NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Johns Hopkins Campus Recreation joins CENTERS’ existing management work at the Bloomberg Student Center.
WASHINGTON, D.C. and BALTIMORE, MD — September 1, 2026 — Johns Hopkins University has expanded its partnership with CENTERS to include the management of Campus Recreation and the Ralph S. O’Connor Center for Recreation and Well-Being.
The new agreement follows a comprehensive operational assessment and strategic business planning engagement completed by CENTERS earlier this year. It marks the latest step in a relationship that began with pre-opening planning for the Bloomberg Student Center (BSC) and expanded to full-service management ahead of the student center’s August 2025 opening.
Managing Johns Hopkins Campus Recreation
Campus Recreation will follow a similar management structure with a dedicated on-site team reporting to Athletics and working within Student Affairs and supported by the CENTERS corporate operations team. Campus Recreation and the BSC will retain separate leadership while aligning around Johns Hopkins’ broader goals for student engagement, connection, and community. CENTERS’ expanded scope includes recreation operations, programs and services, as well as the 80,000-square-foot Ralph S. O’Connor Center for Recreation and Well-Being on the Homewood campus.
The staffing approach combines existing Campus Recreation staff with expanded CENTERS leadership and on-site expertise. CENTERS is adding new talent, including a director and other roles found on the CENTERS careers page.
“Student centers and recreation programs each have specialized operating needs, but students experience them as connected parts of campus life,” said Jeff Sessine, President of CENTERS. “Managing both allows us to align decisions, resources, and operational insights around shared student-life goals while preserving the specialized focus each operation requires.”
The Johns Hopkins partnership demonstrates how the CENTERS operating model works across a campus life portfolio. Locally embedded teams develop a deep understanding of the institution while drawing on specialized expertise, shared systems, talent support, and insights from CENTERS operations nationwide. Across the partnership, those resources and operational knowledge can be applied where relevant rather than developed separately within each operation.
About CENTERS
CENTERS is a nationally recognized management firm specializing in operating campus life facilities for colleges, universities, and nonprofit institutions. The firm’s portfolio includes recreation and wellness centers, arenas, student centers, sports complexes, event and conference services, performing arts venues, student housing, and more. CENTERS delivers mission-aligned, student-focused operations that strengthen campus engagement, support institutional priorities, and create high-performing campus environments. CENTERS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc.
CONTACT: Jennifer Matune Smith, Director, jesmith@centersusa.com