Episode 41: Building Strategy and Culture at University of Maryland Baltimore URecFit and Wellness

It’s time to go behind the curtain of the director role and have honest discussions with leaders in the campus recreation industry. In this episode, host Grady Sheffield, the director of Campus Recreation at Towson University and senior advisor to Campus Rec Magazine, chats with Eric Barron, director of University Recreation and Fitness & Wellness at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). Barron’s journey is anything but ordinary — from a start in tactical strength and conditioning to years as an assistant director, to suddenly stepping into the director role in the middle of leadership transitions. His story highlights resilience, strategic thinking, and the importance of focusing on progress over perfection. As one of only four directors in UMB Campus Rec’s history, Barron has embraced leading a small but mighty team serving a unique professional-school population. He shares how he’s building trust, shaping vision and leveraging wellness as a unifying message across a campus filled with future doctors, dentists and social workers.