Campus Recreation Club Kicks off its Year
Whether it was the promise of meeting like-minded peers, or the pull of free pizza, nearly thirty students attended the first Campus Recreation club meeting on Tuesday.
Most Campus Recreation club members come from the Recreation, Parks & Leisure (RPLS) department of Minnesota State University, Mankato, however, all majors are encouraged to join.
Generally speaking, RPLS students are a talkative bunch. When a professor instructs them to discuss a topic amongst themselves, the room instantly erupts into excited conversation. Whether this conversation pertains to the topic at hand, or centers around a recent hiking adventure, the RPLS department is known as unashamedly passionate in their careers and their lives.
The first Rec Club meeting was no exception. Congenial hubbub filled classroom AH 323, and those present met each guest speaker with rapt attention.
After a guest speaker from Miracle League in North Mankato, the club held a “Meet the Professors” segment with the RPLS department. Each introduction was sprinkled with uproarious laughter and friendly banter, and attentive silence fell when anyone told an adventure story. A couple professors brought their toddlers, who stole the show without even trying.
Kaitlyn Sturdy, senior student in RPLS and one of the coordinators of Rec Club, explained the deep connection that exists between RPLS students and professors when she said, “It’s nice because the people who attend the [Rec Club] meetings are the people in your classes.” Even to outsiders, it is clear that RPLS students and professors spend a lot of time together. And the department is doing something right, because they seem to enjoy it. “You meet some of your closest friends here,” said Sturdy.
The club meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m., unless otherwise announced. Club membership not only looks great on a resume, but it yields access to alumni panels and conference talks about field work and practicums, as well as involvement in club events.
Previous events hosted by Rec Club include the Haunted Takeover, the Undie 500 (an underwear drive for the Salvation Army) and other group activities such as bowling and Minute to Win It games. The club also attends the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (MRPA) conference together each year.
The current Rec Club board are in search of new leadership from freshman and sophomore classes to take over shared responsibilities of coordinating events, social media, fundraising and membership. According to the current board, the workload is minimal and enjoyable. Interested students can email Kaitlyn Sturdy (kaitlyn.sturdy@mnsu.edu) or contact any of the six board members.
For any students who like laughter, playing games and the outdoors, Rec Club is an opportunity they won’t regret. Follow Rec Club through social media on their Facebook page, “Mnsu RecClub,” and their Instagram, @life_of_recclub.