Dueker receives NIRSA Region V Regional Award of Merit

Derek Niewohner Author

02/24/2021 Added

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NIRSA Region V Regional Award of Merit presented to Aaron Dueker, Assistant Director of Sports Programs.

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[00:00:00.010]Okay.
[00:00:01.130]And then that brings us
[00:00:02.950]to the Region V Regional Award of Merit
[00:00:06.070]which has been kept a secret.
[00:00:10.140]And so, how we're gonna do this
[00:00:11.810]is the next slide we're gonna reveal some clues
[00:00:14.630]that are maybe more broad to more specific
[00:00:18.730]to try to say who the winner is,
[00:00:22.750]and maybe you'll be able to figure it out.
[00:00:27.190]Amy, thanks for the chat, I haven't seen you in a long time.
[00:00:29.560]So, good to hear from you.
[00:00:31.610]The Region V Award of Merit winner
[00:00:33.840]is a huge country music fan.
[00:00:36.990]So, I'm out.
[00:00:39.190]Holds a passion for student development.
[00:00:41.610]That should not rule out any of you.
[00:00:45.047]Is a former Wasson Award winner,
[00:00:47.900]which means they very well could be from Nebraska,
[00:00:50.230]'cause there's 10 of them a year, maybe.
[00:00:52.359](laughs)
[00:00:53.660]They're an active member of NIRSA,
[00:00:55.230]serving on a NIRSA Championship Series Committee,
[00:00:57.630]or Wasson Award Selection Committee
[00:01:00.310]every year of their professional career.
[00:01:02.390]That's dedication, every year to show up.
[00:01:05.450]Completed the NIRSA School
[00:01:06.630]of Recreational Management level one.
[00:01:09.160]Competed in the NIRSA Championship Series as a student.
[00:01:12.490]So, they can ball.
[00:01:14.060]Worked as an official
[00:01:15.280]in the NIRSA Championship Series as a student.
[00:01:19.100]Serves the NIRSA Championship Series as a staff member
[00:01:22.150]at the regional and national levels as a professional.
[00:01:25.330]We've got to be getting close.
[00:01:27.040]Anybody have butterflies thinking it might be them?
[00:01:30.290]Instrumental in the creation
[00:01:31.780]of a Unified Special Olympics club on campus
[00:01:34.480]and currently serves as its advisors.
[00:01:36.800]Maybe it's out of the bag now.
[00:01:38.630]Laid the groundwork for making Special Olympics
[00:01:40.720]a staple of NIRSA Championship Series events in Region V.
[00:01:44.810]Loves the Kansas City Chiefs.
[00:01:46.420]Oh, close one this year.
[00:01:49.290]St. Louis Cardinals,
[00:01:50.640]went out the Royals, we don't know why not.
[00:01:53.370]Is an avid volleyball player, pretty tall at the net,
[00:01:56.550]and quite possibly the most dominant mind
[00:01:58.850]for CoRec Flag Football in the history of the Midwest,
[00:02:02.480]winning countless championships on two campuses
[00:02:05.030]during their undergraduate career,
[00:02:07.000]graduate career and beyond.
[00:02:09.070]That one might be subjective, I don't know,
[00:02:10.760]but everybody please take yourself off of mute
[00:02:14.670]and join me in congratulations
[00:02:16.810]and offering a round of applause for Mr. Aaron Dueker
[00:02:20.660]of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
[00:02:23.468](applause)
[00:02:26.750]Congratulations to the Dukes.
[00:02:30.000]We're going to stop the slide share for a moment
[00:02:35.070]and allow,
[00:02:37.731]first, Zac to read his nomination letter
[00:02:41.650]followed by Vicki.
[00:02:43.140]So, take us away, Zac.
[00:02:45.380]Yeah, Dueker, first, you're welcome.
[00:02:47.350]You know, I refrain from saying you may
[00:02:49.360]or may not be the president of the Eric Church Fan Club.
[00:02:53.180]I didn't let that cat out of the bag,
[00:02:54.670]I left it pretty vague with country music enthusiastic,
[00:02:59.240]but yeah.
[00:03:00.100]Anyway, NIRSA Region V Award of Merit Selection Committee,
[00:03:05.030]I am thrilled at the opportunity
[00:03:06.950]to provide a letter in support of Aaron Dueker
[00:03:09.110]and his nomination for the Region V Award of Merit.
[00:03:12.630]Aaron is among the most talented young professionals
[00:03:14.870]in the field of campus recreation,
[00:03:16.580]and he proved that on our campus
[00:03:18.130]and across our region consistently.
[00:03:20.670]Many of the contributions that Aaron makes
[00:03:22.840]are subtle and can only be described
[00:03:24.500]by those in his sphere of influence.
[00:03:26.360]However, when it comes to Aaron's inclusive mindset
[00:03:28.952]in the experiences he has delivered
[00:03:30.740]to participants and staff
[00:03:32.280]of the countless extramural events he has led,
[00:03:34.760]his contributions are overt.
[00:03:36.870]Specifically, I want to bring Special Olympics
[00:03:38.820]to the forefront of the conversation.
[00:03:41.650]Aaron has a knack for flying under the radar
[00:03:44.460]and his work often goes understated,
[00:03:46.440]but his contributions to the region
[00:03:47.800]cannot be denied by those familiar
[00:03:49.480]with the world of extramural sport activities.
[00:03:52.670]By taking the inclusive mindset that we are all better
[00:03:55.180]when everyone participates,
[00:03:56.620]he has broadened the perspectives
[00:03:57.990]of all those that take the opportunity to participate
[00:04:00.520]in an extramural activity Aaron has lead.
[00:04:03.750]Aaron was the first person in the region
[00:04:05.480]to bring the Special Olympics Division
[00:04:06.990]to extramural activities.
[00:04:08.810]The tradition of inclusion continues
[00:04:10.500]with each of the regional flag football
[00:04:12.070]and basketball championships
[00:04:13.300]held at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
[00:04:15.410]And I could not begin to measure the positive impact
[00:04:17.920]the inclusion of these athletes has made on these events.
[00:04:21.840]The inclusive mindset brought specifically
[00:04:23.800]to the extramural world within our region
[00:04:25.730]is just a microcosm for what Aaron brings
[00:04:27.750]to the numerous leadership roles he has taken on
[00:04:29.960]across the region and on campus.
[00:04:32.760]Aaron is many things to many people and organizations,
[00:04:36.010]but I view him, first and foremost,
[00:04:37.580]as an inclusive leader in the division of student affairs
[00:04:40.430]on the campus of the University of Nebraska.
[00:04:43.140]He leads by example,
[00:04:44.600]energetically serving on numerous committees.
[00:04:47.430]His altruism is never displayed, but it's always there,
[00:04:50.260]and the activities he touches are always better for it.
[00:04:53.660]Diversity, equity and inclusion
[00:04:55.320]have never been a hotter topic on our campus
[00:04:57.610]than they are right now.
[00:04:59.130]While some individuals and departments
[00:05:00.950]struggle with the idea of bringing intentional inclusion
[00:05:03.320]to the forefront of the conversation,
[00:05:05.240]it comes second nature to Aaron.
[00:05:07.280]It's the same mindset that brought an underrepresented group
[00:05:10.160]into the fold at regional championships,
[00:05:12.510]pairing University of Nebraska students
[00:05:14.250]with Special Olympics athletes
[00:05:15.800]where they competed against others from the region.
[00:05:18.530]I remember the Special Olympics Division
[00:05:20.190]feeling like a leap at the time,
[00:05:22.080]now it feels almost second nature
[00:05:23.560]to have this group of athletes interacting
[00:05:25.750]with those that traditionally took the field
[00:05:27.580]for years prior.
[00:05:29.270]Again, with the understated piece,
[00:05:31.560]he doesn't often talk about it,
[00:05:33.030]Aaron just does it.
[00:05:35.080]I feel fortunate to work in the same department
[00:05:37.030]with a selfless inclusive leader,
[00:05:38.580]especially during these uncertain turbulent times.
[00:05:41.660]It's been a pleasure to watch Aaron make his mark
[00:05:43.570]on this campus and on our region.
[00:05:45.760]I believe Aaron Dueker to be deserving of this award,
[00:05:48.110]and I would be happy to answer any questions
[00:05:49.960]about his qualifications.
[00:05:51.890]Congrats Dueker.
[00:05:55.450]I know he doesn't have his video on,
[00:05:56.624]but I hope he's setting it up.
[00:05:58.637]Vicki, would you like to read you a letter now?
[00:06:00.870]That would definitely be Aaron, no video.
[00:06:04.230]So, it was my pleasure to write a letter
[00:06:06.120]of support for Aaron also.
[00:06:07.410]His contribution to the region
[00:06:08.853]through ideas and engagement is to be commended.
[00:06:12.050]He is one who reflects on what he needs to do
[00:06:14.970]more completely and perfectly in the future,
[00:06:16.830]then he puts those reflections into action.
[00:06:19.550]He's continuously involved across campus,
[00:06:21.610]as you've heard from Zac,
[00:06:22.443]in initiatives urgent to our current situation from COVID-19
[00:06:26.650]as well as keeping connections with colleagues
[00:06:28.520]throughout the region.
[00:06:29.950]Aaron has been a key member
[00:06:31.320]of both the forward to fall,
[00:06:33.240]determining our current status
[00:06:34.580]and helping to provide solution-oriented actions
[00:06:37.200]for keeping our students safe and engaged.
[00:06:39.570]And one of the four called to action teams determining,
[00:06:42.670]determining, excuse me,
[00:06:43.830]actions around the university's commitment
[00:06:45.810]to being an anti-racist campus.
[00:06:48.170]Aaron's talents become evident
[00:06:49.700]when you see him diving into projects
[00:06:51.390]and working industriously with colleagues across campus
[00:06:54.250]and across the region to improve situations.
[00:06:58.080]The impact on our region happens
[00:06:59.700]when he communicates with other colleagues and universities
[00:07:02.170]to bring the best ideas,
[00:07:03.910]both to our colleagues across the profession
[00:07:05.920]through the discussions,
[00:07:07.200]but also back to our campus as they look for best solutions
[00:07:10.650]to the current challenges we face.
[00:07:12.780]He adheres to a higher standard of performance
[00:07:15.000]and can raise a group's achievement level
[00:07:16.760]by creating a culture of winning
[00:07:18.690]and aspiring to be the best.
[00:07:21.020]Aaron is one to welcome outsiders to conversations and teams
[00:07:25.490]and being able to put friends or strangers at ease quickly.
[00:07:28.950]It is a gift that Aaron has.
[00:07:31.190]He has an exceptional ability to win others over
[00:07:33.630]and because he energizes social situations
[00:07:36.010]and naturally puts strangers at ease,
[00:07:38.120]he helps build networks by connecting people with each other
[00:07:41.550]and continuously involved with the NIRSA Championship Series
[00:07:45.670]through committee work and working on site
[00:07:47.400]to mentor students and hosting tournaments,
[00:07:50.290]speaks to his abilities to draw people together
[00:07:52.880]for a common goal.
[00:07:54.920]Aaron can be a very matter of fact,
[00:07:57.930]as you've also heard Zac say,
[00:08:00.240]he's very objective and practical in his approach
[00:08:02.610]to certain people or specific situations.
[00:08:05.170]His work to bring Special Olympics
[00:08:06.760]to the regional flag football tournament
[00:08:08.250]shows his confidence
[00:08:09.330]in turning to reliable risk specialists for direction.
[00:08:12.690]Others value his ability to listen,
[00:08:15.060]gather facts and to find common ground
[00:08:17.040]when discussions become overly emotional,
[00:08:19.400]and Aaron can bring consensus to the group
[00:08:21.300]and help balance the workload.
[00:08:22.620]So, everyone involved expends approximately
[00:08:25.240]the same amount of time, effort and energy.
[00:08:27.920]He can prevent arguments before they start
[00:08:29.860]by quickly helping others find common ground and resolution,
[00:08:33.410]and it's always a win-win outcome for him.
[00:08:36.410]Aaron relies on the diverse viewpoints of certain teammates
[00:08:39.280]to spark conversations that produce exciting ideas,
[00:08:42.160]and his whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
[00:08:45.190]Attitude provides an opportunity
[00:08:46.840]for everyone to ask questions,
[00:08:48.890]offer solutions, describe situations
[00:08:51.860]and or come to a solution
[00:08:55.370]that is beneficial for everyone involved.
[00:08:58.300]He provides the evidence
[00:09:00.100]that the group's collective intelligence wins
[00:09:03.150]over a single person's ideas and thoughts,
[00:09:05.400]and he has the ability to arouse people's interests
[00:09:07.900]with his stories and his presentation style.
[00:09:10.690]He then will often rely on his intuition
[00:09:13.030]to make the right decisions as events unfold.
[00:09:16.660]Aaron has shown his commitment to the University of Nebraska
[00:09:19.050]and to Region V by being actively engaged
[00:09:21.560]at all levels of the department,
[00:09:23.340]the campus, the community, the state and the region
[00:09:26.570]throughout his NIRSA commitment.
[00:09:29.070]I couldn't be more proud that Aaron
[00:09:31.060]is the Region V Award of Merit winner.
[00:09:35.261](applause)
[00:09:43.040]So I noticed this video is on,
[00:09:44.530]love that t-shirt hanging in the background.
[00:09:46.680]And in Region V,
[00:09:48.400]I like that we kind of keep it a surprise, I hope,
[00:09:52.010]that Aaron you feel honored a bit
[00:09:55.190]and certainly you didn't have any words prepared,
[00:09:57.590]but would you like to say anything
[00:09:58.910]to your colleagues in Region V?
[00:10:02.540]I mean, thank you.
[00:10:03.770]Yeah, I was a little bit caught off guard,
[00:10:05.560]until I started reading some of the bullet points
[00:10:08.120]that Zac put up there.
[00:10:10.710]He might have exaggerated some of them,
[00:10:12.700]but that's also the type of individual Zac is,
[00:10:15.270]if you know him.
[00:10:16.103]So, I wouldn't believe all of those bullet points,
[00:10:17.730]but yes I caught on rather quickly once that popped up.
[00:10:21.393]You know, thank you to all of you,
[00:10:23.450]especially, my team here in Nebraska.
[00:10:25.070]You know, Zac and Vicki
[00:10:26.010]have been a big part of my development
[00:10:27.980]from coming here as a grad student
[00:10:29.900]to being a coordinator to now being the assistant director,
[00:10:32.560]and countless other individuals
[00:10:34.450]within the department as well,
[00:10:36.360]traveling to multiple regional or national tournaments,
[00:10:38.930]getting to know a lot of you as well.
[00:10:40.930]So, I do appreciate it, means a lot to me.
[00:10:45.560]They are right, I'm not a man of many words,
[00:10:47.300]I just like to do things.
[00:10:48.400]So, that's all I got for you all.
[00:10:50.720]Thank you very much, I do really appreciate it.
[00:10:53.939](applause)
[00:10:57.350]Congratulations, Aaron.

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Dueker receives NIRSA Region V Regional Award of Merit

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