Scholarships and Awards

Professional Scholarships

  • ORSA is fortunate to be able to provide a variety of scholarships and stipends to its members to help offset travel and/or costs associated with attending professional development opportunities. All applications for scholarships and stipends will be reviewed by the Professional Development Committee and evaluated on the following criteria. Please review the Criteria section.

  • All applications for scholarships and stipends will be reviewed by the Professional Development Committee and evaluated on the following criteria:

    • Quality of the applicant’s submission responses.

    • ORSA involvement.

    • Applicant's past involvement in NIRSA national, regional, and state workshop/conferences, committees, presentations, and volunteer opportunities.

    • Applicant's career goals and commitment to NIRSA at the national, regional, and state levels.

    • Applicant's ability to clearly articulate their purpose for attending the professional development opportunity.

    • Quality and professionalism of the applicant's resume/vitae.

  • ORSA is excited to again offer student and professional scholarships to individuals at ORSA institutions. Next year’s ORSA State Workshop will take place at the University of Dayton from October 23 - 25, 2024. More information will be shared closer to the state workshop.

  • ORSA offers travel stipends to active ORSA members who need additional financial assistance to a development opportunity of their choosing. These stipends, while available year-round, are limited, as they are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Professional Development Committee will contact winners and post when all stipends have been disbursed. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

    To apply for the ORSA Travel Stipend, click here.

    The travel stipend is awarded to cover professional development travel related costs (air or ground transportation, lodging).

  • ORSA is proud to offer financial aid for ORSA members to attend NIRSA 2024 Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ April 17 – April 20. Funds are available for both professional and student staff. Scholarships are awarded as a reimbursement following the conclusion of the conference. Applications close Friday, March 1, 2024.

    To apply for the Professional Scholarship Application, click here.

    Students may apply to the Besner/Sells Student Scholarship.

    For more information about the student scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference, please visit the Student Scholarships dropdown menu.

Student Scholarships

  • ORSA is fortunate to be able to provide a variety of scholarships and stipends to its members to help offset travel and/or costs associated with attending professional development opportunities. Please review the following opportunities below.

  • All applications for scholarships and stipends will be reviewed by the Professional Development Committee and evaluated on the following criteria:

    • Quality of the applicant’s submission responses.

    • ORSA involvement.

    • Applicant's past involvement in NIRSA national, regional, and state workshop/conferences, committees, presentations, and volunteer opportunities.

    • Applicant's career goals and commitment to NIRSA at the national, regional, and state levels.

    • Applicant's ability to clearly articulate their purpose for attending the professional development opportunity.

    • Quality and professionalism of the applicant's resume/vitae.

  • ORSA is excited to again offer student scholarships to individuals at ORSA institutions. Next year’s ORSA State Workshop will take place at the University of Dayton from October 23 - 25, 2024. More information will be shared closer to the state workshop.

  • ORSA is proud to offer financial aid for ORSA members to attend Region III Student Lead On at The Ohio State University, February 8-10, 2024.

    2024 J. Michel Dunn Region III Student Lead On Scholarship Recipients:

    • Bhanu Suraj Kurella –University of Cincinnati

    • Joe Forcht – Cleveland State University

    • Kolby Carothers – The Ohio State University

    • Lindsey Frederick –University of Cincinnati

    • Liz Snow – Cleveland State University

    • Michaela Kopczewski – The Ohio State University

    • Miranda Yauger –Cleveland State University

    • Sharvani Girish Patil –University of Cincinnati

    • Tori Shankle – Youngstown State University

    • Xavier Deloatch – The Ohio State University

  • ORSA is proud to offer financial aid for ORSA members to attend NIRSA 2024 Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ April 17 – April 20. Funds are available for both professional and student staff.

    Scholarships are awarded as a reimbursement following the conclusion of the conference. Applications close Friday, March 1, 2024.

    To apply for the Besner/Sells Student Scholarship, click here.

    Professionals may apply to the Professional Scholarship.

    For more information about the professional staff scholarships to the NIRSA Annual Conference, please visit the Professional Scholarships dropdown menu.

  • ORSA offers travel stipends to active ORSA members who need additional financial assistance to a development opportunity of their choosing. These stipends, while available year-round, are limited, as they are offered on a first - come, first - serve basis. The Professional Development Committee will contact winners and post when all stipends have been disbursed. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

    To apply for the ORSA Travel Stipend, click here.

    The travel stipend is awarded to cover professional development travel related costs (air or ground transportation, lodging).

Honor Award

  • The ORSA Honor Award was created as a way of recognizing the outstanding contributions of current or former individual members of the Ohio Recreational Sports Association. The award is presented a maximum of every other year to a professional, “In recognition of their unselfish dedication, exceptional leadership and outstanding contributions to the promotion, growth and development of the recreational sports profession.”

  • Criteria:

    1. Significant involvement in and contribution to the Ohio Recreational Sports Association - 70%

    Examples include:

    • Minimum five years active membership and involvement in ORSA.

    • Innovative or strategic leadership within the state association (i.e, serving on ORSA Executive Committee).

    • Extraordinary dedication or creativity exhibited as a member of an ORSA committee.

    • Significant contribution in developing, coordinating, and/or hosting an ORSA conference, workshop or tournament.

    • Conducting presentations at ORSA workshops.

    • Significant contribution to ORSA publications (i.e., writing articles for newsletter), media presentations, special projects, or fundraising.

    • Significant contribution to the promotion and growth of ORSA through the cultivation of individual or institutional ORSA membership.

    • Personal commitment to attending ORSA workshops as well as encouraging professional and student staff to attend and become active in ORSA.

    • Signification contribution in the development of students and young professionals on campus and within ORSA.

    2. Involvement and contribution to NIRSA on a national and regional level as well as local campus impact - 30%

    Examples include:

    Active involvement in NIRSA.

    • Innovative or strategic leadership within NIRSA (i.e, serving on Executive Committee).

    • Extraordinary dedication or creativity exhibited as a member of a NIRSA committee.

    • Significant contribution in developing, coordinating, and/or hosting a regional or national conference or tournament.

    • Conducting presentations at regional or national conferences.

    • Significant contribution to NIRSA publications, media presentations or special projects (i.e., writing articles).

    • Significant contribution to the promotion and growth of NIRSA through the cultivation of individual or institutional membership.

    • Personal commitment to attending regional and national workshops as well as encouraging professional and student staff to attend and become active in NIRSA.

    • Signification contribution in the development of students and young professionals on campus and within NIRSA.

  • (Note: Nominations will be carried over for four years and then released unless re-nominated.)

    The Nomination Packet should include:

    • Current resume or vita of nominee including number of years as an ORSA member.

    • Letter of recommendation from nominator (ORSA professional member) including name, institution, email address, phone number, fax number, and number of years as an ORSA member.

    • List of accomplishments that relate directly to the criteria listed below

    • Nominations for the ORSA Honor Award were due by Friday, September 22, 2023. More information will be released for the 2024 Honor Award Nomination Process in the summer / fall of 2024.

    • Please submit all materials to Chair Kim Schmidt at kim.schmidt@uc.edu.

    • 2023 Greg Ross, CENTERS

    • 2021 Nick Froelich, Cleveland State University

    • 2019 Rob Jech, The Ohio State University

    • 2017 Jim Jamriska, Indiana University Bloomington

    • 2015 Kendra Violet, University of Cincinnati

    • 2013 Doug Curry, Miami University

    • 2011 Joy Polkabla-Byers, Youngstown State University

    • 2009 Sean Ries, Cleveland State University

    • 2007 Dave DeAngelo, The Ohio State University

    • 2005 Thad Long, Bowling Green State University

    • 2004 Kim Schmidt, University of Cincinnati

    • 2003 Award not presented

    • 2002 Greg Jordan, Oakland University

    • 2001 Greg Sferra, Slippery Rock University

    • 2000 Pat Besner, University of Toledo

    • 1999 Paul Milton, Kent State University

    • 1998 Pat Kennedy, Case Western Reserve University

    • 1997 Bills Sells, Ohio University

    • 1996 Patti Holmes, Holmes Training and Dev.

    • 1995 Sally Myers, Miami University

    • 1994 Larry Spencer, University of Toledo

    • 1993 Ken Kaiser, Ohio State University

    • 1992 Dr. Tim Miller, Baldwin Wallace College

    • 1991 Winona Vannoy, Kent State University

    • 1990 Steve Kintigh, Texas Christian University

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