The David A. Beckerman Recreation Center, more popularly known as the REC Center, is the largest student employer on campus and their hiring process has officially begun for the spring semester.

The REC Center offers many different entry-level jobs for students. Students can be hired as a fitness attendant (FA), a customer service attendant (CSA), a REC sports official, a member of the creative team, a personal trainer, or a class instructor. Beyond these entry-level positions, students can also be promoted to building supervisor or REC sports supervisor. Along with these promotions, students are also able to hold more than one position at the REC center.

All of the entry level positions involve different training and hiring processes. FAs, CSAs, and the creative team members will all attend an information session and then apply with their resume and a cover letter to get an interview. REC sports officials attend an information session as well as a series of trainings and are then told if they are going to be hired or not. Personal trainers and class instructors are typically hired at any point during the year. For these positions, potential employees submit a resume and cover letter and move forward from there.

It is often advertised that working at the REC center is the most fun job on campus, and most student employees tend to agree. Current senior Charlie Williams is a Criminal Justice major who started his career at the REC center as a REC Sports Official and has recently been promoted to a REC Sports Supervisor. When asked about his job, Williams said, “My favorite thing about this job is that it is just so much fun.” Williams has worked at the REC center for two years.

While you will meet a lot of employees at the REC Center who are Sports Management majors or student athletes, they are not the only people who can or do work at the REC Center. Current junior Brannon McTigue is a Forensic Science Major who, like Williams, began his career at the REC Center as an official and was recently promoted to a REC Sports Supervisor. For McTigue, his motivation to work at the REC Center was simply because he had enjoyed his experience with the REC Sports program.

When asked why he wanted to work with REC Sports, McTigue said, “I wanted other people to enjoy it the way I had.” McTigue has also said that because the job is so fun, he never dreads coming into work, and he highly recommends others experience REC Sports for themselves either through employment or participation.

REC Sports is merely one part of the REC Center. Current senior, Haley Duscha, is a Nutrition and Dietetics Major who was instantly drawn to the REC Center upon arriving on campus. Duscha initially joined TeamREC as an official and then became a Fitness Attendant. From there she was promoted to a REC Sports Supervisor. Duscha was also recently promoted to Building Supervisor. Like Williams and McTigue, Duscha loves her job at the REC Center and never dreads a shift. Duscha said, “My favorite thing about working at the REC definitely is the people I work with – they have grown to be my friends.” Duscha, as well as Williams and McTigue, are all active participants of REC Sports when they are not working.

While everyone will experience the REC Center in their own way, Duscha, Williams and McTigue all thoroughly enjoy the program. Duscha stresses that “There are so many more opportunities at the REC than many people even know – it just takes some interest to get involved.” Many people assume that they have to sit at a desk all day to work at the REC Center or assume they have to be athletic and understand sports, when in reality, the REC Center hires all types of people and can be fun for everyone. Williams said that he has “loved every single aspect of [the REC Center]” and also says, about his REC Sports experience, that “I will take it with me for the rest of my life.”
As of now, hiring for REC Sports Officials has ended; however, it is still possible to get involved with the REC Center in one of the other positions.