Employment & Internships
University Recreation is one of the largest on-campus employers of students. In fact, the department takes pride in the student employees' role in our ability to meet the needs of the diverse community that is Austin Peay. An important component of our mission is preparing students for their future career goals by instilling common work ethics and skills like time management, customer service and accountability.
Employment Internships Leadership Team Mission & Vision
Current Openings
APSU Students must apply through the Handshake site. Non-Students may apply for specialized positions like Fitness Trainer, and Water Safety Instructor by emailing a resume to the supervisor listed.
- Facility Attendant
- Anja Shelton, sheltona@apsu.edu
- Fitness Trainer
- Anja Shelton, sheltona@apsu.edu
- Graphic Design Student Assistant
- Anja Shelton, sheltona@apsu.edu
- Intramural Sports Official
- Anja Shelton, sheltona@apsu.edu
Hiring Process
Anyone interested in working with University Recreation should first apply to positions for which they are interested on the Handshake website. Apply for each position. A few positions are available to non-students or Austin Peay affiliates as well, such as Fitness Trainers and Water Safety Instructors. Non-student applicants should email a resume to the supervisor of the position of interest.
Whenever there is a vacancy, anyone in the current pool fitting our needs will be contacted to schedule an interview. Successful candidates will then complete official hiring paperwork and complete orientation and training before beginning a regular work schedule.
New hires are brought on in a probationary capacity for the first 60 days. This format gives both the employee and the department time to become acquainted, ask lots of questions and make sure there is a good fit.
Internships
Upon successful completion of an internship, the student will have:
- Been exposed to recreation as a career opportunity.
- Engaged in meaningful career-oriented responsibilities that are designed to increase knowledge and skills.
- Integrated classroom theory with real-world experience.
- Participated in experiences that build confidence, competence, and insight into personal skills and attributes.
- Received constructive feedback and evaluation of their skills and competencies with direction to further professional development.
Available Internships
- Recreation Administration
- Facility Operations
- Fitness
- Marketing
- Aquatics (summer only)
University Recreation works with students pursuing any academic major to design an internship that meets their needs. Majors in kinesiology, Health Promotion, Business, Marketing, Accounting, Graphic Design, and Environmental Studies are just some of the majors that can fulfill an internship with University Recreation.
Internship Descriptions
Interns will rotate through three areas within University Recreation: Fitness and Wellness, Facility Operations, and Programs (Adventure Recreation, Aquatics, and Intramural Sports) to gain a comprehensive overview of Campus Recreation. Interns will spend approximately 4-5 weeks in each area. Interns will gain experience in programming, special event coordination, scheduling, risk management, marketing, maintenance, training/development, budget/fiscal management, and skills specific to each area.
This internship is a useful opportunity for those interested in recreation as a profession, those interested in entering the fitness industry, or those who are undecided and seeking to explore different options.
Interns will assist in facility operations and management. Interns will assist student staff with daily front desk operations for efficiency, consistency, and adherence to department policies and procedures. Interns will assist with basic maintenance and upkeep of facilities and equipment. Interns will also assist with the following: processing reservation requests, work order tracking, facility usage/counts, inventory, and management. Also, Interns will assist with development, promotion, and implementation of various department activities, programs, and services.
This internship is a useful opportunity for those interested in recreation profession, those interested in entering the recreation field or who have an interest in overall business operations.
Interns are responsible for planning, programming, administering, and supervising Fitness programs and personnel to include Boot Camp, Healthy Mind Healthy Body Challenge, Wellness Expo and Breast Cancer 5k. Specific duties may include hiring and evaluating Fitness staff, developing Fitness programs/events, assist in marketing efforts, instructing Group Fitness classes, supervising the fitness center, equipment maintenance, and inventory. Students will gain experience in programming, scheduling, fiscal management, marketing and group fitness/personal training skills. Applicants working toward obtaining, or already possessing, a nationally accredited Group Fitness or Personal Training certification, or those with Group Fitness/Personal Training experience will be given priority. The position may require irregular hours including evenings and weekends.
This internship is useful for those seeking careers in fitness and wellness, health promotion, or management.
The Austin Peay State University department of University Recreation is seeking a motivated, resourceful, and tech-savvy student to serve as a social media and marketing intern. The intern will work directly with the marketing team to strategize, craft, and execute content for all platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Applicants should have a strong level of experience with each platform, strong writing ability, organizational skills, the ability to work as part of a team as well as solo, and be extremely creative. The Marketing Intern will
- Collaborate with marketing team, professional staff, undergraduate assistants, and student staff as needed to gain an understanding of how and what we communicate to reach our target audience (current and potential students, parents of students, faculty and staff, & Clarksville community members).
- Conceptualize, create, schedule, and publish daily content that encourages engagement on social media resulting in an increase of patron knowledge & usage of the facilities and an increase in event/program attendance.
- Construct innovative tactics to grow the audiences for the URec accounts on each platform
This internship is useful for those seeking careers in aquatics administration, fitness and wellness, physical education teachers, management, or other logistically intensive careers.
Internship Terms
- Full-time or Part-time positions available year round with specialized internships available seasonally.
- No stipend available for internship (possible employment opportunity within department outside of the scope of internship assignment)
- The length of the internship is 8-16 weeks, 20-40 hrs/wk (which may include nights and weekends) with the total hours varying according to academic requirements.
- Hours determined by the hiring supervisor, student, and Academic Advisor/Internship Coordinator.
- The internship will be conducted in a program area that compliments his/her educational background, the field of interest, and skill set.
- A learning contract will be set up between the student and supervisor for the duration of the internship.
- Must attend department’s orientation program, staff meetings/trainings, and workshops.
- Must attend a minimum of 4 meetings/programs/workshops/events from any of the following:
- Career Services, Student Affairs, Student Disability Resource Center, Human Resources, Community Engagement and Sustainability
- Others as approved by internship supervisor
- Evaluations conducted based upon academic requirements and University Recreation’s general employee evaluation.
- Intern must maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher.
- Present proof of or obtain a CPR/AED and/or First Aid certifications (based on program area).
- Internship supervisors reserve the right to dismiss an intern if it is determined the intern is not adequately prepared to perform the functions required of the internship or is not performing responsibilities as outlined in the position terms.
To apply for University Recreation internships, fill out the Internship Application and turn in to Jasin Wills, at the Foy Fitness & Recreation Center room 114 or willse@apsu.edu, by dates listed below. A resume, cover letter, and 3 references must be submitted with the application.
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Summer Internship due date: April 26
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Spring Internship due date: November 11
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Fall Internship due date: July 31
For more information or questions, contact Jasin Wills at 931-221-7564 or willse@apsu.edu.
Leadership Team
Vision Statement
University Recreation will be the region's leader in collegiate recreation experiences and advocate for life-long wellness
Mission Statement
University Recreation provides APSU and the surrounding communities with opportunities to develop and enhance all aspects of wellness through quality facilities, programs, and services.