Individual College License

The Individual College License is designed for people who want to support and develop Nordic Walking within a specific college or campus community.

This license can serve as the starting point for creating a Nordic Walking student organization, campus recreation group, wellness program, employee group, or another college-authorized initiative.

The annual fee for this individual license is $20. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

Colleges Included in This Category

The license may be associated with a specific:

• community college;

• junior college;

• technical or career college;

• state college;

• liberal arts college;

• specialized college;

• public or private college;

• another postsecondary institution officially identified as a college.

The distinction between a college and a university is based on the institution’s official identity, not simply its size or the degrees it offers.

An institution officially identified as a university belongs in the Individual University License category.

The Individual College License is associated with one selected college. A separate license in the appropriate category is required for involvement with another institution.

Who Can Obtain This License?

The license may be obtained by:

• students;

• faculty members;

• college employees and administrators;

• campus recreation and wellness professionals;

• coaches and physical education staff;

• student organization leaders;

• alumni when permitted by the college;

• representatives of authorized campus partners;

• people who want to propose the creation of a Nordic Walking Group to a specific college.

Prior college approval is not required to purchase the individual license or propose the idea of creating a new group.

However, obtaining the license does not, by itself, authorize someone to represent a particular college, use its name or logo, or describe the group as an official college organization or program without the college’s permission.

Two Possible Group Formats

Recognized Student Organization

Students may initiate a Nordic Walking Club or another student-led organization and apply for recognition through the college’s Student Life or corresponding department.

The college determines its own requirements for recognition, including any requirements for student membership, officers, a faculty or staff advisor, organizational documents, and continuing registration.

These are college requirements, not initial NWANA licensing requirements.

Once approved, the group becomes a recognized student organization of the college and operates according to the institution’s policies.

College-Operated or Authorized Group

The college may establish its own Nordic Walking Group through:

• Campus Recreation;

• Student Life;

• Wellness;

• Athletics;

• Physical Education;

• Employee Wellness;

• Continuing Education;

• another college department or authorized campus partner.

In this format, the group becomes the college’s own program or an officially authorized campus initiative.

The college determines whom the group serves, which activities it offers, and who is responsible for its operation.

College Permission

Until college approval is obtained, an individual license holder may not:

• represent the group as an official college organization or program;

• use the college’s name, logo, mascot, or other identifying elements;

• use campus facilities, equipment, or official communication channels;

• conduct programs or events on behalf of the college.

NWANA may begin preparing a page after the first interested person registers. Until institutional approval is obtained, the page must use a neutral status and must not imply that the college has already recognized or authorized the group.

Colleges with Multiple Campuses

If a college operates multiple campuses, the college may determine whether the Nordic Walking Group will be:

• college-wide;

• associated with one specific campus;

• represented by separate groups on multiple campuses.

NWANA does not impose a single organizational model on the institution.

What Happens After You Obtain the License?

After registering, you become a holder of the Individual College License. NWANA records your selected college and your interest in developing Nordic Walking within its campus community.

If a corresponding group and page already exist, you will be able to join them.

If no group exists, your registration may become the starting point for preparing a new page and connecting with other interested students, faculty members, employees, or partners associated with the college.

Obtaining the license does not require you to create a group, become its leader, organize walks, or conduct events. At the same time, it does not exclude any of these possibilities. If you wish, you may propose the initiative to the college and participate in the group’s continued development.

At the initial stage, NWANA has no requirements regarding a minimum number of participants, a mandatory schedule, frequency of activities, designated leadership, or a faculty or staff advisor.

The college’s organizational requirements apply when the group begins the institution’s official recognition or authorization process.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.

Opportunities for the College Group

As the group develops, it may:

• introduce students, faculty members, and employees to Nordic Walking;

• organize campus walks, student activities, and wellness events;

• create recreational and social opportunities for the campus community;

• offer activities for participants with different levels of experience;

• collaborate with Campus Recreation, Student Life, Wellness, Athletics, and other departments;

• involve alumni and authorized community partners when permitted by the college;

• invite qualified instructors and other specialists;

• use NWANA training, standards, and instructional resources;

• participate in regional and national NWANA initiatives;

• develop its own ideas for the college and campus community.

Roles of the College and NWANA

The college independently determines the group’s official status, participants, advisor or responsible personnel, access to facilities, internal rules, and administrative procedures.

NWANA helps participants understand Nordic Walking and provides athletic experience, education, technical standards, instructional resources, and support for the group’s development.

NWANA does not replace the college administration or manage the institution’s student organizations and campus programs.

Organizing Your Own Competitions

As the college group develops, it may organize its own in-person or virtual Nordic Walking competitions with the college’s approval.

Use of the NWANA name or designation as an official NWANA competition must be arranged separately.

Financial Structure

The Individual College License fee is paid through RunSignup.

Payments connected with group programs and events and collected through the NWANA-created page may be processed through NWANA when permitted by the college’s policies.

If the college requires a recognized student organization or campus program to use its internal financial system, the college’s rules apply. The group’s financial structure will be coordinated with the institution as the program develops.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the college group, not to an individual license holder.

Creating a group and its page is free. No annual group fee is charged unless the group receives RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining this status is optional. A group may develop gradually and apply later, when the college and participants are ready to assume greater responsibility for their programs, events, and administration.

The requirements and application process for RECOGNIZED status will be addressed separately at the appropriate stage of the group’s development.

The annual NWANA membership fee for a group with RECOGNIZED status is $200.

What Makes This License Unique?

The Individual College License allows Nordic Walking development to begin with one interested person and gradually become a recognized student organization, college-operated program, or another authorized campus initiative.

It brings together the college community, campus recreation and wellness opportunities, and NWANA’s professional Nordic Walking experience.

The primary purpose of this license is to help students, faculty members, employees, and campus partners gradually build an accessible and sustainable Nordic Walking Group.