NIRSA’s 75th anniversary conference in Orlando did not disappoint! Opening General Session mainstage speaker Paul Wesselmann helped set the tone for a fantastic week before Ruben Mejia, executive vice president, SportsArt Americas took to the stage to announce the recipients of over $145,000 in ECO-POWR™ sustainable fitness equipment and $12,000 in cash prizes and directed charitable donations.
NIRSA Gold Partner SportsArt—a global leader in sustainable fitness solutions—proudly shared the news of the winners of its second annual SportsArt Campus Challenge, a national sweepstakes aimed at inspiring the next generation of eco-conscious innovators and leaders in the university space.
NIRSA’s 75th anniversary conference in Orlando did not disappoint! Opening General Session mainstage speaker Paul Wesselmann helped set the tone for a fantastic week before Ruben Mejia, executive vice president, SportsArt Americas took to the stage to announce the recipients of over $145,000 in ECO-POWR™ sustainable fitness equipment and $12,000 in cash prizes and directed charitable donations.
NIRSA Gold Partner SportsArt—a global leader in sustainable fitness solutions—proudly shared the news of the winners of its second annual SportsArt Campus Challenge, a national sweepstakes aimed at inspiring the next generation of eco-conscious innovators and leaders in the university space.
Three randomly drawn student participant entries were awarded energy-generating SportsArt ECO-POWR™ cardio equipment for their campus rec centers, as well as cash prizes for themselves and charitable donations to their favorite student organizations.
Hailey Cronin of Pearl River Community College was awarded the Grand Prize after submitting a video explaining how she will reduce her use of plastic and conserve energy around her campus. Cronin won the college’s campus recreation center a grand prize package worth $75,000 that includes five ECO-POWR™ treadmills. Hailey was also awarded a cash prize of $3,000, and SportsArt will donate $3,000 to the student organization of her choice.
“I am so grateful that we have been chosen for the grand prize,” says Cronin. “We are a small community college in rural Mississippi trying to be more sustainable.”
The second-place prize package was awarded to Paxton Battiste from the University of South Alabama. The university rec center will receive three ECO-POWR™ steppers—worth $45,000—and Paxton was awarded a $2,000 cash prize and a $2,000 donation to his chosen student organization.
The third place award went to Ricki Blaustein and Taylor Friedman of Lafayette University. Ricki and Taylor will bring home three ECO-POWR™ rowers for Lafayette’s rec center, a $1,000 cash prize and a $1,000 donation to their preferred student organization.
“We continue to be inspired by the creativity and passion students bring to this challenge,” says Ruben. “These winners represent the bright future of sustainability in fitness, and we are proud to support their efforts in driving positive change on campuses and beyond.”
Rooted in sustainability, social consciousness
The SportsArt ECO-POWR™ line transforms human energy into clean, usable electric power. The sweepstakes asked U.S. and Canadian college students to accept the challenge to live more sustainably on their campuses, and three randomly selected finalists were awarded a share of SportsArt ECO-POWR™ energy-generating premium cardio equipment prize packages totaling more than $145,000.
Now in its second year, the SportsArt Campus Challenge invites students to develop and propose actionable ideas that merge wellness, innovation, and environmental responsibility. Participants are encouraged to submit videos showcase their originality, feasibility, sustainability, and potential impact.
SportsArt has a decades-long history of prioritizing sustainability—a priority well-aligned with NIRSA’s strategic value of sustainable communities—with its processes, policies, people, products and partnerships. This includes recycling and water conservation at its Taiwan production facility, and a solar-powered initiative that uses solar panels to produce enough electricity to power the 500,000 square-foot SportsArt Headquarters for half the year. Further, since January 2011, the Taiwan factory has been ISO-14001 certified—following standards that reduce negative effects on the environment.
Rooted in social consciousness and the belief that serving others is better than serving themselves, SportsArt is now sparking the hunger and ambition of college students accepting the challenge to create a nationwide movement to make the world a better place.
About SportsArt With nearly 50 years of innovative design and manufacturing excellence, SportsArt continues to lead the fitness industry through revolutionary sustainable solutions. The company has supported NIRSA as an associate member since 2023, becoming a NIRSA Gold Partner.
Along with the world’s only line of energy-generating cardio equipment, ECO-POWR™, SportsArt also offers a full range of high-quality cardio, strength, and rehabilitation equipment for the fitness, university, medical, and residential markets. Known for its dedication to service, durability, and cutting-edge technologies, SportsArt is one of the largest single-brand manufacturers in the world with over 500,000 square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing space. The company designs, manufactures, and tests all equipment in-house before it is sold in over 70 countries worldwide.
