New Hampshire Listens' 2025 Winant Fellows: Connor Downes

Meet our third featured Winant Fellow:
Connor Downs, another Recreation Management & Policy major, is serving as Assistant Director at the Tapply-Thompson Community Center. Connor has been combining his passions for recreation and public service at the Community Center for a few years now, and his move to Assistant Director couldn’t have come at a better time. “It basically all worked out that this year would be my assistant director year, but also my internship for junior summer, so it worked out perfectly.”

Connor sees this as his opportunity to give back to the system that he grew up in, having taken part in various public rec programs as a kid. As assistant director, he gets to focus on the management and planning of the summer program, working alongside Center leadership.

“It’s a very prestigious honor, and I take it very graciously because it’s giving me an opportunity to be rewarded for doing something I love,” Connor explained.

Learn more about the Winant Fellowship: carsey.unh.edu/academic-programs/student-experience/fellowship-programs/governor-john-g-winant-fellowship