Spring 2023 A.S. Honors

ARC Wins 2023 NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Award

This article previously appeared in the SDSU NewsCenter.

With its sustainable and cutting-edge design, Associated Students’ Aztec Recreation Center has received the 2023 Outstanding Facilities Award from NIRSA, a collegiate recreation organization. 

According to the NIRSA website, the “NIRSA Outstanding Facilities Awards recognize the innovative designs of new, renovated or expanded collegiate recreational facilities.” The newly expanded and renovated ARC was one of seven facilities chosen for the award by the selection committee.

“To receive this recognition on a national level is a testament to all the hard work, creativity and teamwork that went into this project,” said A.S. Associate Executive Director and Aztec Recreation Director Mark Zakrzewski. “I’m really proud of this great team effort.”

To qualify for the award, the facility had to demonstrate excellence in a number of areas, including architectural design and functionality while creating an experience desired and valued by students.

The entire process of designing and building the ARC, which began in 2017, relied heavily on the student voice. Students were involved in feasibility studies, touring other campus recreation facilities to get ideas for the project. They were also instrumental in guiding the facility’s color scheme and advocating for gender neutral restrooms and larger privacy areas among other features.

Lauren Samidi, 2022-23 A.S. Recreation and Wellness commissioner, said student interest in expanded recreation facilities fueled a successful 2018 referendum for a fee to finance the renovation and expansion. “Students were in those conversations on designing, planning and creating the ARC because the building is for them,” she said.

Zakrzewski believes the combination of sustainable elements and overall design of the building were primary reasons the ARC won the award. In January 2023, the ARC received LEED Platinum status for New Construction, the highest recognition in sustainable design and construction.

The building is all electric, not running on any fossil fuels, and is a prime example for the future of sustainable construction. In addition, the facility boasts innovative design elements, including clerestory sawtooth windows, a hot yoga room, two Olympic lifting spaces and a quiet lounge.

Of the many sustainable elements in the building, the rain and condensate water system is a favorite feature of A.S. Associate Director of Facilities and Sustainability Reginald Cabanilla.

“We have this really amazing rain and condensate water capture system where all the water is collected and reused inside of the facility,” Cabanilla said. “We capture all of our site rainwater and our condensate water that is produced by our HVAC equipment, treat it and then you don’t see the water until you flush the toilet. It saves a lot of water and that’s super important for an environment like ours where water is finite.”

The combination of student input, analyzing trends in collegiate recreation and the fitness industry and leading the conversation on sustainable building ultimately led to the award-winning building for current and future generations of SDSU students.

The ARC is the only West Coast facility to win the 2023 award. Other recipients of the award include the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Recreation Turf Fields and Florida Gulf Coast University’s Rec Deck.

In addition to the national recognition, the ARC’s impact is validated even more by its usage. Zakrzewski believes an important illustration of the facility’s success is the increase in daily visits, which have nearly doubled compared to before the expansion and renovation.

“Our team put in so much time, effort, strategic planning and dedication for the wellness of students,” Samidi said. “Receiving this recognition means so much because this award shows we were able to accomplish that.”

Office Break Yoga

By Ai Kuwayama, Fitness & Wellness Supervisor

Have you heard of the saying "Yoga is the union of the body, mind and spirit?" Yoga aims to unite the body, mind and spirit and in the workplace helps us balance and improve our energy, become aware of the stressors in our lives while helping us learn how to manage them. It also is beneficial to relieve physical pains in the lower back, neck and shoulders. Furthermore, yoga improves our cardiovascular health, increases strength and flexibility and builds concentration, self-awareness and acceptance. Overall, yoga enhances and balances our mental and physical health.

When you’ve been sitting for a long time (30 minutes or more) and don’t have enough time to leave your desk, try some of these yoga poses that you can easily do in your office. When you have more time, come to the ARC to take one of our yoga classes — there is a virtual class on Zoom as well!

Before you start the poses, close your eyes and place one hand on your heart and the other around your belly button to find your breath for 10-30 seconds. 

For all chair yoga poses, sit on a chair with your spine neutral/long. Keep your feet on the floor and hands on your knees or the top of your thighs as a starting position.

If possible, practice Ujjayi Breathing with your movements. In Ujjayi Breathing, inhalation and exhalation are practiced through the nose.

Chair Cat and Cow

• Inhale and arch your back. Keep your neck neutral or look up at the ceiling as an option to practice the cow pose.
• Exhale through your spine, draw your belly button in and round your back to the cat pose.
• Repeat the cat and cow pose for 5-10 breaths.

Chair Cow Pose and Chair Cat Pose

Seated Crescent Moon

• Begin your arms overhead, place the palms together and point index fingers up to the ceiling.
• Inhale and exhale gently, leaning to one side for 2-3 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Crescent Moon Pose

Seated Twist Pose

• Sit tall in your chair with both feet on the floor.
• Bring your left hand to the outer edge of your right thigh and your right hand to the outer edge of your chair.
• Inhale to lengthen your spine and sit tall.
• Exhale and turn your torso to your right to twist.
• Keep your eye gaze over the right shoulder.
• Hold for 5 breaths.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Seated Twist Pose

Desk Chaturanga (High to Low Plank)

• Start with a standing position.
• Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge of a sturdy desk.
• Walk your feet away from your hands.
• Keep your shoulders and wrist inline to a high plank pose.
• Inhale and exhale to a low plank as you keep your elbows to a 90-degree angle, pointing to the back wall.
• Push the edge of your desk as you bring yourself back to the high plank position.
• Feel free to repeat or move on to the Desk Upward Facing Dog. 

Desk Chaturanga Pose

Desk Upward Facing Dog

• Start with a high plank as you keep your arms straight.
• Lean your hips towards the desk and open your chest while being mindful to prevent your lower back from sinking.
• Inhale and engage your core and then exhale.
• Keep this pose for 5-10 breaths.

Desk Upward Facing Dog Pose

Desk Downward Facing Dog

• Stand by a desk with both hands flat on the table and shoulder-width apart.
• Step your feet away from your hands until your spine becomes parallel to the floor.
• Widen your stance until your feet are hip-distance apart.
• Inhale and lift your tailbone slightly up.
• Exhale to lengthen your body.

Desk Downward Facing Dog

A.S. Book Club

The A.S. Book Club recently read “Educated,” a memoir by Tara Westover. Westover recounts overcoming her survivalist family in order to go to college and emphasizes the importance of education in enlarging her world. An amazing story of strength and determination.

Here is what the Club will be reading over the next two months…

June 8: "The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson

After a long and eventful life, Allan Karlsson ends up in a nursing home, believing it to be his last stop. The only problem is that he's still in good health, and in one day, he turns 100. A big celebration is in the works, but Allan really isn't interested (and he'd like a bit more control over his vodka consumption). So, he decides to escape. He climbs out the window in his slippers and embarks on a hilarious and entirely unexpected journey, involving, among other surprises, a suitcase stuffed with cash, some unpleasant criminals, a friendly hot-dog stand operator and an elephant (not to mention a death by elephant). Quirky and utterly unique, “The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” has charmed readers across the world; over 5 million copies have been sold!

July 13: “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? But Monique feels a very real connection to the legendary star, and as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

The Club meets on the second Thursday of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the Union Programs & Services Conference Room. Whether you read a printed book, listen to the audio version or read the eBook on your phone or tablet, join us for our lively discussions. If you have any questions or would like to join the club, please contact Quentin at 42303 or email qskaggs@sdsu.edu.

The San Diego Public Library offers eBooks and/or audiobooks, for most titles. You just need a library card, which is free. The books are available through an app: Libby App: Free ebooks & audiobooks from your library by OverDrive.

15 Questions

Bailey Broadwater

1. What is your name, job title and major?

2. Bailey Broadwater, Competitive Sports Lead, Political Science 

3. Which A.S. department do you work in? 

4. Aztec Recreation! I help facilitate and oversee all intramural sports and club sports teams at SDSU!

5. How long have you worked for A.S.?

6. I’ve worked for A.S. for about a year and a half; I started in January 2022.

7. Is your favorite part of working for A.S.?

8. I love all the people I’ve met and connections I’ve made and feeling involved within SDSU. 

9. If you won $5 million what would you do with it?

10. I’d go on a huge travel spree — I want to go all around Europe and all of Africa! 

11. There is a free, round-trip shuttle to Mars. The catch: it will take one year of your life to go, visit, and come back. Are you in? 

12. Absolutely! I never say no to trying new things; I want to live an exciting life and make amazing memories. Life is already short enough, I want to live a good one.

13. If you had one free hour each day, how would you use it? 

14. Definitely in the gym. It’s a comfort spot for me and a good way to escape and clear my head.

15. Would you rather be a superhero or the world’s best chef? 

16. Definitely a superhero. I love giving back to communities and helping people, and I feel that’s really what superheroes do.

17. Which famous person from history would you most like to meet? 

18. Marilyn Monroe. She’s iconic and is such a beautiful figure in history. I’d love to know what she’s like.

19. What is your favorite book? 

20. “One of Us is Lying” by Karen M. McMannus. It’s an amazing book that’s full of twists and turns and you definitely don’t expect the ending.

21. Do you collect anything? What do you collect and why?

22. I collect snow globes from all around the world! I love seeing how big the world is and how there’s so many different beautiful places to see.

23. Do you like to cook and what is your specialty?

24. I love cooking. I grew up doing it with my mom! My specialty is definitely mac and cheese, it’s so good.

25. “Most people don’t know that I like to…

26. …read! I’ve loved books and reading since a young age.”

27. Would you rather speak all languages or be able to talk with animals? 

28. Talk to animals. I’d love to be able to know what they’re thinking and talk to them about their lives.

29. What’s the best concert you’ve been to and why was it so good?

30. Definitely Pitbull. All of his songs are incredibly live and he’s a great performer.