The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted opportunities for internships in parks, recreation, tourism, and sports. The government mandated numerous agencies to close. Many agencies that remained open reduced staff, froze budgets, shifted programs online, and discontinued internships. The senior internship for Parks, Recreation, and Tourism…

The Recreation Management and Leadership (RML) program at Western Washington University utilizes a cohort-based model in which sequenced courses and overnight retreats work in tandem to cultivate an inclusive learning community. COVID-19 necessitated not only that we quickly move all of our courses online, but it challenged us to transition our…

Kuh and colleagues (2008) use the term "high-impact practices" (HIPs) to describe co-curricular programs that are particularly effective in advancing student learning. The original list of HIPs does not include campus employment, which McClellan et al. (2018) argued should be added. According to the results from the 2019 NASPA survey…

At institutions of higher education, with fewer traditional college-bound students and declining enrollment, retention of enrolled students is more important than ever. Institutions are more likely to retain students who have a sense of belonging. One avenue proven to help students develop a sense of belonging is involvement on campus. On-campus…

Steeped in a rich history of formal connections between institutions of higher education and the citizens and communities in which they are embedded, the importance of engaging education in the community has long been recognized for its myriad of benefits to all involved including increased funding for university research, more informed practice…

This study examined the unique leadership experiences of queer women in collegiate recreation, focusing on joy as a critical aspect of their professional journey. Employing a narrative inquiry methodology, the research documented the lived experiences of queer women in executive-level roles, exploring the complex intersection of gender, sexuality,…

The Recreation Management program planning course unites students and community members to develop, plan, market, and facilitate a recreation program. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted course delivery to an online platform requiring faculty and community partners to create a fully online experience. This paper highlights the changes…

Universities recognize they have a civic responsibility to engage and enrich the community in which they reside. This study looks at a community engagement project undertaken at one university that was intended to address significant recreational needs within the community while also furthering academic initiatives. As part of the appeal to…

Over the last decade, the advancement of competitive collegiate esports has shown that there can be new and innovative ways for students to represent their schools competitively, earn scholarships, and make a living after college - all through "gaming." It is currently unknown whether college students and administration perceive…

Teaching an online course was always something I resisted. Like many of the colleagues I have talked to, I was worried that the lack of face-to-face interaction would significantly take away from the quality of the education for the students. With a class like Recreation Programming, I knew that students needed hands-on experience with running a…

Arizona State University's Sun Devil Fitness and Wellness department plays a vital role in enhancing the physical health and well-being of its student population. However, the demanding responsibilities placed on campus recreation professionals, combined with the high expectations for student engagement, have led to a concerning rise in employee…

This paper explores the use of podcast-style interview pedagogies (pod-agogies) as an innovate teaching method in a capstone therapeutic recreation (TR) seminar course. The purpose of the pod-agogies course component was to create meaningful connections between upper-year TR students and TR practitioners working in the field and on the frontlines…

Research indicates that students are more likely to persist when they are involved in extracurricular programs such as campus recreation. Because institutional funding is predicated upon graduation rates, ascertaining persistence impact of these programs is crucial. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of the…

Participation in recreation and sports can produce health benefits for all college students and open pathways to inclusion for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). Despite the growing number of college students with IDD on over 260 college campuses across the United States, there is a dearth of literature…

The purpose of this study was to determine if taking part in a Paralympic Skill Lab (PSL) would have a positive impact on the cognitive attitudes of college students toward the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in lifetime fitness and sport activities, including campus recreation. The final sample comprised 192 college students. The…