Austin Grant has always had a love for two things — the outdoors and the Mountaineer spirit.
Although he was raised in Weirton, WV, Grant and his sister would spend summers visiting his Great Aunt Judy, who lived in downtown Morgantown. He remembers going exploring all over Morgantown with just a few quarters and the PRT system to lead him.
With these experiences in hand, Grant fell in love with Morgantown.
“It’s the people,” Grant states about his love for Morgantown, “It's also the ability to go outside and do things [nearby].”
Grant first dipped his toes into the Student Recreation Center by becoming a lifeguard during his freshman year. He rose in the ranks to become a head lifeguard and, eventually, a program assistant. As a program assistant (PA), he assisted with pool work, payrolls for staff, administration and lifeguard classes for new recruits.
In 2021, he was hired as the graduate assistant (GA) for aquatics. With this job, he supervises 60 to 70 students and is responsible for their payrolls and employee scheduling, hiring and training. He also takes care of staffing and the pool deck operations. Grant’s duties as a GA also include him keeping the pump room — which filtrates water and adds chlorine to the pool — running safely and efficiently.
“A lot of students just see the Student Recreation Center as a gym,” Grant said. “But it’s so much more than that.”
He believes that if students show up to the Rec Center, they should give it a try.
“If you look at our website, you’ll see a crazy variety of things we do here” - Austin Grant
In addition to his regular work with Campus Rec, Grant works with Brand Experience, an organization that aims to help with recruiting and prospective students. Along with its director, Joel Brown, Grant helps with Winter Fest, Fall Fest, Food Fest and the Welcome Week Pool Party.
“I really like to be involved in campus events,” Grant added.
Outside of WVU, he participates in a search and rescue volunteer program that works in and around the city of Morgantown. The search and rescue team responds to lost and missing persons reports within a two hour radius of Morgantown.
“It’s very depressing at times,” he said. “You don't always see people at their greatest times, but being able to make an impact through it is really great.”
Grant also worked with the Emma Kaufmann Camp, which is part of the Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Pittsburgh, and managed three pools for them during the summer.
In his free time, he feeds his Chick-Fil-A Cravings with his fellow staff and co-workers at the Rec Center. He recommends Zeke’s breakfast on High Street, as well as Crumbl cookies.
Grant completed his undergraduate degree in 2021 with a major in Elementary Education. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in Higher Education and will graduate in May 2023. He plans to work in administration and student affairs rather than in a classroom with students.
He plans to continue working at WVU for the distant future, as he agrees with its beliefs and the fact that it is a land-grant institution.
“I just want to keep being a part of it,” he said.