Keynote: 1:45 - 2:30pm

More information to come. 

Session 1: 3:00 - 3:50pm

Being (Supporting) Early Career Professionals

Presenter: Caitlyn Schoenmeyer, Saginaw Valley State University

Starting a career in campus recreation can feel exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between. This session creates an open conversation among early career professionals, student staff, graduate assistants, and supervisors about what it really looks like to begin a career in the field.

Participants will discuss common challenges, share experiences, and explore practical ways supervisors and colleagues can support professional growth and confidence. Whether you are just beginning your career or helping others navigate theirs, you will leave with actionable ideas to bring back to your department.

Stepping Into Their Shoes: Guiding Change for New Exercisers and Health Seekers

Presenter: Jonathan Besecker, EGYM

This interactive session helps campus recreation professionals better understand what new exercisers experience when entering a fitness environment for the first time.

Through guided reflection and group discussion, participants will explore emotional barriers such as intimidation, uncertainty, and low self-efficacy. Attendees will identify common "red zone" areas in facilities where confidence is often lowest and learn strategies to create early wins, supportive interactions, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Participants will leave with practical tools to help students feel more capable, welcomed, and motivated to return.

Esports on Campus: Engaging Students Through Esports Intramurals and Open Play

Presenter: Adam Antor, Ferris State University

Esports continues to offer campus recreation departments innovative opportunities to engage students through intramural competition and recreational play. Drawing from the evolution of esports intramurals at Florida Southern College, this session examines lessons learned from developing and adapting esports programming.

Topics include:

• Tournament development

• Dedicated esports spaces

• Open play opportunities

• Game selection and technology

• Program structure and student engagement

• Common challenges and solutions

Attendees will gain practical strategies adaptable to campuses of all sizes and stages of esports development.

How We Show Up: The Leader's Guide to Emotional Intelligence

Presenter: Dan Gaken, Central Michigan University

Effective leaders in higher education and campus recreation understand how emotions influence thinking and behavior. Emotional intelligence helps leaders make intentional choices about how they "show up" in professional and personal settings.

This session provides an overview of emotional intelligence theory and helps participants develop emotional self-awareness, an essential skill for managing emotions and building meaningful relationships. Interactive exercises will allow attendees to practice personal and social competencies that support successful leadership and collaboration.

Session 2: 4:00 - 4:50pm

Supporting the Caregiver: Critical Incident Stress Management in Campus Recreation

Presenter: Katie Moe, Northern Michigan University

Campus recreation professionals frequently respond to critical incidents, including medical emergencies, serious injuries, aquatic rescues, student mental health crises, and other traumatic events. While staff are highly trained to respond during emergencies, less attention is often given to the psychological impact these experiences can have on responders.

This session introduces the principles of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and explores the unique challenges recreation professionals face following critical incidents. Participants will learn to:

• Recognize common stress reactions

• Understand the continuum of CISM interventions

• Identify appropriate peer support and crisis intervention strategies

• Build personal resilience

• Foster a culture of support within recreation departments

Beyond Compliance: Creating an Accessible and Inclusive Recreation Experience

Presenter: Melissa Walton, Central Michigan University

This session examines what genuine accessibility looks like in campus recreation settings. Participants will learn how to identify physical, programmatic, and communication barriers while reviewing real-world examples and practical solutions.

The session will also explore adaptive fitness strategies and provide attendees with a straightforward action plan to evaluate current practices and implement improvements. The goal is to move beyond legal compliance and create welcoming recreation experiences for all participants.

Finding Your Target Audience

Presenter: Jono Eaton, Michigan State University

Learn how to use your institution's mission, vision, and values to shape your esports program and strengthen student engagement.

Participants will discover strategies for designing a social media presence that reaches the right audience, supports program goals, and aligns with campus priorities.

From Student Employee to Professional: Igniting Your Future Through Collegiate Recreation

Presenter: Phil Leyerer, Central Michigan University

Every professional starts somewhere. Whether serving at the front desk, officiating intramurals, leading outdoor trips, teaching fitness classes, or working as a graduate assistant, student employment in collegiate recreation provides valuable experiences that extend far beyond campus.

This panel brings together former student employees and graduate assistants who have successfully transitioned into professional careers. Through personal stories and authentic discussion, panelists will share how collegiate recreation:

• Developed leadership skills

• Built transferable competencies

• Created meaningful professional relationships

• Prepared them for careers in higher education and beyond

Students will leave inspired, connected, and equipped with practical advice for their own career journeys.

Session 3: 10:30 - 11:20am

Club Sports as a Retention Tool: The Importance of Club Sports in a Declining Student Population

Presenter: Kyle Reece, Oakland University

This session explores the critical role club sports play in enhancing the student experience and supporting retention efforts.

Participants will examine how club sports foster:

• Belonging

• Leadership development

• Community building

• Campus engagement

Attendees will also learn strategies for leveraging club sports as a retention tool and connecting student participation to broader institutional goals.

Beyond the Wellness Workshop: Shifting from Individual Wellbeing to Systems Change

Presenters: Kristin Traskie (Michigan State University), Beth Northuis (Western Michigan University), Becky Lewis (Oakland University)

Higher education has traditionally focused on individual wellbeing through education, resources, and resilience-building programs. While these approaches remain valuable, they do not fully address the environmental, organizational, and systemic factors that shape wellbeing.

This panel explores the shift toward an integrated wellbeing model that considers policies, practices, environments, relationships, culture, and institutional systems. Panelists will share examples from Michigan State University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University and discuss how collaboration and institutional leadership can embed wellbeing into everyday operations.

Participants will leave with practical strategies for viewing wellbeing through a systems lens and identifying opportunities to improve the conditions in which people learn, work, and live.

The Criticality of Strategic Alignment in Esports

Presenter: Riley Long, National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE)

As higher education faces enrollment challenges and budget pressures, esports programs must demonstrate how they contribute to institutional priorities.

This workshop will help recreation and student affairs professionals:

• Examine trends affecting collegiate esports

• Understand how to interpret institutional strategic plans

• Align esports initiatives with university goals

• Demonstrate value to campus stakeholders

Attendees will leave with practical tactics for positioning esports programs as drivers of institution-wide success.

Igniting the Leader Within: Using Strengths to Develop Student Employees and Emerging Leaders

Presenter: Vernique Jackson, CMU Leadership Institute

This session explores practical approaches to developing student leadership through everyday work experiences, including supervision, mentoring, team meetings, and program management.

Participants will learn how to recognize and cultivate leadership potential in student employees, moving beyond formal titles to create intentional opportunities for growth. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for helping students build confidence, discover strengths, and develop as emerging leaders.

Round Tables: 11:30am - 12:20pm

• Aquatics

• Club Sports

• Directors

• Esports

• Facilties & Operations

• Fitness & Wellness

• Intramural Sports

• Marketing 

• Outdoor/Adventure