The Facility Grind

Jordan Kelber ‘19 was a gym regular and as a first-year student, used Carmichael Gym daily. As a sport management major, Jordan began taking courses related to facility management, and his interest in working at the gym sparked. In his sophomore year, he was hired as a facility assistant and shared, “I found joy in the daily grind of keeping Carmichael operating efficiently. It was satisfying for me to ensure patrons and my peers enjoyed using our facility.”

For Jordan, it wasn’t just a job but a calling. “WellRec allowed me to learn about one of my favorite places on campus,” he explains. Starting as a facility assistant, he progressively took on more responsibility, becoming a facility supervisor and facility program assistant. His dedication culminated in the prestigious John F. Miller Award in 2018-19, recognizing his leadership, teamwork, and commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Jordan’s story is a powerful example of how participating in high-impact campus experiences like student employment with Wellness and Recreation can ignite passions and launch careers.

His passion extended beyond just keeping the lights on. He honed in on specific areas for operational improvement, like facility cleanliness and access control. But more importantly, he built connections.  “Building connections with peers and those who I was later charged with hiring, training and supervising became the reason I still work in this field today,” Jordan shared.

Jordan’s time at WellRec wasn’t just about practical skills but about discovering abilities and talents. “I always knew public speaking came naturally to me,” he shares, “but WellRec helped me discover my ability to teach others in a classroom-type setting effectively.” Through training sessions with students, he honed this skill, blending his natural speaking ability with his growing expertise in recreation.

One of his favorite memories encapsulates the WellRec spirit, taking an F45 Training class with the entire facility supervisor group and their professional staff supervisors. It showcased the potential of group training and fostered camaraderie among the team.

WellRec also provided Jordan with invaluable leadership experience.  As a program assistant, he was tasked with building a new team from scratch, focusing on improving facility cleanliness.  “While this was not easy,” he admits, “it allowed me to work closely with a smaller team of students and create buy-in for a very specific goal.”  This experience not only developed his interpersonal skills but also gave him the confidence to tackle future projects.

His path from NC State to his current role as Assistant Director of Facility Operations and Member Services for UNCG Recreation and Wellness is a direct result of his WellRec experience. “My program assistant role allowed me to see the back end of what working in campus rec looks like, so I decided to obtain a graduate assistant position,” he explains. “I have been in campus rec ever since.” He credits WellRec with giving him the edge he needed to secure those positions. “Through my graduate assistant interview process,” he recalls, “I was told that my experience as a program assistant at NC State was some of the most impressive undergrad experience my interviewers had ever seen.”

Jordan’s advice to current and future students is simple “Don’t forget about your ‘why,’ and if you don’t have one yet, don’t rush it. Allow it to come to you through consistency in all aspects of your life!”  His journey, from a student employee at Carmichael Gym to a leader in campus recreation is a testament to the power of high-impact experiences.  Your support of programs like WellRec fuels the passions of students like Jordan, empowering them to discover their potential and shape their future.  Passion inspired. Donor fueled.  Give to NC State’s Day of Giving and help write the next success story.