CENTERS, LLC

02/24/2026

Higher education is being asked to deliver more impact with fewer resources, while student expectations around belonging, wellness, engagement, and service continue to rise. The institutions that will succeed are not simply adding new programs or building new spaces. They are rethinking how campus life operates as a connected system. That is why “Rethinking Campus Centers and Programs for Student Success” is such an important read for campus leaders right now. In this article, Kim Martin, CENTERS, LLC, alongside Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc., Laura Day Kane, Ph.D., and Andrea Heflin Becker, Ed.D, examine how integrated planning, intentional design, and operational strategy shape the modern student experience.

The article addresses challenges many campuses are actively navigating today:

- Facilities that no longer align with how students connect and engage
- Staffing limitations and budget pressures requiring smarter resource allocation
- Increasing demand for mental health and wellness support
- Competitive pressures are pushing institutions to deliver stronger experiences and operational efficiency

Rather than treating student centers, recreation, housing, and wellness as separate conversations, the authors emphasize enterprise-wide thinking grounded in mission alignment and strategic visioning. A key takeaway is the importance of defining a campus’ targeted new reality, then evaluating existing assets, identifying operational gaps, and aligning investments to outcomes that matter most. The article also explores how operating models, whether fee-based, facility-driven, program-driven, or hybrid approaches, directly influence financial sustainability, staffing strategy, and long-term success. This matters because transformation in higher education is rarely about doing more. It is about integrating what already exists with greater clarity, collaboration, and purpose. Strong and timely leadership insight from Kim, Laura, and Andrea, helping institutions rethink campus life as strategic infrastructure supporting student success at scale. Read the full article here:

Transform campus centers and programs into strategic assets for student success, engagement, and institutional impact.

02/20/2026

Joanna Prociuk, Assistant Vice President of Talent and Innovation at CENTERS, LLC, will present Leading Through Systems: How Structure Shapes Staff Success at the 2026 Emerging Recreational Sports Leadership Conference. Her session will take place in Dallas College’s Room H226 this morning at 10:05 AM CST.

In this session, Joanna will explore how intentional structure catalyzes staff performance, professional growth, and long-term organizational impact. Drawing from her expertise in talent development and systems design, she will examine how clarity, accountability, and repeatable processes create environments where individuals and teams can consistently succeed. Rather than relying solely on individual effort, the session emphasizes the power of thoughtful organizational frameworks that align mission, culture, and measurable outcomes.

Attendees will gain a high-level perspective on how structured leadership models strengthen staff development, enhance operational effectiveness, and position recreation professionals for sustainable success. The conversation reinforces a critical leadership insight: strong systems do not constrain performance; they elevate it.

02/19/2026

This week, CENTERS, LLC is proud to be at the 2026 Emerging Recreational Sports Leadership (ERSL) Conference, taking place February 19–21 at Dallas College in Dallas, Texas.

ERSL is a powerful space built to empower the next generation of leaders in collegiate recreation, with a strong focus on supporting undergraduate and graduate students, along with new professionals from underrepresented backgrounds. Through mentorship, career development, and meaningful networking, the conference creates real momentum for a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable campus recreation and well-being industry.

We’re excited to be part of the conversation, connect with emerging leaders, and support the future of the field, because this work matters, and the people stepping into it matter even more.

This annual event brings together campus rec’s leading professionals who are committed to giving back and the next generation of up-and-coming professionals.

02/18/2026

When recreation centers and student centers are managed as a connected system, the student experience becomes more cohesive, more intentional, and more impactful. Recreation builds energy, fosters movement, and creates shared experiences. Student centers create space for collaboration, creativity, and community. Together, they strengthen belonging, and belonging is not a soft outcome; it is infrastructure for student success.

In this February edition of the CENTERS, LLC Impact newsletter, leaders from DePaul University and Johns Hopkins University share how innovative operational strategy, integrated staffing models, and data-informed decision-making are shaping engagement at scale. We also spotlight HIWA at the University of Auckland, where disciplined planning and measurable wellness strategy are directly linked to long-term academic and institutional outcomes. Read more: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Different-Spaces-Creating-Shared-Student-Outcomes.html?soid=1140449747975&aid=sdkHZ0sPuXA

02/18/2026

This month, we proudly celebrate 18 years of operations at University of New Haven Charger Rec. Since the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center opened in February 2008, it has served as far more than a facility, it has been a cornerstone for student engagement, wellness, leadership development, and community connection at the University of New Haven.

CENTERS, LLC at UNH has continued to evolve alongside the campus, strengthening the student experience through intentional programming, meaningful partnerships, and a commitment to operational excellence. That dedication has earned recognition along the way, including an Architectural Showcase award from Athletic Business magazine in 2009.

Today, our team continues to lead with purpose, collaborating across campus to support student organizations, deliver high-impact events, and advance a culture where wellbeing and belonging are not just encouraged, they are built into the everyday experience. From helping groups bring their vision to life, to serving on the Student Conduct Board, to driving university-wide wellness initiatives, this work shapes the Charger community in real and lasting ways.

Here’s to 18 years of leadership, innovation, and community impact, and to our CENTERS team at the University of New Haven who continues to elevate the standard, strengthen campus life, and move this mission forward every single day.

02/10/2026

Now Hiring: Coordinator, Membership: CENTERS, LLC , Huntington, WV

CENTERS at Marshall University is seeking a driven, service-focused professional to join our team as Coordinator, Membership Services at the Marshall Recreation Center. This role serves as the liaison between the recreation center and prospective and current members, providing leadership to student staff and overseeing membership sales, program registration, customer service operations, and equipment issues.

The Coordinator also supports key operational and administrative functions, including billing audits, monthly payment reconciliation, retention initiatives, targeted promotions, reporting, budgeting support, inventory oversight, and policy development. If you are highly organized, people-first, and energized by creating an exceptional member experience while driving growth, this is an opportunity to lead where service, strategy, and community come together. Full description: https://careers-centersusa.icims.com/jobs/3073/coordinator---membership/job

02/09/2026

Finding Balance: How CENTERS, LLC Aligns Mission and Margin, Joanna Prociuk, Assistant Vice President of Talent and Innovation at CENTERS, breaks down a challenge campus leaders face every day: the innovation gap. Campus leaders generate new ideas constantly. They test creative pricing models, launch student-led programs, and build community partnerships that strengthen both mission and margin. The challenge is that too often those wins stay local, or worse, they stay siloed in separate departments. Institutional complexity, shifting budgets, and disconnected systems make it difficult to capture what works, evaluate it, and scale it across an institution.

Jo highlights how CENTERS closes that gap through a model built for repeatable improvement. The Program of Systems and Standards (POSS) drives continuous improvement at the site level. Cross-campus committees track data, test pilot projects, and refine proven approaches across key areas such as marketing, operations, youth programming, and wellness. The result is a connected network where every campus learns faster, performs smarter, and benefits from what others have already proven.

At the enterprise level, the Program of Innovation (POI) focuses on long-term strategy and emerging trends. Cross-site initiatives like the AI Council and the Student Experience Measurement Framework help CENTERS study what is next, build enterprise tools, and guide long-term direction. Together, POSS and POI form the foundation of CENTERS’ Better is Better philosophy. Local insights inform enterprise learning, and enterprise frameworks are returned to the field for continuous refinement. It creates an innovation feedback loop that helps every campus make better decisions, faster.

Jo also reinforces one of the most important truths in campus operations. Success is not about doing more programs. It is about managing balance. Every decision affects multiple outcomes simultaneously, including financial performance, student experience, educational impact, community engagement, and institutional capacity. The strongest leaders treat these outcomes like interconnected dials on a control panel. Adjusting one influences the others, and skilled operators monitor all five to sustain long-term outcome balance. CENTERS turns innovation into systems, and systems into sustained impact. Read the full article here:

CENTERS’ mission margin balance framework helps universities align innovation, financial strength, and student outcomes through shared systems and continuous improvement.

02/06/2026

Now Hiring: Assistant Director, Group Fitness and Wellness Programs CENTERS, LLC DePaul University, Chicago, IL

We are seeking an innovative, entrepreneurial leader to serve as Assistant Director, Group Fitness and Wellness Programs at DePaul University in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. This position provides leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for DePaul Campus Recreation’s fitness and wellness portfolio, including Group Fitness, Specialty Fitness and Instructional Programs, Private Yoga and Pilates, DIY Wellness, and Fit By Design. The Assistant Director will play a key role in shaping a wellness experience that is inclusive, student-centered, and aligned with DePaul’s mission. This is an opportunity to lead within a long-standing partnership. Since the opening of the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center in 1999, CENTERS has provided recreation management services to DePaul. DePaul is an innovative Catholic Vincentian university anchored in the global city of Chicago, committed to expanding access to education with a strong focus on underserved and underrepresented communities.

CENTERS also prioritizes the well-being, security, and future of our employees, offering a competitive benefits package designed to support long-term success. If you are a forward-thinking fitness and wellness professional ready to lead with purpose, elevate programs, and make a meaningful impact, this is your opportunity to lead where impact meets community. https://careers-centersusa.icims.com/jobs/3070/assistant-director---group-fitness-%26-wellness-programs/job?mobile=false&width=1889&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-300&jun1offset=-240

02/05/2026

This February, CENTERS, LLC proudly celebrates 17 years of operation . Since opening in February 2009, the Recreation Center has served as a cornerstone of wellness, belonging, and community for Marshall students, faculty, and the greater Huntington region. For 17 years, this facility has been more than a building; it has been a place where people show up to move, connect, grow, and feel supported. Our Marshall team continues to lead with energy, professionalism, and purpose, creating an environment where healthy lifestyles are built and lifelong habits take root. As one of the largest student employers on campus, the department provides meaningful opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience across a wide range of roles, including fitness, aquatics, facility operations, intramural sports, adventure recreation, and customer service.

Just as importantly, the team remains deeply committed to developing student staff beyond the job itself, helping them build confidence, leadership skills, and career-ready experience that carries forward long after graduation. Congratulations to our Marshall Campus Recreation team on 17 years of impact, and thank you for continuing to raise the standard for what campus recreation can be.

01/30/2026

CENTERS, LLC, Julie Bearden, Harper College, guests, and company executives at the grand opening of the Nieto-Jones Innovation Center, a center of excellence advancing the future of Life Fitness / Hammer Strength product development and performance. This milestone reflects the power of strategic partnership, innovation, and shared commitment to elevating performance, well-being, and the spaces where people move, train, and thrive.

01/28/2026

This month marks seven years and Fitness Center, a cornerstone of campus life that advances wellness, belonging, and connection.

In January 2017, the JSU Board of Trustees approved the development of the $45 million Recreation and Fitness Center through a public-private partnership with the JSU Foundation. CENTERS was selected to operate the facility and lead all programs and services, bringing a student-centered, values-driven approach to campus recreation. Designed to empower individuals to discover wellness experiences that enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being, the center serves as a hub for inclusion, connection, and lifelong wellness. Its programs and spaces reflect a commitment to integrity, collaboration, and personal development while fostering a strong sense of belonging across campus.

A defining feature of the facility is its more than 40-foot hybrid climbing and bouldering wall, the tallest at a student recreation facility in Alabama. Positioned at the entrance and inspired by local outdoor climbing areas, it reinforces both experiential learning and community engagement. Since opening in January 2019, the center has delivered measurable impact. Enrollment increased by 6 percent in the following fall semester, professional staff expanded from three to ten, and purpose-built collaborative spaces strengthened teamwork and student learning.

Seven years in, the Recreation and Fitness Center stands as a model of aligned vision and strong partnerships. Thank you to our CENTERS, LLC team at JSU, who continues to lead with purpose, integrity, and teamwork, and to everyone who has contributed to this lasting impact.

01/26/2026

“Sport will strengthen belonging on campus, build town–gown relationships, and support community goals.” Kim Martin, Vice President of Business Development, CENTERS, LLC

This insight from last week’s Cimarron Global Solutions Future of Sport conversation reflects a broader evolution in higher education. Sport is no longer simply a program or an amenity. It is a strategic asset that advances the institutional mission and vision while strengthening connections between the campus and the community. When sport is intentionally aligned with institutional strategy and community priorities, it becomes infrastructure for belonging, well-being, and long-term impact. CENTERS is proud to contribute to an industry-wide dialogue that is redefining how sport supports student success, community engagement, and shared outcomes.