Hugh Kennington works on Campus Rec’s Aquatics as the Head Lifeguard. He has had an interesting journey getting here from his hometown of Manchester, England. After secondary school, Hugh started a history degree. Two years later, he decided that wasn't for him and ended up traveling abroad to Asia and Australia. Hugh then decided to move to America to become a soccer coach. He moved to Ohio, immediately met someone special (who is now his wife), and began coaching soccer. Within a month, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the lockdown started. After the pandemic restrictions were lifted, they moved to Portland so Hugh’s partner could attend PSU. Hugh thought it was a good opportunity to go back to school and finish his degree as well. He is currently a senior pursuing a degree in Applied Health and Fitness and hopes to graduate in the summer of 2024.
Hugh began working at Campus Rec in April of 2021 as a lifeguard and was quickly promoted to Head Guard a few months later. There are many things Hugh enjoys about working at Campus Rec but the community, freedom, and flexibility are the most important for him. Hugh started working here when there were still a lot of COVID restrictions, so the community aspect of the job was not very prevalent. Since restrictions were lifted, Hugh has been grateful to have more of a community at work and he likes to work a lot more because of it. Hugh loves the freedom and flexibility of his job, which allows him to get the time off he needs to focus on school and other parts of his life. His position with Campus Rec also ties in well with many of his personal interests in physical fitness. In his free time, Hugh enjoys working out, and playing and watching sports, and has met a lot of people at Campus Rec who share his interests.
After graduation, Hugh hopes to become a PE teacher, buy a house, and settle down with his wife and dog. They are unsure where they will end up, but being close to family is important to him. Another l goal Hugh spoke about is travel. Traveling has been a big part of Hugh's life and he wants to continue to travel with his wife. Places on the top of his travel list include Nepal and visiting his family back in England, whom he hasn't seen for some years. When Hugh moved to the United States he began a long and arduous process of immigration. He said it is one of the hardest things he’s ever done because the process takes a lot of time, persistence, and paperwork! He’s grown tremendously through the process and says that he couldn't have done it without the support of the people in his life. Despite the challenges, traveling is an important facet of Hugh’s life and he looks forward to being able to break open his passport again soon.
Having learned a lot from working at Campus Rec, Hugh shares that it has been a unique experience compared to any other job he has had. In past jobs, he would dread going to work, but at Campus Rec he doesn't feel that way. Working at Campus Rec has allowed Hugh to develop a lot of skills such as professionalism, time management, and patience. He has also been able to utilize his people skills and leadership skills. Hugh really appreciates Campus Rec’s values of community and innovation and enjoys being part of a team that listens to his ideas and allows him to be innovative and build a community.
Thank you for all you do, Hugh! We are looking forward to seeing you around the Rec. Be sure to say hi to Hugh if you see him around.