Former Student Worker Leads Campus Recreation and Wellness
12/06/2022
Under the leadership of Todd Robben, Campus Recreation and Wellness is dedicated to helping students develop the whole person.
Todd Robben can’t remember a time he wasn’t a Billiken.
Robben, the director of Campus and Recreation and Wellness, has officially been employed by Saint Louis University for more than 13 years. His ties with the University extend much deeper than employment.
His mother, Jeanne Robben, worked in SLU’s Department of Human Resources. Her job allowed him to get an early taste of life at SLU.
“I was engaged on SLU’s campus throughout my entire childhood,” he said. “For years, I attended SLU’s Summer Youth Camp, which is a program that is still being offered to this day and administered by our team. I served as a ball boy/floor cleaner for the men's basketball team — although I wasn't compensated, I did have courtside seats during the Charlie Spoonhour era.”
Robben had sleepovers on the 16th floor of Griesedieck Hall as a kid with his older sister. He visited the Simon Recreation Center to play basketball and generally spent as much time as possible on campus.
“When I got to an age where I began to think about college, there was really only one choice for me, SLU,” he said.
As a student, he majored in marketing and entrepreneurship and got a job on campus.
“My mom ‘strongly encouraged’ me to get an on-campus job during my college experience, and I'm glad she did,” he said. “I naturally gravitated to employment opportunities in Campus Recreation and started cleaning the outdoor pools on campus the summer leading into my freshman year. Since my first day as a student employee, SLU has continued to offer me opportunities to grow professionally and give back to something that's given me so much over the years.”
What started with pool cleaning turned into a full-time job. Last summer, he was named the interim director of Campus Recreation and Wellness. Earlier this year, the interim tag was removed, and he was named the permanent director.
For Robben, the goals of Campus Recreation and Wellness are simple — to support student success.
“As Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, I am responsible for ensuring all members of our community have the opportunity and support to engage in recreational activities and social connections that will contribute to their health, well-being, and success,” he said.
With as many hours as he’s spent working at Campus Rec, Robben is a major advocate for its benefits. As a student, he said he realized he needed recreation as a way to succeed.
Robben said when he was in high school, he was two-sport student-athlete spending countless hours in practices and at games. When he decided to attend SLU, he dropped sports to focus on his grades.
“I probably could have received scholarships playing Div. II or Div. III had I pursued the opportunity, but SLU was always my first choice for college,” he said. “I knew SLU academics were going to be challenging, so my initial mindset was to put sports aside, so I could focus on my studies and succeed in the classroom. What I failed to realize at the time is that the physical and social benefits provided through sports were exactly what my mental health needed to succeed and excel in the classroom.”
Robben said going to the Rec Center helped him develop as a person.
“It was the perfect time to develop healthy habits that I could carry with me beyond college and learn the necessary time management skills needed to make my health a priority,” he said. “I’m proud to say this is reflected in my life to this day.”
His commitment to playing sports continues for Robben. While no longer a student, he regularly participates in the Rec Center’s Noontime Basketball Association (NBA) program. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, he’s joined by his SLU faculty and staff colleagues and students from across campus to play pick-up basketball games over the lunch hour. The games are open to anyone, regardless of skill level or ability.
I believe when most people think about recreation, the first thing that comes to mind are the benefits to one’s physical health. I think we tend to overlook the benefits of being in community and the positive effects on our mental health that comes with it.
Todd Robben, director of Campus and Recreation and Wellness
Basketball isn’t the only activity available to students.
“Our department offers a wide variety of programming around sports, aquatics, fitness, health education, and more,” he said. “Specifically, we offer intramural and club sports. Our intramural program ranges in competition from recreational to competitive leagues. With over 30 active Club Sports, offerings range from traditional sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball to non-traditional activities such as equestrian, ultimate frisbee, pickleball, and wilderness adventure.”
For students who want to get off dry land, Robben said the Recreation Center pool is available.
“Our aquatic staff offers swim lessons for beginners, experienced swimmers looking to perfect a stroke, and everyone in between,” he said.
The Rec Center also has fitness programs available for students who are looking to work out instead of playing a sport.
“We offer personal training from certified trainers who can help you meet your fitness goals,” he said. “We offer more than 20 group exercise classes, which are free for students and Simon Rec members. Similar to other programs, our certified instructors offer various classes, such as instructional salsa and merengue bachata dance classes, high-intensity interval training, and specialized certification classes such as WERQ, Pound, and Zumba.”
In addition to working on physical health, the Rec Center’s Health Promotion and Education team offers programming around mental health and suicide prevention, personal wellness, sexual assault, alcohol and drug education, and bystander intervention.
“I believe when most people think about recreation, the first thing that comes to mind are the benefits to one’s physical health,” Robben said. “I think we tend to overlook the benefits of being in community and the positive effects on our mental health that comes with it. This was evident as we navigated through the COVID-19 pandemic — we were forced to isolate; club sports were not able to practice or compete, our group fitness programs were moved to virtual platforms, we weren’t allowed to gather for events, some drop-in recreational activities were limited to individual participation, and more. Even though we still had opportunities to be engaged in physical activity, the social connection piece was removed, which had an adverse effect on many of us and our mental health. We can’t take the social connection piece for granted. We need to appreciate and celebrate the benefits of being in community with one another, something that recreation has always provided us.”
More information about Campus Rec can be found on its website. To sign up for classes, visit the ShopCampusRec site. For the latest updates on hours, programs, and more, Campus Rec can be found on Facebook and Instagram.