Applewhite Honored as Wasson Award Recipient

NC State University Recreation is proud to announce that senior Derrick Applewhite has been named a recipient of the NIRSA William N. Wasson Student Leadership & Academic Award presented to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students working in collegiate recreation across the country.

Derrick began his UREC career as a flag football official during the fall semester of his freshman year and worked his way up through the program as an evaluator, supervisor and program assistant.

“Originally, I had no intention to move up into other positions, but after I got involved in my academic program and started to get an idea of what we are doing here at UREC, I started to get more interested in the job itself,” he said.

In his program assistant role, Derrick oversees flag football officials for intramural sports, programs various leagues and special events and plans recruitment efforts to bring new officials and scorekeepers into the program. Derrick also represented NC State at multiple regional tournaments as a flag football official.

“Derrick has made a huge impact on our program, especially with flag football officiating and our staff recruitment efforts,” said Assistant Director for Sports Programs, Ben Strunk. “He has grown into a strong and humble leader who inspires others within UREC to be their best.”

Derrick credits his time working at UREC for enhancing his growth and development as a student and professional.

“I think working at University Recreation puts you in positions that make you step up and go beyond what you thought you were capable of doing in the first place. It starts at the top. All the professional staff are committed to developing students. I think I am a product of that development,” said Derrick.

As a parks, recreation and tourism major, Derrick has excelled in the classroom with a 3.37 overall GPA. He is in the Rho Phi Lambda Academic Honor Society and was awarded the Wayne Williams and Bette Rose Scholarship.

Derrick is looking to make a career out of recreation management in a collegiate or community setting. He is currently applying to graduate schools in hopes of leveraging his UREC experience to serve as a graduate assistant in collegiate recreation.