Meredith Schram joins Rams aquatics programs

VCU has superb aquatic facilities and programs on campus, but Meredith Schram is now at the helm and plans to make it better.

The newly appointed aquatics coordinator is responsible for supervising lifeguards, coordinating swim lessons and scheduling recreational events like inner tube water polo and movie pool night.

Her position at VCU is her first job out of college.

Schram is the coordinator of activities on both campuses. She is adamant that students take advantage of the many recreational opportunities.

One of Schram’s goals, she said, is to make sure students learn about and take advantage of these cool events.

“Students are bombarded with so many things offered to them that I think they sometimes overlook the (recreational) sports and aquatic program,” said Schram. “My goal is to increase awareness about all the things we have to offer.”

The Michigan native has always valued sports in general, even though recreational sports and aquatics were not always her top priority.

She graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo with a degree in sports marketing.

The degree was something she enjoyed, and she even got an internship with a minor league ice hockey team. But it was not until Schram got a job with her school’s recreational sports program as a graduate student she would ultimately change her outlook.

It was there that she found she liked the recreational sports coordinator lifestyle more than sports marketing.

“I enjoyed the excitement of sports marketing very much,” Schram said. “But the hours were very long and there was very little interaction with other people because you were too busy running around getting things done.

“With the job I have now I am able to work more with people face to face.”

After discovering what she likes, Schram pursued and received a graduate degree in recreation from Illinois State University.

From swim lessons to master stroke programs and inner tube water polo to movie pool night, many programs are offered at both the MCV Recreation and Aquatics Center and the Franklin Street Gym pool.

One day Schram would like to go back to school – students can only hope that “one day” is not any day soon.

Visit www.recsports.vcu.edu to find information and schedules about the programs offered.