Biography/Summary Resume
Ryan has served as the Manager of The Summit, Scheduling & Services at the University of Utah since 2017. Upon arrival, Ryan was tasked to develop an indoor rock climbing program, structure the facility rental process, and ensure all of the departments scheduling needs are met. He has served on The Division of Student Affairs Diversity and Wellness Committees, he leads the department’s EDI initiative and serves on the department’s wellness committee.
Ryan has been a NIRSA member since 2018 and served the Association in various ways. He currently serves on the Career Development Committee, All Regions Conference Planning Committee (Scheduling Sub-Committee Co-Chair), Region VI Professional Development Committee, a member of the Mentor/Mentee program, and the current Utah State Director. He has previously facilitated multiple Idea’s in Motion virtual roundtables, chaired the first ever paired Virtually State Meeting with Arizona/Nevada/Utah, and co-chair of the 2019 Region VI Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Ryan lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his partner Nicole. When not at work they both can be found enjoying the outdoors and searching for new places to eat.
What do you see as opportunities in collegiate recreation and our Association? How would you collaborate with the Member Network team to address these issues?
I believe collegiate recreation and our association have opportunities in three main areas. The first area is “The New Norm.” Collegiate recreation and the Association have been working towards a “New Norm” to preserve the student experience and adapt to the current environment. We have an opportunity to use our knowledge and the resiliency we have shown during the pandemic to help dictate the “New Norm.” This will take addressing the talent shuffle we are seeing within the profession. Thinking about how to recruit/prepare/keep graduate assistants and future professionals for a happy/successful career in the field. Programs will continue to be adapted and evaluated to the current climate developing financially sustainable models for future growth in colligate recreation. Facilities will continue to see a heightened level of hygienic measures and creative layouts to ensure member comfort levels, striving to reach pre-pandemic participation numbers. Marketing campaigns will continue to be creative to drive memberships back into our facilities highlighting our quality programs, facilities, and services. As an Association, we need to continue to share information, actively seek feedback from our members, and have a progressive mindset to strengthen our field and community with our peers.
The second area is EDI. Higher education is becoming more diverse in a variety of dimensions. As professionals in the field, we need to be prepared to foster an inclusive environment for an evolving student demographic. This entails working on ourselves, intentional departmental training, locating/addressing/breaking down systemic barriers to participation, and taking a holistic approach to the wellbeing of students. EDI should be embedded in our day-to-day from our departmental policies, inclusive facilities/programs, and equitable hiring practices. EDI should be forward facing to our university community so there is no question about the values of our departments and Association. As an Association we need to continue to be social justice advocates in our communities. We need to demonstrate the importance of being vulnerable and educating ourselves to help dissolve inequities. We need to foster an environment where it’s ok to make mistakes and learn from each other’s lived experiences. I am not an expert in social justice, but I am committed to putting myself in positions to be educated and share that knowledge with others. As the Region VI Representative, I would work with members to provide opportunities to continue EDI journeys of their own.
The third area I would focus on is professional development opportunities for our members. The long-term effects of the pandemic on higher education are still unknown and our previous professional development models will need to be continually reassessed. We need to engage our members on a national, regional, and state levels evaluating professional development needs and limitations. In the past years we have seen an increase in virtual events to bring development opportunities to our members in a time where travel funding is limited. We must continue to look at a balance of virtual and in-person development opportunities to best meet member needs. The needs will vary regionally and we will continue to see the national opportunities adapt to meet the needs of our members. As the Region VI Representative I would engage and assess member needs and work with the Member Network to put structures in place to advance the profession.
In describing your contributions to NIRSA, identify how your involvement and experiences meet the position criteria and qualify you to serve NISRA in this role.
My contributions, involvement, and experience in NIRSA tell a story of what I can do for the Association, but also what the Association can do for an individual. My current role affords me the opportunity to grow professionally and have a meaningful impact on the field specifically in the state of Utah. I started as an active member of NIRSA leading to the opportunity to host a regional conference at my institution. I volunteered to be the host site liaison for the planning committee that came with the following charges: Event Management Chair, Accommodations/Meals/Travel Chair, and Budget Committee Member. During this process I was able to demonstrate my leadership, communication, and organizational skills that lead my peers to trust me with the conference co-chair position. Demonstrating my skills during the conference allowed me to be voted Utah State Director, and I have also contributed as a member of the All Regions Conference Committee (Scheduling Sub-Committee Co-Chair), Region VI Professional Development Committee member, Career Development Committee member, and a Mentor/Mentee Program member. These opportunities have positively impacted Region VI and the Association by allowing me to use my professional skill set to contribute toward goals aligned with NIRSA’s strategic values and core competencies.
My involvement has impacted the Association on workgroups, creating development experiences including the first paired state meeting with Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. My involvement demonstrated my leadership abilities and created structures to impact others. My professional development progression is directly related to the opportunities I have had in NIRSA. My NIRSA experience has built confidence in me to step up in my state and create experiences to impact others. This year I have brought the state of Utah collegiate climbing gyms together to plan the first Utah State Bouldering Competition this spring and began the conversation for a state Route Setting Symposium this fall. I noticed an opportunity to build community and created development opportunities for student staff when none were in place. This is an example of one way I will approach this position.
I will work with our members to continue to actively live out NIRSA’s core values and put structures in place for future growth. In my campus recreation journey, I have always relied on my work ethic, network, and drive to help advance my career and those of others around me. I did not have a graduate assistantship which made me seek out more opportunities to gain experiences to be competitive to employers. Once I accepted my role at the University of Utah, I kept the same mindset and passion leading me into the above professional opportunities. If given the opportunity to be the Region VI Representative, I will continue to show my passion, work ethic, and dedication to benefit Region VI and its members.
Please share your ideas for engaging volunteers and identifying leaders in your region.
The success of actively engaging volunteers and identifying leaders in Region VI would start on the state level. I would create effective and efficient lines of communication with state directors and student leaders. I would discuss current structures and opportunities to ensure they reach our members. I would work with the state directors to help disseminate leadership opportunities within the region and use their knowledge and networks to identify leaders. In this process, we need to display the benefits volunteering has on career paths and the meaningful impact they have within the Association. This will entail actively participating in regional development opportunities such as conferences, work teams, and networking opportunities sharing the impact volunteering has within the region and Association. I will look at regional work teams and how to put structures in place to create opportunities for student and professional engagement to benefit career advancement, building community within our region and the Association. In my eyes, the success of a regional representative is measured in the ways they elevate those around them and set structures in place for future development. If given the opportunity, I would strive to work towards the success of others that benefit our region and the Association.