Category Archives: Student Employee Programming

Internship and Practicum Students Wanted for Recreation and Wellness

Aquatics, Fitness, Golf, Ice Arena, Intramural Sports, Outdoor Program, Perry Field House, Sport Clubs, Student Employee Programming, Student Recreation Center, Wellness Connection, Youth and Family

Are you looking for an on-campus internship or practicum for the spring semester? Look no further, Recreation and Wellness is now accepting applications for next semester from a wide variety of majors.

The internships and practicums are open to all majors including recreation and tourism, sport management, marketing and journalism.

“We base the jobs on what the academic credentials are of the student,” Lona Leck, Assistant Director of the Department of Recreation and Wellness, said.

Students can apply to the various departments within Recreation and Wellness including the Ice Arena, Intramurals and Sport Clubs, Youth and Family, advertising, Forrest Creason Golf Course, Perry Field House, Student Recreation Center and Wellness Connection.

Leck believes having interns and practicums within the department helps the staff and broadens the knowledge of the department overall.

“We want to get those new ideas from students,” Leck said. “You know what our programs are lacking more than we do.”

Leck also said the department sometimes gets lucky enough to find an intern or practicum student who they hire full-time.

Not only does interning or having a practicum with Recreation and Wellness benefit the department, but also the students.

“It’s a great experience to put on a resume,” Leck said.

Chris McDaniel, a senior Tourism and Event Planning major, interns with Recreation and Wellness and works on marketing in the Perry Field House. McDaniel said he feels he is gaining a lot of valuable knowledge that is going to help him in his future career.

Carolyn Deas, Senior Sports Management major also enjoys having her practicum at the with the Department of Recreation and Wellness.

“As a practicum student, you learn how to plan an event from the very beginning, from contract to execution,” Deas said. “And it’s rewarding to see it progress over time.”

Leck also said working with the department gives students a “taste of what the work in Recreation is really like.”

Students can  only gain valuable resume-worthy experience and enjoy where they work.

We’re really laid back, but we get our work done,” Deas said. “But that doesn’t stop us from taking a few minutes out of our lunch break to fly a kite, which we’ve done.”

While there are multiple internship and practicum opportunities available within the department, students are encouraged to apply early for positions and not wait until the start of the semester.

Leck also recommends students follow the instructions on the web site.

“We’re most impressed with students who follow instructions,” Leck said.

For those interested in applying for a spring internship, follow the link to learn more about the positions offered and apply now. http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/recwell/page32775.html

Here’s to you, RecWell Employees

Student Employee Programming

As the second largest student employer on campus, it is important the Department of Recreation and Wellness shows its students how valuable they really are. As the end of the semester approaches, student employees are faced with large workloads. Trying to balance final projects and work at the same time can be very stressful. RecWell finds this as a perfect opportunity to show students how much their hard work is appreciated.

 

On April 22, 2010 students were invited to attend an end of the year student recognition celebration organized by student supervisors in each facility. A lot of preparation and planning goes into this banquet to ensure every student employee receives the recognition they deserve.

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Student Supervisor Joanna Larkin explained how important recognition is in the workplace. “We really want to make this experience memorable for our student employees,” said Larkin. “I don’t think we would be so lucky to have these hardworking student employees if we didn’t take the time to recognize them.”

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During the banquet each facility hands numerous awards and prizes. Some of the awards consist of ‘Most Enthusiastic’, ‘Best Relief Worker’, and ‘Rookie of the Year’.

 

Outdoor Program Office Manager, Angel McFarland was a Rookie of the Year award winner this year. The award represents the employee that showed the most enthusiasm, excitement, and dedication during their first year of employment with RecWell.

 

“Receiving this award was a huge confidence booster,” said McFarland. “It’s a lot easier to put in the extra effort knowing your work isn’t left unnoticed.”

 

The Department of Recreation and Wellness delivered a special recognition to Web Technology Manager Melissa Rausch as she was awarded 2010 Co-op of the Year. Melissa was first nominated by Supervisor Lona Leck, and then chosen by the University among 25 other nominees.

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“Because I am a student employee who does mainly behind the scenes work, it is a great honor to receive this type of award,” said Rausch. “It feels really good to have your time and dedication recognized and appreciated.”

 

As an intern with the Recreation and Wellness Marketing Department myself, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working here. One thing I have noticed during my internship is how positive the work environment is. Even when student employees aren’t on the clock, they still want to be here. Students are motivated to go above and beyond what is expected because of the positive reinforcement given by the staff. The Department of Recreation and Wellness is much more than individuals putting in time for a paycheck. It is team of eager, enthusiastic, and hardworking individuals striving to make Recreation and Wellness the best it can be.

“Attitude Reflects Leadership, Captain.”

Student Development and Leadership Program, Student Employee Programming, Youth and Family

In a riveting scene from the motion picture, Remember the Titans, Julius Campbell says one of the most defining lines of the entire movie. After arguing with the team captain he states, “Attitude reflects leadership, captain.” Although this scene does not exactly represent Recreation and Wellness’ Student Development and Leadership Program, this phrase certainly describes the leaders within.

 

The Student Development and Leadership Program (SDL) is designed to teach and enhance the leadership skills of employees within the Recreation and Wellness Department. The sessions are conducted by professional staff, graduate assistants and other experienced and knowledgeable people linked to the University.

 

SDL is beneficial to RecWell employees because it is informative and motivational at the same time. The program prepares students for their current jobs in RecWell, as well as their future. No matter what career paths they choose, this program will motivate them to be successful.

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Because the program is completely voluntary, incentives are offered to the participants. The incentives include: Learning to be a leader, opportunities for promotion, career development, recognition events, Rec Bucks and of course CASH! Students can make up to $50.00 for attending every session.

 

During the sessions, students participate in a variety of activities both individually and in teams. Student Supervisor Joanna Larkin described the activities as an interactive setting that helps students better understand the message. “At one SDL, we met at the climbing wall and practiced team trust building,” she said. “At our money management session, we did an activity that allowed us to figure out what type of person we were when it comes to saving vs. spending.” Other sessions have included activities such as resume building, a starlit night hike, and a tour of the behind the scenes in RecWell.

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Larkin emphasized the fact that even though most of the sessions are held on a Friday and may seem boring, they are actually very fun. “They are a great way to build your resume, build your relationship with your co-workers and peers, and ultimately build your character,” Larkin said.

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The last workshop for the spring semester is on Friday, April 23 at 3:30 PM. The workshop is titled, “How to Measure UP” and will cover focus groups. It will be held at the Student Recreation Center Youth and Family Room. The session is open to those students who have attended at least one SDL session. In order to attend, sign up at https://sa.bgsu.edu/forms/sdl-classes.php.

 

The “captains” of Recreation and Wellness are obviously aware of the relationship between attitude and leadership. They set aside time in their busy schedules to ensure their employees are receiving the proper training and leadership experience they need.  If it were not for these “captains” reflecting positive attitudes upon their players, the program would not be as successful as it is.

BGSU RecWell Recognizes Excellence

Student Development and Leadership Program, Student Employee Programming, Student Recreation Center, Youth and Family

The Department of Recreation and Wellness employs 200 to 300 BGSU Students each year. These students are all individuals who believe in RecWell programs and are passionate about their work. In order to continue the excellence these students offer to the program, it is critical to show them the recognition they deserve.

 

One of the most traditional ways RecWell implements recognition into the workplace is selecting an employee of the month. Students are chosen by the Student Employee Board each month. The board submits names of students they feel have earned this title, discuss the nominees and then vote.

 

Associate Director of Programs, Cathy Swick, explained students were chosen for this departmental honor. “Student Supervisors from every group in the department, Aerobics to Zamboni, nominate a student employee whom they feel deserves the recognition, then usually one student is chosen.”

 

So far this year, eight student employees have earned the Employee of the Month title.

 

September-Ellen Borer

October-Adie Heyne

November-Lindsay Helm

December-Jeremy Lewis, Mike Swartz, Rob Whitaker

January- Ryan Rampe

February- Kaitlyn Koby

 

Student Recreation Center Employee, Ellen Borer, discussed her reaction to receiving this honor. “To me, being awarded Employee of the Month means that hard work and completing assigned tasks pays off (in the delicious form of Cookie Jar), and that doing a little extra can make a big difference.”

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When named Student of the Month, students receive a certificate that reads “Employee of the Month”, their name and picture on the RecWell web site, and the student favorite: a gift certificate to The Cookie Jar.

 

Lindsay Helm, SRC Employee, explained how nice it is to be recognized. “As a student worker, a lot of the time it feels like you are assigned the grunt work,” she said. “It is an honor to receive this award, because it makes you feel appreciated for all of the hard work you put in to the high standards of the department.”

Lindsay Helm Nov. 2009 Employee of the Month

While Employee of the month is a monthly incentive program, there are other incentives that encourage students to work hard on a daily basis. Incentives such as Rec Bucks, the Student Development and Leadership Series and end of the semester banquets ensure that students receive the recognition they deserve year round.

 

The Department of Recreation and Wellness is extremely proud of the student staff. “Our students tend to go above and beyond,” said Swick. “We are very lucky.”

BGSU Employees Have Opportunity to Compete

Golf, Student Employee Programming

Every hard worker deserves some time for leisure. This spring Recreation and Wellness is offering an opportunity for BGSU faculty and staff to get out of the office and on to the golf course.

The 2010 BGSU Employee Wellness Golf League is a 16-week league that takes place every Thursday at 5:30 PM. The league begins on April 8th and goes through July 22nd at Forrest Creason Golf Course. The cost of the league per player is $13.00/week walking and $19.00/week with a cart. Each team will only play 9 holes per week.

Teams are made up of two people, at least one of them being a BGSU faculty/staff member. Employees can team up with family, friends, or another BGSU employee.  Each team is paired with another team of two every week to create a four-some at tee off.

The first two weeks are played to determine golfer’s averages and handicaps. They are played with the same format and rules as regular league play.  Actual league play will begin on the third week.

Scoring is determined on a point scale. Teams of two compete against other teams in the league and the other team in their foursome. Two points are earned for every team victory and one point is earned for ties. Team scores are recorded by each team on scorecards and must be complete and accurate when turned in.

Coincidently, golf is one of the most utilized social mediums in the corporate world. The sport consists of friendly competition as well as a great deal of communication and socializing. Why discuss business around a boring conference table when you can discuss it on the golf course?

 

Open positions are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis so contact Caitlin Spontelli today and register by phone, 419.372.9309 or email, cspont@bgsu.edu.