State Student Representative Candidate:
Paola Recio
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Current Position: Student Supervisor for Aquatics
What experience do you bring to the role that makes you the best candidate?
"I have worked both sides of the student recreation center as both a student employee and now as a student supervisor. Currently, I supervise the lifeguards, the scheduling process, the certification process, in-service training for the lifeguards, and the daily operations for the aquatic area. What I think would make me the best candidate is that I have worked both sides as a student employee and now as a student supervisor. I know what it is like to be in the shoes of the student employees as they juggle other aspects of life with work and other activities."
How will this position set you up for success in your current role and future aspirations?
"I do a lot of operational leadership in my current position. This position would provide a better understanding of the bigger picture in terms of decision-making in campus recreation and how different areas relate to each other. This would help me better explain policies, advocate for staff, and understand the reasoning behind bigger decisions. Long-term, I would like to continue to progress in leadership positions that require strategic thinking, organizational understanding, and communication. Being a part of PIRSA leadership would challenge me to think bigger than my department and represent my students at a higher level. This is an experience that will help me anywhere I go in my professional career."
What do you feel the PIRSA Leadership team should know about the student experience within student employment or campus recreation?
"Something that I think is important to recognize is that student employment in a campus recreation environment is a very specific environment. It is a work environment, but it is also a leadership environment. A lot of students are learning how to manage, learning how to communicate in a work environment, learning how to manage pressure for the first time. I think the environment is a big deal because students don't just want hours; they want to learn. They want to know what is expected of them as well as they want to have the opportunity to be able to step up. I think there is a little bit of a disconnect between policy and reality. Something may make sense in policy, but in reality, it can be stressful for our student staff. Having a leadership team that understands what a shift looks like on a busy night or during midterms makes significant difference. At the end of the day, if our student staff feels ready, supported, and valued, the entire culture of our campus recreation environment is enhanced, and it begins with our leadership."
Additional comments from the candidate:
"I have learned much about myself through campus recreation. It has been more than just a job for me it has been a place where I have found confidence, decision-making skills, and the ability to lead peers who are just as much my friends as they are my employees. As such, I am passionate about ensuring the continuation of this experience for others. I recognize the significance of this environment for students, both professionally and personally. I would hope to bring to the table the ability to offer a well-rounded perspective as someone who has worked within the operations of the department but has also been a student employee trying to find my way."
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Current Position: Student Supervisor for Aquatics
What experience do you bring to the role that makes you the best candidate?
"I have worked both sides of the student recreation center as both a student employee and now as a student supervisor. Currently, I supervise the lifeguards, the scheduling process, the certification process, in-service training for the lifeguards, and the daily operations for the aquatic area. What I think would make me the best candidate is that I have worked both sides as a student employee and now as a student supervisor. I know what it is like to be in the shoes of the student employees as they juggle other aspects of life with work and other activities."
How will this position set you up for success in your current role and future aspirations?
"I do a lot of operational leadership in my current position. This position would provide a better understanding of the bigger picture in terms of decision-making in campus recreation and how different areas relate to each other. This would help me better explain policies, advocate for staff, and understand the reasoning behind bigger decisions. Long-term, I would like to continue to progress in leadership positions that require strategic thinking, organizational understanding, and communication. Being a part of PIRSA leadership would challenge me to think bigger than my department and represent my students at a higher level. This is an experience that will help me anywhere I go in my professional career."
What do you feel the PIRSA Leadership team should know about the student experience within student employment or campus recreation?
"Something that I think is important to recognize is that student employment in a campus recreation environment is a very specific environment. It is a work environment, but it is also a leadership environment. A lot of students are learning how to manage, learning how to communicate in a work environment, learning how to manage pressure for the first time. I think the environment is a big deal because students don't just want hours; they want to learn. They want to know what is expected of them as well as they want to have the opportunity to be able to step up. I think there is a little bit of a disconnect between policy and reality. Something may make sense in policy, but in reality, it can be stressful for our student staff. Having a leadership team that understands what a shift looks like on a busy night or during midterms makes significant difference. At the end of the day, if our student staff feels ready, supported, and valued, the entire culture of our campus recreation environment is enhanced, and it begins with our leadership."
Additional comments from the candidate:
"I have learned much about myself through campus recreation. It has been more than just a job for me it has been a place where I have found confidence, decision-making skills, and the ability to lead peers who are just as much my friends as they are my employees. As such, I am passionate about ensuring the continuation of this experience for others. I recognize the significance of this environment for students, both professionally and personally. I would hope to bring to the table the ability to offer a well-rounded perspective as someone who has worked within the operations of the department but has also been a student employee trying to find my way."