New Director of Campus Recreation Enjoys ‘Re-Creating Recreation’ for Chargers

The lifeblood of the University of New Haven are the faculty and staff members who dedicate their lives to helping our students reach their goals. Periodically, we’ll introduce you to a member of the staff so you can learn more about them – beyond their day to day work.

Next up is Jessica Scibek, the new director of campus recreation and a Red Sox fan who is already planning her next visit to her favorite New Haven pizzeria.

Renee Chmiel: What are your favorite sports?
Jessica Scibek: My favorite sports are baseball, basketball, and, now that my daughter plays, softball is on that list, too. I just started to get into playing golf and pickleball! I played lots of different sports growing up. I played basketball and ran track in high school, then competed as a sprinter and hurdler in college at Sacred Heart University.

We are diehard Boston Red Sox fans in my family, and we love going to Hartford Yard Goats games! This fall when I started working at University of New Haven, we all became Charger fans, too.

RC: When you were in college, what activities were you involved with?
JS: In college I was a student-athlete. I participated in community service, and I was a member of Nu Epsilon Omega sorority. I loved meeting new people, learning about our community, helping with outreach at places near my campus such as Caroline House, which helps women and children reach their full potential through education.

I loved being on a sports team for the competition, the friendships, and for daily training and practices to help me stay focused and use my time wisely (I couldn’t waste time if I was busy at practice or meets!). Being involved in athletics and intramurals helped me stay active without ever really having to think about it.

RC: What about the spring semester are you most looking forward to?
JS: I am excited for my first Spring semester at the University of New Haven! I want to welcome everyone back, help students find fun ways to be active, and encourage outdoor activity as the snow and cold melt away, and we can be together outside again. While I love lifting weights, you’ll often see me outside hosting walking meetings and doing anything I can to get out of the office and still be productive.

RC: If you could meet any famous person (living or not) who would it be?
JS: I would want to meet Ruth Bader Ginsberg (the Notorious RBG). She was so brilliant, she was a trailblazer, and she was a protector of human rights and human health. I think I’d just want to be near her to see what I could absorb!

RC: What are some of your favorite things to do in Connecticut?
JS: My favorite thing to do in Connecticut other than to be outdoors is to eat pizza! Modern Apizza is our family’s favorite (which reminds me that it’s time to go back!). I also love sitting in my backyard by the firepit with friends and heading to the beach or the woods for walks with my family. Mostly, I enjoy going to baseball and softball fields all over the state to watch my kids play their favorite sports.

RC: What do you enjoy the most about your role as director of campus recreation?
JS: I was lucky enough to pull together the most amazing team of professional and graduate, and undergraduate student staff. They put in so much effort to be the best and really believe in the work that Campus Recreation does to help students grow, combat stress, and integrate into our community. They inspire me to work even harder to provide the best experiences possible for ChargerREC staff and participants.

The students bring new perspectives and energy to everything we do, so I really do love working with student employees and interns. Even though it is challenging, they make this job fun. I really enjoy leading this team and learning something from each person as things evolve and change on a daily basis. We are re-creating recreation almost every day throughout COVID, so it’s never the same day twice!

RC: If you could go back and offer advice to yourself when you were in college, what would you say?
JS: It’s not only about the grades – have some fun! I would have attended more events and programs. After graduation, when will someone bring an arcade to you? Or bring an outdoor movie and lawn games to your backyard and invite you to play for a while and have ice cream? I would definitely take advantage of all the ways to take an hour break to have a good time, win prizes, travel, laugh, and be social. There are so many benefits to your mental health and to networking and building relationships. Go and have fun!