Schuster Finds Future Career Through University Recreation

When Belle Schuster was asked to describe University Recreation, she said, “community.”  University Recreation created an atmosphere that has played a larger role on her life than she could have ever envisioned.

Originally from La Porte, Indiana, Schuster came to NC State as an animal science major with dreams of going to vet school.  After spending her childhood vacationing in North Carolina, she always knew that she wanted to join the Wolfpack.

Belle first began to use University Recreation services by playing tennis and racquetball with her friends during her free time. In December of her freshman year, Schuster attended a group fitness class and heard an announcement from her instructor that would have a huge impact on her time in college.

The group fitness instructor said that University Recreation would soon be hiring for the next semester, and encouraged all class participants to apply for a position. In need of a job, Schuster decided to apply.

Schuster was thrilled to be offered the position of a facility operations assistant at University Recreation and quickly accepted the job.  

At the end of her sophomore year, Belle advanced to the position of facility operations supervisor. Three months later, it came time for facility operations to hire new program assistants, who would be responsible for hiring and running staff trainings. Although Schuster had just become a facility supervisor, she could not pass up the opportunity to further pursue a leadership role.

Schuster was promoted to the facility operations program assistant position in the spring of 2016, a leadership role.  She has enjoyed the position because it has allowed her to expand upon her part as a leader.

“I like to inspire people. I like to counsel and I knew that this position would give me the opportunity to do that at a higher level.”

Although Schuster appreciates the knowledge that she gained from her animal science major, it was not long after starting her position at UREC that she realized her heart was in the field of collegiate recreation.  She discovered how much she liked working with students through campus organizations, as well as leading others. After discussing the possibility with her supervisors, she decided to pursue a career in the field.

Recently, Belle attended a conference in Denver hosted by the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA). This organization governs the industry of collegiate recreation and hosts an annual conference that provides students and employers with the opportunity to connect.

While at the conference, Schuster interviewed with a facilities coordinator for campus recreation at Georgia Southern University. A week later, she was offered the position of a graduate assistant for facility management which she accepted.

University Recreation has shaped Schuster’s decision to pursue a full-time career in campus recreation due to its open, inclusive environment that allows her to have fun and engage with other students while at work. “A lot of the student staff would agree that it does not even feel like work,” she said.

Schuster is also a community relations intern for the Carolina Hurricanes, a position that has broadened her realm of knowledge when it comes to running a facility.  Additionally, she is planning a wedding with her fiancé, a former facility supervisor at University Recreation.

Overall, University Recreation has impacted Schuster’s time at NC State by providing her with a home-away-from-home. She hoped to find a niche when coming to NC State, and she certainly found one.  

Belle will be graduating from NC State this May with a degree in animal science with a concentration in industry, and will attend Georgia Southern University in the fall where she will be receiving her master’s degree in higher education administration.