only session block “Building for the future: Changing culture, transforming systems”
Guest Speaker: Amelia Parnell (NASPA’s new President/CEO)
12:30pm-2:00pm: AVP Panel
2:00pm: Expo Opening