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When Natalie Rosales-Hawkins returned to the Emerging Recreational Sports Leadership (ERSL) Conference this February, she did so not only as an experienced professional, but as someone whose career was first shaped in the very rooms she now helps lead.

Rosales-Hawkins, associate director of Recreational Programs in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Campus Recreation, attended the 2026 ERSL Conference held Feb. 19–21 at Dallas College in Dallas, Texas. The national gathering brings together students, graduate assistants and professionals across campus recreation to foster mentorship and leadership development.

Throughout the conference, Rosales-Hawkins reconnected with colleagues while building new relationships with attendees from institutions nationwide, including the University of Oregon, University of Southern Mississippi, Texas Southern University, Boise State University, Tulane University, SUNY Cortland and Radford University.

One of the most meaningful moments of the weekend came when she shared her story with participants, a journey that began when she attended as a student at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

“My former supervisor and long-time mentor, Tony Daniels, Athletic and Intramural Sports Director at Northeast Lakeview College, intentionally introduced me to campus recreation professionals early in my career,” said Rosales-Hawkins. “Those introductions ultimately changed everything.”

She refers to a career-defining ERSL moment when she was pulled from an educational session to meet with recreational sports staff from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. That encounter led to a graduate assistantship in facilities, completion of her master’s degree and her first professional role at SIUE, where she has served 13 years.

“I often joke with Tony and say, ‘You did this, TD!’” said Rosales-Hawkins. “But in sharing this story, I realized he truly changed my life— not just professionally, but personally, including where I built my family.”

Daniels now introduces students directly to Rosales-Hawkins, and ERSL 2026 created a place to foster those connections. She spent much of the conference meeting prospective students and highlighting the leadership, hands-on experience and professional growth opportunities available at SIUE, where Campus Recreation is recruiting eight graduate assistants.

Rosales-Hawkins also volunteered alongside Scott Flickinger, director of Campus Recreation at SUNY Cortland, to review student résumés and support attendees preparing for graduate and professional roles in the field. ERSL remains a particularly powerful space for students and young professionals who are underrepresented in campus recreation.

“The conference provides visibility, affirmation and encouragement,” said Rosales-Hawkins. “It reinforces that they belong in the profession and are supported every step of the way.”

For Rosales-Hawkins, that support comes from mentors who shaped the path she trailblazes for sports leadership, a journey that began at ERSL and continues to grow here at SIUE.

Photo: Tony Daniels and Natalie Rosales Hawkins