May I Say “It’s No Surprise to Me”

I have known Greg Jordan for many years and count him among those key staff at Oakland University that are an integral part of what makes OU a great institution of higher learning.  So it comes as no surprise to me that Greg is receiving a very prestigious national award.  

Greg is the director of Oakland University’s Recreation and Well-Being department, and has been named the recipient of the 2017 National Intramural Recreational Sports Association Honor Award. It is NIRSA’s most prestigious recognition.

The NIRSA Honor Award is given annually to a NIRSA member of outstanding professional achievement who has demonstrated exemplary service to the association during his or her career and has made significant contributions to the field of college recreation. It has been given since 1963 and this is the first time a leader from Oakland University has been selected for the award.

Members of NIRSA are college professionals who serve students who participate in intramural, club, and informal sports. NIRSA members like Jordan support student learning through recreation and by fostering lifelong habits of physical fitness and emotional well-being.

I workout at the Rec Center and about once a month, like it or not, I do some laps around the track with Greg.  He loves Oakland University and the work he does, and he’s surrounded himself with some really great staff that I know he recognizes played a very pivotal role in his receiving this award.  He’s not only committed to those he serves at Oakland University, but also to the greater community.  That’s how I got to know Greg in the first place, through his outreach to Auburn Hills.  

Congratulations Greg on what has been a career of great achievement and success.  You’ve taken campus recreation at OU from very little to a whole lot and the level of participation in campus recreation and wellness is proof of your efforts.  

Tom Tanghe, City Manager