Health and student success outcomes are often thought to be associated with campus recreation participation. Thus, decision makers at the university level are interested in the relationship between campus recreation participation, grade point average (GPA), and student engagement. Previous research has called for a clearer understanding of how campus recreation is meaningful for first-year university students and its potential influences on GPA. This study explored the influence of first-year students' campus recreation participation, GPA, and facets of student engagement. First-year university students ( N = 171) were surveyed. Demographic characteristics, GPA, and level of engagement on five scales were assessed. Results showed that GPA positively influenced those who participated in campus recreation on four facets of engagement. Results may help academic administrators to target efforts toward making the transition from high school to university easier. Promoting campus recreation participation may be effective for strengthening students' level of engagement and result in positive success outcomes.

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The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has forced the global community to cope with widespread fear and isolation. However, there are outpourings of kindness and community despite these challenging times. In some cases, mandatory "social distancing" has even strengthened our relationships. One such relationship is the bond between humans and dogs. In this commentary, I leverage visual autoethnography to detail and understand human-dog relationships in the time of COVID-19, highlighting their importance. I then critique the allocation of space for dogs and the rigid restrictions on dogs in public space. Finally, I use my experience with my dog as a lens to question the heavy policing of public space and reflect on broader issues of this enforcement.

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