Vision
To enhance lives through recreation, sport and belonging
Mission
To create transformative experiences through sport & recreation that support growth, wellbeing and connection across our campus and community
Values
People-centered, Inclusive, Excellence, Integrity & Pride
McMaster Athletics & Recreation is proud to share our 2025–2030 Strategic Plan – a roadmap that reflects where we’re headed and what we want people to feel when they engage with sport and recreation at McMaster University.
Our vision is simple: to enhance lives through recreation, sport and belonging. Everything in this plan comes back to that idea, creating spaces and experiences where people can grow, connect, and feel well. This strategic plan was shaped through meaningful consultation, listening, and collaboration with students, student-athletes, alumni, campus partners, and trusted members of our Marauder community.
This launch is the beginning of the next phase: implementation. To ensure accountability and transparency, we are committing to bi-annual updates every year for the duration of this plan – each May and December – so our community can see the progress we’re making and the outcomes we’re driving.
Thank you for helping shape this plan and for being part of our Athletics & Recreation community. We’re excited for what’s ahead, and we’re committed to building it together.
Keenan Jeppesen
Director, Athletics & Recreation
To realize our vision, this strategic plan defines our pillars and priorities.
Well-Being for All
Promote holistic wellness and active living for the communities we serve.
Leader in Varsity Athletics
Champion an environment that fosters development of student-athletes and staff to achieve competitive success.
Connected Communities
Build, strengthen and celebrate relationships within and beyond the university community.
Exceptional Spaces
Develop and maintain high-quality facilities that enhance user experience and support diverse communities.
Operational Excellence
Achieve and maintain high standards in all operational aspects to ensure stability and sustainability.
Progression will be measured through the following measurable achievements
- Become a leader in student-centred recreational programming
- Be engaged as a valued campus partner in well-being
- Strengthen our university partnerships in research and academics
- Facilitate positive growth in student-athlete experiences
- Develop & sustain high-performance programs that compete for championships annually
- Establish leadership in hosting high performance sport events
- Welcome a thriving alumni program
- Build a recognized presence on campus and in the local community
- House an engaged student community in athletics and recreation programs and events
- Complete a facility and equipment life cycle plan for financial sustainability
- Optimize space utilization based on student and community needs
- Develop a compelling case for new facilities including aquatics centre and field house
- Demonstrate financial sustainability
- Facilitate an engaged and supported work culture
- Support continuous improvement through innovative strategies
As we share our first 2025-2030 Strategic Plan update, I want to start with a simple message; our department is moving forward with purpose, and we’re doing it with students at the centre of every decision.
Over the past year and into early 2026, our focus has been on strengthening the Athletics & Recreation experience in ways that matter most to our current students: accessible programs that support wellbeing, spaces that feel welcoming, safe and functional, and excellence in Varsity Athletics. We’re prioritizing the fundamentals that shape student life – how students move, connect, and find belonging through recreation – while continuing to build the partnerships and community connections that extend those benefits beyond our facilities.
In practical terms, that means we are prioritizing student-centred recreation programming and member satisfaction; strengthening our role as a valued campus partner; and improving how we plan and manage our spaces and equipment so they can better meet student needs over time. Within varsity athletics, we’re approaching our work through the same lens by supporting a holistic student-athlete experience and creating positive environments where students can suceed and represent McMaster with pride.
This update reflects the ongoing work. Across Athletics & Recreation, our units are finalizing goals and KPIs that will measure progress over the full 2025-2030 plan. That KPI framework is important for transparency and accountability, and we intend to publish unit-level measures in the near future.
Our next progress update will be shared December 2026.
Sincerely,
Keenan Jeppesen
May 2026 updates on A&R Strategic Pillars
Well-Being for All
- Prioritizing student-centred recreation access and participation across our core services, with sustained demand and strong day-to-day usage of our facilities.
- Continuing to deliver high-quality recreation experiences that support physical, mental, and social well-being, reinforced by consistently strong student satisfaction with programming and services.
- Strengthening our role as a campus wellbeing partner, contributing to broader, coordinated approaches to student wellness through shared initiatives and collaboration.
- Positioning Athletics & Recreation as a ‘living lab’ for experiential learning innovation by advancing academic and research partnerships.
- Expanding inclusive and culturally meaningful programming, including signature events like Recreation Games and new offerings.
- Participation snapshot (May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026):
- David Braley Athletic Centre visits: 862,198 | Unique users: 26,919
- Pulse visits: 728,737 | Unique users: 21,442
- Instructional Programs participants: 1,836
Leader in Varsity Athletics
- Sustaining competitive, high-performance environments by supporting programs in their pursuit of post-season success and championship-level standards.
- Continuing to build a holistic student-athlete experience, with emphasis on the supports that help students thrive – including expanded access to nutrition services and dedicated mental health resources through the Student Wellness Centre.
- Strengthening McMaster’s leadership in hosting high-performance sporting events, delivering major championships that elevate participant experience, community connection, and institutional pride – including the 2025 U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship, the 2026 U SPORTS Swimming Championship, and the 2026 OUA Squash championship.
Connected Communities
Alumni Engagement
- Advancing a more consistent alumni engagement model with new capacity in place through the hiring of a dedicated Advancement Officer, Alumni Engagement (A&R)
- Maintaining momentum in philanthropic engagement through the delivery of the 5th annual Marauder Giving Challenge, a fundraising initiative supporting direct investment in varsity programs.
- Rebuilding year-round touchpoints with alumni through team and departmental communications, reunions, and game-day experiences that reconnect alumni across eras.
Community and Campus Engagement
- Expanding A&R’s presence on campus and in Hamilton through outreach, events and partnerships that connect students and community members through sport and recreation.
- Deepening student-athlete civic leadership through McMaster Athletes Care (M.A.C.), supporting meaningful community impact through youth programming, fundraising/awareness initiatives, and donation drives.
- Regular youth programming through Routes Youth Centre
- Fundraising and awareness initiatives (ie. Shoot for the Cure, raising over $5,200 for breast cancer research).
- Executed food, clothing, and donation drives supporting local Hamilton organizations.
- Delivered high-impact community initiatives that bring McMaster into the community and bring the community to McMaster – including the Hamilton Santa Claus Parade, the Extended Classroom Project tied to the U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship (2,000 elementary school students), the ‘Battle of Hamilton’ youth engagement initiative (1,000+ attendees), and partnerships with YMCA ‘Beyond the Bell’ program and McMaster Engineering Outreach. Engaged more than 3,170 local youth through Athletics & Recreation and varsity outreach initiatives.
Exceptional Spaces
- Continued progress toward a sustainable facility and equipment lifecycle planning model, including early implementation of RFAM (Recreation Facility Asset Management) to improve asset tracking and long‑term planning.
- Laying the groundwork to optimize space utilization, including changes to strengthen scheduling oversight and improve operational efficiency in how spaces are managed and used.
- Ongoing review of recent capital investments to ensure alignment with utilization patterns, service demand, and long‑term sustainability.
- A/V upgrade completed in Burridge Gymnasium, Thérèse Quigley Sport Hall, and recreational studios, and installation of new systems in East Auxiliary and Smith Gyms.
- Upgrades to venue lighting under way for Burridge Gymnasium, Thérèse Quigley Sport Hall, Ron Joyce Stadium, Track Field and Alumni Field, with expected completion August 2026.
Operational Excellence
- Continuing to improve how we work, using digital tools, operational reviews, and data-informed approaches to strengthen service delivery and organizational effectiveness.
- Prioritizing a supported and engaged work culture, including culture-focused workshops and intentional attention to staff experience during periods of operational change.
