NIRSA Celebrates 75 Years at Conference & Expo

If you’ve never attended the annual NIRSA Conference & Campus Rec Expo, this is the year to go. And if you’re a regular attendee, this one will be different. 

Why? Because NIRSA 2025 — slated for April 23-26 in Orlando, Fla. — will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the organization founded in 1950 as the National Intramurals Association, which eventually became known as the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association and then simply as NIRSA. In addition to more than 75 educational sessions, preconference workshops and tours, and a solid lineup of presenters and speakers, organizers also have planned a series of special events and new programming to mark the occasion. 

“We’re really excited about this year,” says Leigh Johnson, chair of the NIRSA Conference Program Committee and fitness coordinator for Campus Recreation & Intramurals at Georgia Southern University. “Each year, we try to build upon the previous year, and we take to heart the feedback we get from members. After all, that’s what this conference is all about — providing opportunities and development for NIRSA members.” 

One of the areas in which NIRSA members were most vocal recently centered on roundtable discussions, in which attendees are invited to share their own experiences and best practices, as well as seek advice from their peers. This year’s roundtable sessions will be longer than ever before (90 minutes instead of 60) and feature a more structured format. 

“In the past, roundtables tended to be a little chaotic, depending on who was speaking and if they were from a larger or smaller institution,” Johnson says, adding that not all attendees were able to benefit as much from the previous format. “So, we’ve given our moderators more guidance on how to efficiently moderate each roundtable so participants can get the most out of them.” 

Additionally, newly expanded two-hour workshops on the final day of the conference will provide opportunities for more in-depth active learning and feature topics ranging from generative AI’s role in leadership to using data to drive continuous improvement. 

Organizers also are continuing new educational tracks that started in 2024 for department directors and students (both undergraduate and graduate), and specific sessions designed for mid- and senior-level campus rec professionals will offer opportunities to earn credits toward the Certified Student Affairs Educator-Campus Recreation (CSAEd-CR™) credential. 

There also will be an additional emphasis on equipping first-time attendees with the tools and know-how they need to navigate the conference and expo smoothly and effectively. On the first day, a 75-minute New Attendee Session will precede the Opening General Session. The day’s keynote will be longtime NIRSA advocate, speaker and author Paul “The Ripples Guy” Wesselmann, who will focus on the benefits of reaching out to connect with others while also reaching in to connect with one’s self. 

“He has so many connections and friends in NIRSA, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 75th anniversary than to have Paul come and kick us off,” Johnson says. “He brings so much energy.”

Wesselmann’s presentation will immediately be followed by an all-conference social — which took place on Night Three of the conference in previous years. “We feel that having it on the first night, especially this year, is a worthwhile way to kick off the conference and have everyone meet new friends and connect with old friends,” Johnson adds. “We want to get everyone excited and keep that momentum going throughout the conference.” 

In the expo hall 

Attendees can expect plenty of energy in the expo hall, too, as the number of overall exhibitors keeps building toward pre-pandemic levels, according to organizers. 

“The Campus Rec Expo is more dynamic than ever,” says Kelley Hungerford, NIRSA’s assistant director of expo and corporate relations, noting that the exhibit hall will be open for more than eight hours over two days. “While our exhibitor numbers haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, this opened the door for innovations that elevate the experience for attendees and exhibitors alike. We brought more meals into the hall and reimagined the floor plan with interactive areas for sponsors to bring fun, high-energy, often competitive activities that draw attendees in and spark connections. They stay in the hall longer and leave with unique, memorable experiences.” 

Highlights from the exhibit floor will include an interactive Play Wall, Fitness Forum workouts both in the hall and outside on the lawn of the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, T-shirt and sticker exchanges, the “Big Dill” NIRSA Foundation Pickleball Tournament and a Unified Sports Experience. 

“The expo always brings an energy to the conference,” Alicia Rossow and Hollie Power, co-chairs of the Campus Rec Expo Committee (and directors at Florida Southern College and Indiana State University, respectively), wrote in a joint email to AB. “NIRSA attendees are very social, and the vendors appreciate the relationships they get to build with all levels of NIRSA members — from students to seasoned professionals. It is a great way to connect with vendors, try new equipment and see new trends within collegiate recreation. It is a great two days that we look forward to all year.”