Campus Rec Podcast

It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry.

In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with Yvette Kell, the director of Campus Recreation at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

With nearly three decades of experience in the field, Kell brings both humor and hard-won wisdom to the director chair. From managing a groundbreaking wellness facility at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to teaching English in Korea after a career setback, her story is one of grit, growth and grit again. She opens up about the mental toll of leadership, the importance of reframing failure and why embracing lifelong learning has been key to her success.

It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry.  

In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with Jerrod Jackson, the director of MizzouRec Services and Facilities at the University of Missouri.

Jerrod Jackson’s leadership journey has taken him across some of the most well-known programs in collegiate recreation — including Texas A&M, LSU, and Nebraska — before stepping into his current role at Mizzou. With a career built on loyalty, humility, and a willingness to grow through every challenge, Jackson brings a refreshing level of honesty to the realities of campus rec leadership.

Jackson and Sheffield discuss everything from what it really takes to be ready for a director role to how to build relationships that move your department forward. With humor, passion, and vulnerability, Jackson offers a candid look at the highs and lows of leading one of the nation’s most iconic recreation centers.

In this episode, Jerrod Jackson discusses:

• Why years of experience alone don’t make you ready to be a director.

• How mentors and missed opportunities shaped his path to Mizzou.

• The lessons he learned from stints at LSU and Nebraska, and how they prepared him for success.

• How transparency with staff fosters trust, ownership, and a shared vision.

• The loneliness of leadership and why building a peer network is critical.

• What he misses about direct student engagement — and where he finds joy now.

• The importance of balancing self-critique with grace, and learning to say “I don’t know.”

• His biggest wins at Mizzou, from rebuilding org charts to securing new food service options.

Whether you’re new to the profession or eyeing your next leadership move, this episode offers practical lessons and heartfelt reflection on what it means to grow — and lead — in campus recreation.

In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with John MacDonald, the director of Campus Recreation Services at the University of Utah.

MacDonald didn’t follow the traditional path into campus rec. With roots in outdoor retail and no undergraduate experience in recreation, he stepped into the field by building an outdoor program from the ground up. Since then, his career has been defined by authenticity, humility and a passion for connecting people — both on campus and beyond.

Sheffield and MacDonald dive into the nuances of team development, the role of data in storytelling and what it really means to be a connector on campus. MacDonald’s leadership philosophy is a masterclass in meeting people where they are while never losing sight of the mission.

Episode 37: What They Don’t Tell You About Becoming a Director with Eric Hawkes and Dax Kuykendall by Campus Rec Magazine

Episode 36: Relational Leadership in Action with MIT's Stephanie Smith by Campus Rec Magazine

In this episode of the Supplier Voice podcast, Lauren Gilbert, the CEO of Arly, shares how her organization is redefining youth program management for campus recreation departments. Drawing from 30 years of research-backed experience, Gilbert explains how Arly is helping universities streamline complex programming needs through one powerful platform.

Episode 35: From Japan to Missouri, Ashleigh Lewellen Shares Her Unscripted Path to Leadership by Campus Rec Magazine

Welcome to the Director Download, powered by Campus Rec Magazine.

It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry.   

In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with Lynn Thompson, the senior director of Recreation and Wellbeing at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC)

Lynne Thompson didn’t always see herself as a director. But through maximizing every role she stepped into and building a career grounded in mentorship, psychological safety, and team development, she’s become a leader shaping the future of campus recreation.

Thompson and Sheffield cover everything from building a culture of psychological safety and empowering staff, to navigating professional boundaries and growing wellness-focused programming. Thompson’s people-first leadership style and passion for continuous improvement offer practical insights for anyone seeking to strengthen their team and drive student success.

So, whether you’re looking to enhance your leadership approach, better support your staff, or gain inspiration for the future of recreation and well-being, this episode is full of valuable lessons you can put into practice today.

Enjoy!

In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, sits down with Jeff Keenan, the director of Rec Sports at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Keenan’s journey through campus recreation has taken him across the country, from outdoor adventures in Wisconsin to leadership roles on the East Coast. His career path is a testament to adaptability, professional growth and the power of student development in recreation.

In this podcast episode, Dan Sawyer, the CEO of Brock USA, shares his 25-year journey of pioneering athlete safety, sustainability and innovation in the sports field industry. From founding Brock USA in 1998 to revolutionizing shock pad technology, Sawyer discusses his passion for data-driven solutions and the drive to protect athletes on artificial turf fields.

The conversation explores:

• Key Challenges in Campus Rec: Managing aging infrastructure, balancing budgets, and addressing sustainability demands.

• Innovations in Artificial Turf: How technological advancements are addressing misconceptions about artificial turf's environmental impact and safety.

• Sustainability Trends: The shift away from microplastics and the rise of organic infill solutions driven by European regulations.

• Real-World Solutions: Case studies from Ohio State and the University of Michigan highlight how Brock USA's products enhance safety, sustainability, and long-term field durability.

Sawyer reflects on the importance of safety, sustainability and innovation, emphasizing campus rec professionals play a crucial role in providing quality facilities for students. His commitment to environmental responsibility and athlete protection is evident in every project Brock USA undertakes.