Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the Commission for Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness. Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at [email protected] or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
OUR MISSION
RAWC objectives
In congruence with ACPA’s strategic goals (knowledge & competencies, professional & career development, membership & recruitment), RAWC will capitalize on the unique strengths of ACPA to achieve the following objectives and outcomes:
- To focus on student learning and development— create professional development opportunities that will assist professionals to:
- Understand the impact of participation in recreational sports, athletics, and wellness activities on students; and to value the unique issues and concerns of students in association with their specific context of experience (recreation, athletics, wellness) through the lens of student learning and development.
- Articulate specific areas of knowledge and competencies that serve as student learning outcomes as a result of experience in programs and services in recreation, athletics, and wellness.
- Understand and use assessment methods appropriate in determining the manner and degree to which learning and development has occurred.
- To focus on creation and dissemination of knowledge— contribute to existing ACPA publications/materials and develop additional professional development publications/materials and opportunities that:
- Add to the existing body of knowledge on topics relevant to campus recreation, athletics, and wellness.
- Convey the unique contributions of a student affairs perspective to the appropriate bodies of knowledge on campus recreation, athletics, and wellness.
- Facilitate and encourage professional’s examination of the bodies of knowledge on campus recreation in support of informed and effective practice.
- To focus on the development of professional competencies paired with career advancement— assist in the articulation of the knowledge and skills needed by student affairs professionals who serve in or address issues in campus recreation, athletics, and/or wellness:
- As areas of skill and knowledge are defined, such definition will be utilized as a curricular foundation and rationale for programs, services, publications, and other forms of professional development offered by TFRA to ACPA members and student affairs professionals. This includes resources and programs for Alcohol and Other Drug facilitators.
- Endorsements of specified knowledge and skills will be secured from relevant professional associations and relevant groups (NIRSA, NCAA, etc.)
- Quality professional and career development opportunities will be provided, year-round, that appeal to scholars and practitioners at every career level, including professional preparation. These opportunities will also include networking, programs, and activities at the national conference as well as other events for all ACPA members to help sustain a holistic culture through the various dimensions of wellness.
operating documents
Proposal for Commission Merger (PDF) (Spring 2018)
Operating Documents for the Commission for Recreation and Athletics (RAWC) (PDF) (as of September 10, 2010).
History
The Task Force for Recreation and Athletics was approved to join the permanent commission structure of ACPA as the Commission for Recreation and Athletics (CRA) in September of 2010. In March of 2018, ACPA approved the merger of the Commission for Recreation and Athletics and the Commission of Wellness to form the Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness Commission (RAWC).
News & Updates
upcoming events
There are no upcoming events at this time
Meet the Directorate
James Archibald
Chair
Associate Professor of Higher Education
Valdosta State University
he/him/his
jgarchibald
@valdosta.edu
McKenzie McNamara
Vice Chair of Administration
Associate Director of Alcohol and Other Drug Initiatives
Clemson University
she/her/hers
Mcnama7
@clemson.edu
Catherine Thompson
Vice Chair of Conventions
Academic Counselor, Sr. for Health & Sport Sciences
University of Louisville
she/her/hers
cathom31
@louisville.edu
Justin Sanchez
Vice Chair of External Affairs
Residence Hall Director
Valdosta State University
he/him/his
jjsanchez
@valdosta.edu
Emily Goupil
Vice Chair of Membership & Outreach
Coordinator of Instructional and Youth Programs
University of New Hampshire
she/her/hers
emily.goupil
@unh.edu
RAWC WITH US
RAWC wants you on our team! Get involved with the following committees/leadership opportunities to support our mission and share your expertise and/or passion areas with the ACPA community.
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
- Click Groups
- Click Active Groups
- Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join
Contact [email protected], to learn more about ACPA’s Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Commission!
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Awards: We always need people to help select our award winners and recognize colleagues in the field. If you are interested in serving on the Awards Committee, please email our Vice Chair of Awards and Elections at [email protected].
- Convention Activities: If you know you will be attending the Annual ACPA Convention and would like to help, we need people to review proposals, introduce presenters for our sponsored programs, and/or coordinate RAWC convention events. If you would like to be involved with convention activities, please contact Catherine Thompson, Vice Chair of Conventions, at [email protected].
- Professional Development: Our professional development opportunities commonly include webinars, white papers, and other resources to support the work and scholarship of our members. If you have a presentation you would like considered for a webinar or other publication materials, please contact James Archibald, Commission Chair, at [email protected].
- Social Media: If you want to share a best practice from your campus or research findings with other members of our commission, please consider submitting that information to be shared among our social media sites. Please submit your articles and submissions to Rachel Brunson, Vice Chair for Social Media, at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdDWQMHam3glE6PkYaXj-.p8WU11oIaQLvX62_IJfXc0m53HCg/viewform Please utilize this form to submit information to be posted/shared out through the Recreation, Athletics, & Wellness’ social media accounts. All members of the ACPA community and other relevant organizations are encouraged to share updates through this form. Submissions will be built into the Commission’s social media calendar.
- Leadership: If you are interested in being a leader in our Commission, consider running for an elected Directorate Board Member (Vice Chair) position! To learn more about leadership opportunities contact James Archibald, Commission Chair, at [email protected].
RAWC Awards
Every year, the RAWC uses our annual awards as a way to recognize and appreciate the exemplary work in the field of recreation, athletics, and wellness. Below are the names of individuals who are excited to recognize for the hard work and dedication in the field.
Distinguished Scholar: The purpose of this award is to recognize a member of the RAWC for their scholarly contributions to the advancement of intercollegiate athletics, campus recreation, and/or wellness. Candidates must be a current member in good standing of ACPA and the RAWC and register to attend the ACPA National Convention. Individuals may self-nominate for the award or be nominated by another member of the RAWC. In addition to the online nomination form, a current resume or CV and brief summary of their work (not to exceed 2 double-spaced pages) should be submitted for review. The award recipient will be asked to provide an edited version of their work for publication in the RAWC newsletter prior to the convention.
- Previous Awardees:
- 2014 – Scott Hirko, Assistant Professor, Central Michigan University
- 2012 – Lawrence Mrozek, Assistant Professor, University of Central Arkansas
- 2013 – Kristina Navarro, Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma
Outstanding Contribution: The purpose of this award is to honor a member of the community for their contributions and commitment to student learning and development in campus recreation, intercollegiate athletics, and/or wellness. Nominees do not have to be members of ACPA or the RAWC for consideration.
- Previous Awardees:
- 2020 – Liana Natochy, Alcohol and Other Drugs Education Coordinator, University Health Center, University of Georgia
- 2018 – James Archibald, Associate Professor, Valdosta State University
- 2014 – Stacy Hall, Director of Campus Recreation, University of New Hampshire
- 2013 – Jennifer Hoffman, Asssistant Professor, Center for Leadership in Athletics, University of Washington
- 2012 – Jim Pignataro, Associate Athletic Director, Michigan State University
Graduate Student/New Professional Travel Award: The purpose of this award is to assist a new professional with the cost of attending the ACPA National Convention while supporting them in the engagement of the activities of our Commission. The recipient of this grant will receive a $150 stipend to help off-set the costs of their convention registration fees, hotel accommodations, or travel expenses. To be eligible for the grant, applicants must be a current member in good standing of ACPA and RAWC. Applicants must have no more than 4 years of post-collegiate professional experience in intercollegiate athletics, campus recreation, and/or wellness, excluding part-time employment or graduate assistantships.
- Previous Awardees:
- 2018 – Catherine Thompson, University of Louisville
- 2014 – Molly McInerney, Undergraduate Student, University of West Georgia
- 2013 – Casey Stark, Graduate Student, Bowling Green State University
- 2012 – Melanie Warren, Graduate Student, Canisius College
If you have any questions about entity awards, please contact our Vice Chair of Awards and Elections at [email protected].