Jared Tollas came to campus for a job but found much more.

Jared Tollas had never heard of Lubbock. 

He admits that now with a short, disbelieving laugh, since this place has become a central thread in his story. 

Lubbock was merely a dot on a map in 2024 when Jared’s former college roommate shared a job posting at Texas Tech University’s University Recreation. His friend had come to Texas Tech for graduate school, and felt Jared would thrive among Red Raiders. 

Jared remembers visiting the college town for his job interview. 

“The first person I met in Lubbock was so friendly, I hadn’t even gotten to campus yet,” Jared says. 

That impression only expanded when he arrived at the Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center.  

“The staff were so kind to me from the get-go,” he says. “I got the impression that they were going to invest in me, not only as an employee, but as a person.” 

That investment mattered a lot to a young professional just starting his career. Now 25, he’s starting his third year as a program manager at the rec center and has begun earning a graduate degree through the Graduate School. 

But one of his favorite parts of the week is the two nights he spends coaching Texas Tech’s Unified Basketball team. 

A Guiding Voice 

Jared’s hometown of Ashland, Wisconsin, has a population of 8,000. Raised in a rural community, he played basketball in the cold months and tennis in the warmer ones. 

When it came time to attend college, Jared followed many of his peers to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He stumbled into his major of recreation management through a class he took his first year. The course got him out of the classroom and into the surrounding neighborhood where students helped plant a community garden.

Something clicked for Jared.

“I knew I didn’t want a traditional job, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he says.

Through recreation management, Jared found a program that matched those instincts. The people around him were serious but laid-back, and they valued getting as much experience as they could outside a classroom. For a student like Jared who couldn’t imagine himself behind a desk, it was the perfect match. 

The choice also led him to a job at the rec center at his school. It was a job swiping student IDs, but he had a boss who made a point to connect with her employees. 

“She became a mentor to me and helped me through a time where I had no post-college career plans and was grieving the loss of a family member,” Jared remembers. “I wasn’t making the healthiest decisions.” 

One suggestion his supervisor made was to experience more of the world outside Wisconsin. 

That summer, Jared applied for a job where he got to captain a boat for the Glacier Park Boat Company in Montana, steering a 52-foot wooden vessel. He took travelers from all around the country across the alpine lakes of one of the country’s most majestic national parks. 

As he steered the tourists toward new scenes, he began to realize he too, could change course.  

“The choice to move to another state during the summers was really meaningful, it opened my eyes to how much else was out there,” he says. 

His mentor also helped him land an internship after graduation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he helped open a brand-new recreation facility and developed some of its first operational policies. 

Having a supervisor who cared for Jared as a person, not just an employee, mattered. It wasn’t just about his output on the job; it was about making sure he was healthy enough to not only work, but to enjoy his work.  

It was a feeling Jared knew he wanted to pay forward one day. 

Widening His World  

Jared was enjoying life in Madison, but the internship was for just one year, and he was back to worrying about his future. That’s when he got a text from his former college roommate.

It was a job posting for a program manager at Texas Tech’s University Recreation. While his world had expanded, it had never expanded as far as Texas. 

Jared found himself looking up Lubbock and reading about the university. 

He checked the job posting again, noticing the application was closing that night. He grabbed his computer and filled it out, submitting it at 11:50 p.m.

The rest is history. 

Two years in, Jared loves leading student employees at Texas Tech, motivating those he coaches and making the rec center the best it can be. He’s slowly grown into a mentor of his own right.

“During my time working with students, I’ve helped them navigate some personal challenges and give them an outside perspective,” Jared says. 

And the fact he isn’t too far removed from college makes him a welcome open ear to students. 

“I remember as an undergraduate feeling like the world was going to end when you had a fight with roommates or trouble with family,” he says. “I think I’ve been able to help some of my students communicate their feelings more confidently.” 

Axell Cantu Rojas is a political science major at Texas Tech and works as a facility supervisor at University Recreation. 

“Jared has taught me the importance of leadership through consistency, professionalism and genuinely caring about the people around you,” Axell says. “Jared is making the same impact on students here as his mentors made on him.”

Axell notes that Jared guides students and helps them find success not just in the high-stake moments, but also in the long term. 

“That kind of mentorship sticks with people, and Jared has that effect.” 

Leveling Up

After a year of getting settled in his new job, Jared noticed some of his colleagues were pushing themselves to further their education through graduate school. 

Graduate school was the furthest thing from his mind when he started his job. When he was an undergrad, he says he would have laughed at the prospect of more school. But what once seemed impossible began to feel plausible. 

Jared investigated the College of Education’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Higher Education Administration.

“I found out that Texas Tech will pay for one course each semester for fulltime employees,” Jared says. “That allows people to finish their undergrad or pursue graduate school.” 

It also helped that one of Jared’s colleagues, another program manager at the rec center, had just completed the program while juggling a family and career. Seeing Brittany Doak earn her degree made Jared feel like he could do it too.  

“Jared approaches everything with enthusiasm and desire to learn, while seeking out ways to apply that knowledge to better serve others,” Brittany says. “I know he will be successful because he is driven, motivated and dedicated to growth.” 

But that didn’t make his first day of class any easier. 

“I was super intimidated,” Jared says with a chuckle. “I felt like everyone in my cohort was smarter than me. A lot of them have worked longer than me and knew more.”

After a few hours of hearing from everyone – about why they wanted to earn a graduate degree – Jared felt at ease. 

“Feeling like you’re the dumbest person in the room is just an intrusive thought,” he says, “and it seemed like everyone felt that way. I realized we’re all just learning.” 

Encourager & Coach

It’s a hot evening in June and students file into the rec center, mostly headed to the pool to cool off. But for a small group of student athletes, they head to court three and lace up their shoes for practice. 

Jared is the coach of Texas Tech’s Unified Basketball team that will compete in the Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis this month. Unified teams are inclusive groups that combine players with and without intellectual disabilities on the same roster. The teams are designed to break down social barriers, reduce stigma and build meaningful friendships. 

Tonight is their last practice before departing. As such, Jared and the staff have arranged for a few special guests. 

Texas Tech Men’s Basketball Head Coach Grant McCasland and Red Raider Football Head Coach Joey McGuire step onto the court, along with a few of their players. 

“We’ve asked these guys to come out tonight and share some encouragement as you head into competition,” Jared announces. 

The team applauds and whispers to one another.    

“Don’t try to be your best for yourself, but look at your team and ask, ‘What’s the best for us?’” McCasland says, extolling the group. “The more you play for each other, the better you’ll play individually.”

Each team member listens intently, eyes glued on McCasland and McGuire. 

After the coaches finish, the team presents them with cards and a gift. 

“Having McCasland and McGuire here is something our team will look back on and tell stories about for years,” Jared says. “Off-the-court shared experiences are what makes Unified Sports so special, so their words and support mean a lot.”

As the group ends practice, they start playing with some of the football players, who good naturedly laugh as they miss baskets. 

On the side of the court, Jared looks on at the group, a smile widening across his face. The laughter, the players on the court, the team he’s helped build – it’s the sum of a decision he’s glad he made. 

“The amount of confidence this place and these people have given me in just two years is crazy,” Jared says. “I have so much gratitude for Texas Tech.”