Member Spotlight – Jordan Barrett
Our next Region IV Member Spotlight takes us to the state of Kansas. Jordan Barrett serves as the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation and Intramural Programs at Fort Hays State University (Fort Hays, KS). At FHSU, recreation falls under the Health and Human Performance Department.
Jordan started at Fort Hays State in August of 2019, returning to his alma mater, in a dual role as a faculty member as well. Jordan got his start in recreation as an undergraduate when he transferred from a community college to FHSU. Experience with the intramural program encouraged him to transition from K-12 education to collegiate recreation. “After a few semesters, I discovered I had more of a passion for collegiate recreation, so I changed my major to Sports/Recreation Management.”
Jordan continued his education at Fort Hays State, serving as a graduate assistant for Campus Intramurals and Recreational Sports. After a brief 6-month stint in city recreation, the passion for collegiate recreation pulled him back! Jordan accepted a position as the Assistant Director of Recreational Sports and Athletic Facilities at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN).
“We loved Indiana and miss it every day, (but) with both families being from Kansas, it was time to come home. I received an offer to come back to my Alma Mater. We are grateful to be back home, not only closer to family, but also back at FHSU.”
Throughout Jordan’s recreation career, he has served in a few committees. Back in Region III, he was on the All-Tournament Committee at the Regional Basketball Championship in 2019. After returning to Kansas, Jordan assisted with the NCS Basketball National Championships in Wichita, KS, in 2019 as well, serving on the Media Relations Committee.
Region IV is home to Jordan, and he’s happy to be back. “Region III will be where my NIRSA family started, as I wasn’t too involved with NIRSA and Region IV as an undergrad and grad, but I’m looking forward to the chance to create those relationships (in Region IV) that I recreated in Region III.”
Building relationships is an important part of Jordan’s experience in collegiate recreation, and not only across the Region with professional colleagues. “I’m very proud of the ability I have to create and maintain relationships with my students. It is their program, and as I creat a relationship wtih them and cultivate that, I can learn what their wants and needs are, so that we can create the best program for our students here. That will change everywhere you go, but the relationships will remain.”
One piece of advice Jordan shared for aspiring professionals – “Follow your passion, but maintain an interest in other fields of recreation. Don’t back yourself into a corner by focusing on only one thing.”
Welcome back to Region IV, Jordan!
