Anna Sosa Lopez is a Junior majoring in Civil Engineering, and is entering their third year at both Campus Rec and PSU. As the Fitness & Inclusive Rec Student Coordinator and a Student Building Supervisor (SBS), Anna is involved in multiple Campus Rec teams. They are known around the Rec Center for showing appreciation for their peers, and for building community by talking to and including staff from all areas of Campus Rec.
Anna began working at Campus Rec in the fall of 2020 as a freshman in the FLASH (Freshman Learners Acquiring Skills in Higher Education) program as a Fitness & Inclusive Rec Monitor. By the end of their first year, Anna had moved up into a Fitness Mentor position, and was responsible for training incoming new staff. Early in their sophomore year, Anna was promoted to the Fitness & Inclusive Rec Student Coordinator position. Anna was drawn to this position because they liked the idea of working with many different people and helping everyone to access the Rec Center. They also wanted more of a leadership position, and the student coordinator role was the perfect opportunity for both! Now, Anna is expanding their portfolio to include the SBS role.
One of Anna’s proudest accomplishments in their role as a student coordinator at Campus Rec was organizing the 2022 Spooky Saturday event in late October. Spooky Saturday is a free family-friendly event offered in partnership with PSU’s Services for Students with Children. PSU students, faculty and staff can bring their children to the Rec Center for tricks, treats, games, crafts, face painting, climbing and fun for all ages. Anna took the lead role in planning and organizing this year’s event. They recruited fellow staff to help run the event, collaborated on purchasing supplies, planned logistics, and successfully executed the event on Saturday, October 29. Anna explains that it wasn't easy and took plenty of work and effort, but that it was a great experience. Spooky Saturday provided Anna with an opportunity to learn how to plan events, and they are proud of how the event turned out.
In winter 2023, Anna is helping to launch a new Rec Buddies program at Campus Rec. This program helps people to overcome gym anxiety by pairing them with a peer/partner (Rexpert or Rec Expert) that they can visit the Rec Center with in order to get more comfortable using the facility. Campus Rec members can meet up with their Rexpert, and together they can participate in any of Campus Rec’s programs and offerings.
Anna’s favorite part of working at Campus Rec is the people. They say that working at Campus Rec during the pandemic made it easier to connect with people at a time when we were all so isolated. Post COVID-19 socializing has been weird and difficult, but Anna voices that it has been nice to get back to being around people and having more of a community. Anna’s biggest takeaway from working at Campus Rec over the past two years has been learning about being inclusive and welcoming, which includes being mindful, aware, and kind to others. This is part of why they were so interested in the Fitness & Inclusive Rec Student Coordinator role when it opened because the role is all about creating inclusion at Campus Rec.
Anna’s advice to other Campus Rec student staff matches their own experience: “Get involved!” People are often hesitant to reach out to others, but Anna stressed the importance of getting to know the people around you at work and in your field of study.
Although Anna’s position focuses most on inclusion, the Campus Rec value that most resonates with Anna is wellbeing. Anna has been working to improve their own mental and physical wellbeing, and believes that it is important to find a balance between work, school, and life.
“It’s ok to take a break sometimes and give yourself what you need, even though it’s not always easy to do,” Anna says.
Anna already excels at so much, but like everyone, they are working on a few personal goals. The first is time-management, which relates to valuing their own wellbeing and keeping up in school. They are specifically trying a strategy of rewards for work completed by using time playing Xbox as an incentive to get tasks done. They have also found that being in a study group has helped them stay on top of work, keeps them focused, and helps them to get more done. One of Anna’s long-term goals is to improve their overall mental and physical health. They plan to transition out of the Fitness & Inclusive Rec Student Coordinator position before graduating in 2024 so they can help their successor get oriented and learn the job. After that, Anna hopes to start an internship in Civil Engineering and spend some time in Mexico with their family.
Thank you for all you do, Anna! We are looking forward to seeing you around the Rec Center. Be sure to say hi to Anna if you see them around.