#Recreational Sports

[utcampuslifeupdate]

2025 President’s Exemplary Service Awards

President’s Exemplary Service Award Recipients: Dana Phillips (Office of the Dean of Students), Debra Steinman (Counseling and Mental Health Center, Longhorn Wellness Center, University Health Services), Katie Meade (New Student Services) and Caleb King (Recreational Sports)

The Division of Student Affairs expanded its annual awards ceremony on Jan. 22 to include the President’s Exemplary Service Award recipients*. The team recognized these four colleagues for their impact on student programs, communications and data analytics.

Caleb King Senior Program Assistant, Recreational Sports

From walking students through how to handle customer service to helping get cubbies for their backpacks – Caleb King helps make Recreational Sports a home for many Longhorns. He became a full-time employee in 2023 after graduating from UT Austin. However, he began his career with Recreational Sports in 2021 as a student facility supervisor in Gregory Gym and program assistant.

Part of his day-to-day role now includes managing student employees and he’s well known for impacting the students that he interacts with every day. King checks in with students and takes the time to get to know what is going on in each of their lives. His deep consideration and care shows his commitment to putting students first.

Katie Meade Manager of Communications and Marketing, New Student Services

Katie Meade plays a critical role in communicating University resources to incoming undergraduate students through customized, effective campaigns. New Student Services runs New Student Orientation and Family Orientation, as well as Longhorn Welcome and Spring Welcome. These programs help set students up for success as they transition to campus life and the department also has a variety of programs and initiatives throughout the year open to all students.

Meade’s impact goes beyond her collaboration on communications and marketing. She has a direct influence on the department’s student employees and interns. As she mentors and teaches each student employee, she’s offering constructive feedback to help them learn and grow in their roles and prepare for their future careers.

Dana Phillips Volunteerism and Service-Learning Coordinator, Office of the Dean of Students

Through volunteer programs and opportunities, Dana Phillips is helping students develop leadership skills and an ability to solve complex problems. Her role includes advising the UT Collective student organization and helping coordinate The Project, the University’s largest day of service. She also supports the unit’s other programs – like Alternative Breaks – and coordinates volunteer efforts with other staff in the office – like the Sorority and Fraternity Life team.

Phillips also goes above and beyond spending additional time with students to make sure they are prepared for their events. And, she does whatever is needed to get the job done – even learning how to master power tools. She consistently puts students first by helping them build community through these Office of the Dean of Students programs.

Debra Steinman Data Analyst, Counseling and Mental Health Center, Longhorn Wellness Center and University Health Services

While Debra Steinman’s job is behind the scenes, her work makes a positive difference in the lives of our students. Steinman’s data reports for Healthyhorns were used to identify gaps in student access to the Counseling and Mental Health Center. Her data collection and analysis led to UT System contracting with TimelyCare, a 24/7 free virtual mental health and well-being platform for our students. Now this resource is making it easier for students to access the support they need to be successful on campus and prepare for life afterwards.

Steinman’s team can also count on her. She’s known for always giving 100% and working diligently to solve problems with a no quit attitude – all to support students.

Congratulations to these outstanding members of the team who work day in and day out to put our students first!

*The Division celebrated King, Meade, Phillips and Steinman at the Division-wide Meeting Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony on Jan. 22. James Buckley, Bridget Jones and Rebekah Williams also received Texas Parents Staff Merit Awards during the ceremony.

[hsmagazine254]

Discovering a New Path to Fitness: Starting Sports as an Adult

Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle Through Sports If you never had much interest in sports during your younger years, it’s never too late to embark on a journey towards better health and body strength. As you age, taking care of your physical well-being becomes increasingly important. In this article, we’ll explore some sports that you can start with as an adult to kickstart your fitness journey and…

[mensfactory]

800 hp 1967 Shelby GT500CR

A reimagined Mustang from Classic Recreations,

The limited-edition model will comprise only 10 examples, each priced at $625,000, of which $100,000 of that will go to the American Heart Association and its latest “Life is Why” campaign.

[reunitedinterlude]

phil in the dragon onesie

[nemfrog]

The dive. Speed swimming. 1914.

Internet Archive

[livetogether--diealone]

godiwishthatwereme.jpg

[galleryofart]

A Party Angling

Artist: George Morland (English, 1763–1804)

Date: 1789

Medium: OIl on canvas

Collection: Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut, United States

[novelties-and-notions]

In the tiny Scottish hamlet of Sunnyville (which the locals still call Athmothogair), where the houses still standing are invariably shabby but never chic, weather conditions in the winter months are so inclement that the residents are obliged to take their recreation and exercise indoors, for at any time that it is not freezing outside, it is sure to be both windy and exceedingly wet.

As a result, some of the older residents have devised slightly eccentric methods of ensuring that they keep fit during the long, dark winters, but in such a remote location what might pass as unusual behaviour in more modern and densely populated places barely causes an eyebrow to be raised.

[nocternalrandomness]

Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun - East Kirby Airshow

[thatsbelievable]

[utcampuslifeupdate]

Staff Merit Award: Bridget Jones

Bridget Jones, Senior Assistant Director for Sport Clubs, Recreational Sports

Bridget Jones embodies Recreational Sports’ philosophy of “education through recreation,” empowering students to become leaders as they navigate complex situations in 43 Sport Clubs. She approaches her oversight of these sponsored student organizations as a coach – guiding students to make hard decisions and equipping them with a dynamic skillset that will last their lifetime. The Division of Student Affairs is recognizing her for going the extra mile to put students first with a Texas Parents Staff Merit Award.*

“Bridget goes far and beyond her role as an advisor. There were times that I was really struggling with balancing the club’s responsibilities and academics. She stepped up to share the load with me. She has definitely made a positive impact on my time here,” said Jacob Rollins, a senior aerospace engineering major from Houston and the former president of the Men’s Lacrosse team.

Jones (front row, far right) with the Sport Club Association in 2019

While Jones oversees the Sport Clubs program, she also directly advises the students in 22 of those clubs on their operations and competitions with other universities. Clubs must manage their budgets, fundraise, purchase airfare and coordinate lodging for their members. Since most students do not have prior experience with these tasks, Jones’ role is to help them navigate complex University procedures, helping them manage thousands of dollars and travel arrangements.

As she advises, she also imparts life lessons. For Rollins, it was how to negotiate with an equipment vendor who had made a mistake on an order. Jones helped Rollins prepare for the meeting. The result? After the meeting, he received credit back for the mistakes the company made. Instead of applying a cookie cutter approach to all, Jones recognizes the unique strengths of each student and club.

Jones (second from right) with Recreational Sports Student Employee Scholarship recipients in April 2022

“As their advisor, I guide them in making difficult decisions and help them develop the skills they need to successfully lead their peers. We also find that students learn resiliency as we help them navigate challenging situations. It's truly rewarding to watch students transform into leaders through their experiences in our program,” Jones shared.

Additionally, Jones’ chairs the RecSports Student Engagement Committee comprised of eight professional staff members who supervise student employees. She also co-chairs the RecSports Student Staff Advisory Council where 12 student employees provide insight to help enhance the student employee experience.

Jones (far left) with Recreational Sports staff at Party on the Plaza in August 2022

Kudos to Jones for instilling qualities in our students that will prepare them for their careers and lives after graduation!

*Parents and families created the Texas Parents Staff Merit Awards in 1997 to show their appreciation for the work that is done in the Division, day in and day out. The Division honored Jones, James Buckley and Rebekah Williams, and four Exemplary Service Award recipients, at the Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony on Jan. 22.

[cerealkiller740]

1962 Budweiser advertisement

[deep-space-lines]

hey queer afab people in my phone yknow when u have an Interaction with your mother that makes u go wow despite claiming she accepts me for who i am she is projecting an imaginary perfect daughter onto me

[mensfactory]

Bugatti 'Aerolithe'

Only four Type 57 Atlantic Coupes were ever produced by Bugatti. One of them went to Parisian entrepreneur Jacques Holzshuh, before meeting its end on a railway crossing. Another was delivered new to Baron Victor Rothschild and is owned today by American collector Peter Mullin. A third is currently in the hands of Ralph Lauren, while the fourth? Nobody knows. One of the great mysteries of the car world is the whereabouts of ‘La Voiture Noire’: Jean Bugatti’s very own Type 57 Atlantic.

But the car that previewed the lot of them is the one above. Sort of. It’s a rebodied, restored Bugatti ‘Aerolithe’; a prototype first shown off at the 1935 Paris Motor Show.

A man named David Grainger from The Guild of Automotive Restoration was commissioned to recreate the car that paved the way for the most famous pre-war car ever built. He had the original chassis of the Aerolithe – number 57104 – as well as its original 3.3-litre eight-cylinder engine, and rear axle. But no body.

Indeed, David’s team at The Guild had but 11 photos to work from… and had to adhere to coachbuilding standards of the day. Which means they had to fashion the body from magnesium, which is – by all accounts – incredibly difficult to work with. They spent years riveting and shaping the panels into that simply gorgeous Aerolithe form.

[flying-ham]

watching a sitcom from the early 2000s as someone who was born then is literally like reading shakespeare. Like yes I objectively know this sex and the city reference on its always sunny is supposed to be funny but I don’t know why

[browsethestacks]

ESPN The Magazine: Sports Century 100

Art by Neal Adams