The Recreation and Wellness Center continues to improve on its reputation for developing students as the next generation of campus recreation professionals. The RWC is proud to announce five of its graduating seniors have accepted graduate assistant positions at various universities across the country.

 Twenty-two seniors from the RWC student staff have accepted campus recreation graduate assistantships the past three years. Graduate assistants play a vital role in helping recreation facilities to reach annual goals. GAs gain experience in operating recreation programs while having a chance to earn their master degrees. Institutions waive their tuition in exchange for their work.

 The seniors and their new universities include: Melissa Lewis, Fitness (University of South Carolina), Jamie Mineart, Intramural Sports (Texas A&M University), Patty Suarez, Intramural Sports (Ohio University), Kelsey Vance, Fitness (Purdue University) and Billy Waechter, Intramural Sports (University of Georgia).

 The 2014 GAs are some of the most honored and recognized student staff members at the RWC: Lewis, is the 2013-2014 RWC Program Employee of the Year, Suarez was honored as a National Campus Recreation Basketball Tournament official and officiated her first Division III College Basketball game in the spring, Vance is a former fitness lead supervisor and Waechter is the February 2014 RWC Employee of the Month, the 2012-2013 RWC Flag Football Official of the Year and a National Flag Football Tournament official.

 Mineart is the 2013-2014 RWC IM Sports Supervisor of the Year. The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association [NIRSA] also honored her, with the William Wasson Student Leadership and Academic Award in 2013-2014. Named after NIRSA’s founder, Dr. William N. Wasson, the award recognizes top students in college recreation. Mineart, a two-time All-Tournament Official at NIRSA’s Regional Flag Football Tournament, says the RWC has really helped her carve out a career path, “I got involved with the IM [intramurals] program by chance, but it was one of the best things that happened to me at UCF. Not only did I meet amazing people but the professional and personal development I gained is priceless.”

The RWC is a department of the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.