Dave Serowka

What year did you start working at NIU?
2018 as a faculty member (2016 as a graduate assistant).

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
My hometown is Cary, Illinois. I currently reside in Algonquin, Illinois.

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
Two-time NIU alum (soon to be three-time!):

• B.S. kinesiology
• M.S. sport management
• Ed.D. higher education (anticipated graduation date: 2027)

Were you a first-generation college student? If so, what advice would you offer to current first generation students?
Yes, I am a first-generation college student. If I was offering advice to a first-generation student, it would be to make connections with faculty and support staff and to engage in experiential learning opportunities. When I was a nontraditional transfer student, I felt a connection with the institution through the relationships I built in and outside of the classroom. It helped me develop a strong sense of belonging.

What do you like about working at NIU?
In the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, it feels like a family. We have great support from fellow faculty, support staff and our department chair. For me, NIU holds a special place in my heart because I walked the halls as an older undergrad student (I was 25-27 when I completed my bachelor’s), and I worked and took classes as a graduate student and GA in Anderson Hall, so I feel deeply connected to that space and the students who have come through after me.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Again, know your faculty, ask questions, visit us in the office and take advantage of out-of-classroom experiences, trips, etc.

Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
I very much look forward to hosting/emceeing a sport management discussion panel each year, where I bring I my own industry contacts to talk with larger groups of students. I also am a lead on the committee for the KNPE career fair, which typically pulls in about 40 KNPE related companies and organizations to engage and share internship and job materials with our NIU Huskies. I also participate in annual conferences and our annual trip to Cleveland for our sport sales workshop and job fair, which is hosted at the Cleveland Cavs arena. Love these trips for our students!

What do you enjoy most about mentoring students?
I reflect back on when I was younger, being a first-generation college student and not having much direction or help from family. I try to use those memories to help me relate to students who may not have a sounding board or who don’t understand how to be successful in school and beyond. Simply put, I had a very uphill, non-linear path through school, and I want to help all students feel that sense of belonging and the confidence to succeed in school and beyond.

What do you hope students take away from their college experience?
I really want students to appreciate the opportunities they’ve encountered and the idea that they are in a great space and they are doing this for themselves, but also their future family tree. Setting the bar, succeeding in life and being an example for others in their community or family.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
One that really touched me was being acknowledged as the Sport Management Graduate Student of the Year in 2017. As an underperforming student in K-12, I couldn’t believe I was being acknowledged as the best in my class as a graduate student. I remember receiving the email when I was working alone in the graduate office, and my eyes filled with tears because I was not expecting that, nor was I ever in a position to think I would even qualify for something like that.

What’s one thing about NIU that’s surprised you?
How much I fit into the college environment, whether making friends, connecting with faculty or getting hired as an instructor, as well as all the awesome stuff I am able to do in the KNPE department as a faculty member.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
Above all things, I think about my own children. As a divorced dad, I want to inspire them to go out and tackle all of life’s challenges, knowing they have a father who loves them and does everything personally and professionally to put them in a better position than I was in growing up. Professionally, I am moved and motivated by helping students who are less fortunate — those who do not have the support system or the confidence to do great things. As our program’s internship coordinator, I love promoting opportunities for students to get involved and better themselves and ultimately be a part of their journey as they leave campus and move into their professional lives.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
Ethics and integrity are very important to me. If we can be honest, both with the good and bad, I think the world could be a better place.

Have you contributed to any NIU Foundation fundraising campaigns such as the Day of Giving or Huskies United? If yes, why did you decided to support NIU?
In the past, I have made donations to several NIU fundraising initiatives, as well as promoted and shared opportunities with alums, industry partners, etc.

Do you keep in touch with any NIU alums? If so, are there any doing something interesting and exciting that we should know about? Please share some information with us and we’ll consider them for a future feature. 
I am very active on LinkedIn, so I see so many fellow alums and past students out there doing great things. If I am chosen as a Huskie Spotlight, I would love to generate a list of some really great people who have wonderful stories of their time at NIU and beyond.

Who has influenced your professional path?
Dr. Steve Howell (KNPE chair), Dr. Rod Caughron (former professor/current co-worker) and Dr. Farah Ishaq (sport management program director).

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
Having little to no direction, I was really all over the map as far as what I wanted to do. From being a PE teacher or police officer to majoring in business, I did not know where I fit in the real world. Looking at what I do now, I found my passion and my professional interest, which wasn’t something I knew much about before coming to NIU and working in the fitness and sports space, then returning to NIU as a faculty member.

Are you participating in or have you participated in any NIU shared governance or professional development groups? If so, how has your participation enhanced your experience as an employee?
I’ve participated in ACUE faculty/teaching training.

Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional or community organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
Other than part-time work in the sports industry, with eight years at the Schaumburg Boomers (minor league baseball) and in my first year with the Chicago Bears, I am not part of any other organizations.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I love to rent mini cabins with my family when we go camping. It’s a great time to get away, unwind and unplug, enjoying the nostalgia of being outside without technology and making lifelong memories together. That and visiting sporting events with my family and connecting with NIU interns, partner organizations and friends in the industry.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I am really proud to be in my third NIU program, working on my doctorate to have an even bigger impact on NIU and our students.