Jewell credits the success of club sports to the students who lead them, offering guidance when necessary. For instance, if a club team wants to compete in a tournament in New York, the student officers seek Jewell’s approval. Once approved, the students independently book hotels and transportation, either through the Division of Student Life or using their allocated budget managed by Jewell. Clubs also fundraise for their trips, often hosting on-campus tournaments as an effective method. While students primarily manage these events, Jewell facilitates communication between club leaders and facility operations to secure spaces and address any issues.
Jewell also oversees the MIT All-Sports Summer Day Camp, a seven-week program offering various sports activities and swimming lessons. Each winter, he hires 50 part-time staff, including counselors, for the camp. When camp registration opens, Jewell and his team input the details of 800 campers into their database, ensuring a smooth arrival on campus.
Always seeking innovative offerings for the community, Jewell recently attended the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) to learn about other universities’ recreational offerings. A key takeaway was the resurgence of arcade games. During the pandemic, MIT students engaged with each other through games like "Mario Kart," maintaining social distance while competing and communicating via headsets. Even after social distancing was no longer required, students continued to enjoy competitive video gaming. With an unused squash court, student enthusiasm, and newly raised funds, Jewell established MIT’s esports room. The room features a PlayStation 5 and a Nintendo Switch, each with four controllers, and a mini theater with a large projector and seating for 15. With the equipment and space ready, Jewell’s next plan is to organize esports tournaments.
Jewell’s message about intramural and club sports is straightforward: join one. During new student orientation, he explains to parents how DAPER’s offerings will enhance their child’s student experience and beyond. Jewell and his colleagues aim to ensure that graduates can find a community through sports, whether they move to a new city for a career opportunity or travel to a place where they don’t speak the language.
Question: What project at DAPER are you most proud of?
Jewell: During the pandemic, I wanted to help students get outside and stay active. That’s why I created the "Simply Walk to Mordor Challenge" (from "The Lord of the Rings"). Students formed teams of up to six and logged their daily steps in a spreadsheet. They could compete against characters like Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins, as well as other groups of adventurers, covering the distance from the Shire to Mount Doom. There was also a personal bar graph showing students where they were in the book if they wanted to read while walking. The event became popular, with over 100 students participating. I was proud to get it started, and we received a lot of positive feedback from students.
Question: What do you love most about the MIT community?
Jewell: At MIT, there’s no such thing as a bad idea. Community members approach me with ideas they know might not materialize, but that doesn’t dampen their enthusiasm. For example, a student wanted to create a varsity paddleball team. I explained that forming a varsity team is challenging and we didn’t have paddleball courts. He suggested converting a tennis court into a paddleball court. Ultimately, I had to say it wouldn’t work, but you don’t find creative and fun ideas without throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. I love that students, staff, and faculty are creative enough to propose ideas and ask, "What if we tried this?" Sometimes we can’t, but when we can, it’s magical.
Question: What advice would you give to a new MIT staff member?
Jewell: Attend as many meetings and activities as possible and interact with people outside your department. There’s a lot happening on campus that you can be part of and many interesting people to meet. If a staff member wants to play flag football with undergraduates, we encourage it! Staff can also become members of the DAPER gym, and we offer numerous sports events and recreational opportunities for mental and physical health.