NIRSA Involvement and Awards:
- NIRSA State Director, Texas (2020-Present)
- NIRSA Region IV Student Development Committee (2020-Present)
- Chair (2020)
- National Service Award (2019)
- Region IV Regional Basketball Tournament (2010-2018)
- Host Committee (2018)
- NIRSA National Championship Series Brand Management Work Team, Chair (2017-2018)
- NIRSA National Soccer Tournament (2016-2017)
- USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships (2017)
- NIRSA National Championship Series, Executive Board (2015-Present)
- Chair (2017-2018)
- Intramural Sports Institute Committee (2014)
- National Student Service Award (2011)
- NIRSA National Flag Football Tournament (2010-2015)
- Tournament Director (2015)
- Host Committee, Director of Operations (2010-2011, 2014)
- Region IV Regional Flag Football Tournament, (2010-2017)
- NIRSA Assembly Work Team (2009-2010)
- Region III Student Lead On Conference, Student Coordinator (2009-2010)
- Region III Student Lead On, Host and Programming Committee (2008-2009)
Member Spotlight – Oscee Wheatfall III
Today we feature another member of the Region IV Leadership Team, Oscee Wheatfall III. Oscee serves as the Member Network Representative for the state of Texas. Additionally, Oscee holds the title of Chair of the Region IV Student Development Committee.
Aside from his current leadership roles, Oscee is the Facility Operations Director with Texas A&M Recreation Sports at the College Station campus, a role he has held since 2018. Oscee did not start his recreation career in facility operations, nor did he start his career in recreation on purpose. Rather:
My recreational sports journey just kind of happened. I started out as a freshmen work study student working in one of the dining halls serving chicken strips. I would miss opportunities with friends, did not receive any development and smelled like chicken constantly. One day I saw one of my friends come back from Whittaker Fields at (the University of Texas at Austin), and he had on an official’s shirt and I asked him what he was doing. He told me he officiated flag football games and I thought to myself, “well if he can do it, so can I.” The next spring I declined my dining hall job and walked into Gregory Gym on campus and never walked out. I became a basketball official and worked any and every game I could. Then I transitioned to more sports in the fall which eventually turned into a supervisor role, followed by a program assistant and then a student coordinator.
As many recreation professionals discovering the field professionally, Oscee was a few months from earning his undergraduate degree and was in need of a career path. “I thought I was good at this Intramural Sports thing,” so Oscee took some great professional advice and pursued a graduate assistantship. Oscee completed an intramural sports graduate assistantship at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne from 2008-2010.
Oscee’s experience led him to start his professional career with Texas A&M Rec Sports, first as the Coordinator of Intramural Sports, then as an Assistant Director of that same program area. After eight years between these two roles, “an opportunity presented itself at A&M for me to transition into the Facility Operations side of the house back in 2018 and I jumped at the chance and have been in this role ever since.”
As Oscee just recently surpassed the 10-year mark with Texas A&M Rec Sports, he has had numerous opportunities to impact that community:
Being able to be highly involved with two of the biggest areas of campus recreation has afforded me the ability to interact and development not only myself but a lot of students. I have been fortunate to have great coworkers that support as well as challenge me. We have been able to recruit great graduate assistants that really bought in and became awesome professionals themselves. My goal has to always leave it better than I found it and I believe I have done that in the areas I have been fortunate to work here at Texas A&M.
Oscee is not only proud of his role at Texas A&M, but is a proud Texan. When asked for his favorite part about being in Region IV, he said this:
I cannot lie about this, my favorite part is the Texas contingency and our pride in being “that” state. Whatever “that” is depends on the person you ask. I think we do a lot of things for the betterment of the state and the region and I have had some great examples to look up to. We have a voice and are active within NIRSA and the student and professionals alike care about what is happening in our region.
In addition to serving the state of Texas, Oscee has also been influential within Region IV and across the Association, taking advantage of opportunities over his 17 years in recreation. This is evident by working in multiple program areas and serving on various committees and work teams. When asked to share some advice for aspiring professionals, Oscee shared this:
Whether you use your graduate assistantship to engage and network with more professionals or your undergraduate experience to sharpen your leadership or presenter skills, make sure you put yourself in a position to be utilized. So many times we have a narrow focus on “I am just here for Intramural Sports, Fitness or Facilities,” but there are much more opportunities that are available due to your association with a program. Make sure to ask your professional staff or mentors about these so that when you are looking for your next step, you have these extra experiences to round you out.
This may come as no surprise to those that know Oscee, but “something people may not know about me by just seeing me is I love to laugh. Being at conferences and seeing my people and cracking up during presentations or meetings is the best.” Though he may not be able to connect with the NIRSA Family in person this year, Oscee continues to enjoy the company of good friends.
One non-work related fun fact about Oscee is his affinity for cooking, and specifically cooking shows. “I am a huge fan of Top Chef, Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay. I can make some things in the kitchen, but I envy the skills those contestants have and their ability to make what seems like 5 star meals in a matter of minutes.”
Sounds like Oscee’s cooking at the next NIRSA Family Reunion!
