Spring 2006 Newsletter

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REC 'N' ROLL

Molly Morrison

This year's Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration Banquet held on Thursday, May 18th at the Inn at Morro Bay returned to the old school traditions. The banquet planning committee, composed of 10 students and Professor Kendi Root, created a Pep Rally straight out of the 50's. This event was largely organized by the student planning committee who met throughout the quarter at weekly meetings to discuss the event logistics including location of how to carry out the 50's theme. Student Ryan Baker and Professor Dr. Carolyn Shank, along with the support of the committee, created the 1st annual Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration yearbook complete with Senior Standouts. The committee decorated the facility with records and old yearbooks, soda shop glasses, and a black and white checkered dance floor to really create the 50's feel. Over one hundred students, alumni, and faculty participated in the event by dressing in 50's garb.

Some awards winners included in the event were: Oustanding Alumni given to Brian Fitzpatrick, Outstanding Contribution given to Dayna Alvey and Ryan Baker, Outstanding Senior given to Amy Cockerham, Thom Group Award given to Kristin Palos and Kathryn Philippe, and Senior Project Award given to Brendan Gail, Stephanie Raymond, Erica Francis, and Amy Cockerham.

Throughout the evening there were performances from the Cal Poly Dance Team and Swing Club as entertainment, as well as cheering, chanting and singing to the Cal Poly fight song and 50's hit "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock REC!" Guests enjoyed the themed food of Grilled Cheese, Deviled Eggs, and Burgers n' Fries, all graciously prepared by Chef Robert Root and participated in games like a bubblegum blowing contest. Students and faculty are still raving about the event. It was such a huge success and has been nominated by ASI as Event of the Year. It was a memorable night. Congratulations Rec!

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WELCOME

Dr. Bill Hendricks

It is hard to believe that the 2005-06 academic year is coming to an end. We are concluding the year with remarkable student, faculty and program recognition and a successful accreditation review.

You will read more about the accolades of our students and faculty in this newsletter, but I'd like to highlight a few of these accomplishments. First, this spring, Brendan Gail, a senior REC student, received the Cal Poly 2006 Outstanding Student Employee of the Year Award. In addition, Brendan recently returned from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association Conference in Louisville, Kentucky where he received the William W. Wasson Award for student leadership and academic performance. Secondly, Professor Cynthia Moyer once again received recognition from the College of Agriculture at its annual banquet, this time with a special award as an Outstanding Lecturer in the College. Finally, the REC program, on behalf of Cal Poly, received the Volunteer Service Organization of the Year Award from the Grover Beach Parks and Recreation Department. This type of recognition continues to demonstrate the excellence of our program and how we strive to "Expect the Best!"

In another example of our excellence, during fall quarter, REC went through a Cal Poly program review and a NRPA/AAPAR accreditation review, a process that takes place every five years. Three external visitors and a Cal Poly internal reviewer assessed the REC program's academic standards and student learning over a three-day period. Eighty-six accreditation standards were reviewed along with specific University criteria relating to student learning outcome assessment, strategic planning, retention and graduation rates, preparation of students to become professionals and civic leaders, and faculty engagement in research and professional development. The outcome of the process is the University recognition of REC as a model for other academic programs on campus and re-accreditation with commendations for senior project and research learning, and program strategic planning that aligns with the College and the University. This is an excellent re-accreditation outcome. Over the past year, fewer than 50% of the universities reviewed have been re-accredited without conditions. It is also important to note, that a recent report by the University identified the REC program as having the highest retention and graduation rates among all majors in the College of Agriculture for freshman graduating within six years of matriculation.

If you are an alumnus or friend of the program, keep those emails coming. We love to hear about your updates and successes.

Have a safe and adventurous summer!

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FACULTY BIO

Dr. Jerusha Greenwood

During my undergrad at University of Utah I worked as a part-time secretary and office assistant for the Parks, Recreation and Tourism department.  I loved the atmosphere – there was a sense of community that I missed in my own major, environmental studies, which was housed in the GIANT psychology department.  After a few PRT courses, especially those focusing on tourism and outdoor recreation, I was hooked!  When graduation neared and I began wondering “what do you do with an environmental studies degree?” I met with my supervisor, Gary Ellis about the masters program in the PRT department, and I’ll never forget his words of encouragement about the field.  Within a year I was working as a research assistant with the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation and attending graduate school in the PRT department.  I helped develop resource management plans for several state parks, developed and ran visitor surveys, and analyzed a lot of data.  When my year with the Division was up, Dr. Ellis invited me to serve my second year of graduate school as the department’s academic advisor and instructor of the computer skills course.  This experience, along with my year at State Parks, solidified my desire to stay in academics.  I loved working with undergraduates both as an advisor and instructor as well as the research I conducted with the State.  When I finished my thesis on resident attitudes toward tourism development in southern Utah I was ready to continue on with my Ph.D.

When I started looking at Ph.D. programs I have to admit that North Carolina State University was pretty low on my list.  This all changed when I attended NRPA in Denver in 2001 and met Dr. Phil Rea and the rest of the NCSU delegation.  I immediately had the same feeling about them that I did the Utah students and faculty…a sense of community and family.  The doctoral program there was brand new and offered a lot of opportunities for incoming students.  They had a strong tourism studies program and lots of support (financial and academic) for graduate students.  After doing a lot of research and visiting the competition, there was no question that NCSU was where I wanted to go.   Since becoming a student at NCSU I’ve traveled to Segovia, Spain for an international conference on sustainable tourism, published a book chapter, served as an instructor of undergraduate courses and conducted agritourism development workshops in western North Carolina.   My research presentations have taken me to St. Louis, MO during the same year as the Lewis & Clark 200th Anniversary (yes, I am a bit of a history nerd!) and New Orleans a month before Hurricane Katrina.  I’ve also headed-up the North Carolina State Park’s economic impact study for the past year and will finish up my dissertation this summer on sustainable tourism development.

Last but not least, I met the love of my life in North Carolina – Brian Greenwood, who will also be joining the Cal Poly faculty this fall as well!

Interesting facts about me:
I was married in Las Vegas but didn’t have a “Vegas wedding”…no drive-throughs or Elvis costumes in sight!  I make my own jewelry and sometimes my own clothes, love to cook and eat all kinds of ethnic food, play a few chords on a guitar, and learning to play the fiddle and mandolin (bluegrass, anyone?).  I love to be outside and can't wait to be back in the Western landscape of mountains, canyons, coastal ranges and red-rock desert.  I have two dogs – Zoë & Bella – who can’t wait to be beach dogs! 

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ALUMNI BIO

Aaron George

After graduating in 2003 with a B.S. in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration with a concentration in Sports Management, this former transfer student worked for a brief time as a community & youth sports coordinator for the Sonoma County YMCA. In 2004, after being recruited to his current position by a former colleague whom he came to know during his REC internship, Aaron joined the athletic department at the University of California, Berkeley as a development coordinator.

Currently he facilitates the development operations for the men's and women's Swimming & Diving and Water Polo teams at Cal. In this capacity, he is directly involved in the annual and major gift fundraising activities for four of the 27 varsity sports. The four aquatics programs all finished their 2005 seasons ranked in the top ten nationally and combined they raise over $400,000 annually. Last year, the programs received a ten year pledge which will provide an additional $12.5 million in annual and endowment monies. His specific tasks include: volunteer and event management functions, donor stewardship, solicitation writing, donor cultivation, and major gift fundraising activities.

Besides his REC internship experience, he credits his volunteer experience at Cal Poly for helping to open the door to his current position, Ïworking in collegiate athletics is tough to get into without a personal familiarity between you and the person or organization doing the hiring. I know the internship I completed, as well as the marketing experience I earned working with the Cal Poly baseball program as part of my senior project positively impacted my ability to be a viable candidate for a highly desirable job. I would recommend to all the current students to take advantage of the opportunities these two recreation program requirements afford you.Ó

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys traveling and pursuing sports related recreational activities including camping, fishing, and hiking. He plans to continue to coach youth baseball in the future and currently plays in an adult softball league.

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STUDENT BIO

Post Hurricane Katrina

Kristin Palos

Oprah inspired me to go to Houston. A week after the hurricane hit, I sat on the couch thinking, “why aren’t more people helping?” I decided at that moment I had to figure out how I could help. A few of my friends were feeling the same way, so we started collecting supplies with the intention of driving to the Astrodome. After a few days of organizing, an announcement on one of the local radio stations, and mass e-mailing, we collected over 3 truck loads of food and clothing.

Two days later, after pulling a horse trailer full of donations, we arrived in Houston, Texas. While stopped at a gas station, my boyfriend was asked what the trailer full of supplies was for. After hearing of our intent, the man handed us $20. Due to everyone’s generosity, we didn’t end up paying for any gas during our whole trip. It was encouraging to see that people really did want to help. We arrived late our first night in Houston and parked in front of what we thought was a vacant house but woke up and realized someone lived there. We thought the homeowner would yell at us for parking in front of his house; instead, he invited us in for breakfast and offered us a shower.

To make a very long story somewhat short, we met many different people who survived the hurricane and heard multiple heart wrenching stories. One man told us his story of wading through two miles of water full of alligators and floating dead bodies to save his grandmother. He found her in the attic, made a make-shift raft and pushed her back out. All the while, praying for God to give him strength to get through.

We went to the Astrodome and words cannot describe what we experienced. People sleeping side by side, families clumped together with no privacy and no belongings, missing family members, and stories of rape and murder. We didn’t spend too much time there; the majority of our time was at that church unloading and organizing storage rooms. Those rooms turned out to be one of the main distribution centers for the Red Cross in South Houston when we were through.

The best part was we saw how much our visit made a difference. It was sooo worth it! This is a picture of two kids we became friends with; they were helping us in one of the storage rooms.

Kristin Palos
Graduating Senior in Special Events Management
President of Rho Phi Lambda Honor Fraternity
Internship Plans: Camp Henry, MI with Dr. Jacobs, Amy Fitzpatrick & Carmen Barnett
Current Involvement: RPTA Club, Rho Phi, Wildflower Committee & Intramural soccer

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ADVISORY BOARD

Hello from the 2006-07 Rec Advisory Council.

The purpose of the Rec Advisory Council is to keep the students, curriculum, and College of Agriculture aware of industry trends and insure the students have the skills to transition from school to the Ïreal world.Ó

The Rec Advisory Council is comprised of industry professionals from park, recreation, sports management, tourism, event management, and outdoor adventures.

Over the next year, the Rec Advisory Council will focus on strengthening our relationships with industry partners and insuring that Ïeducation excellenceÓ and the ÏCal Poly Learn-by-doingÓ philosophy contribute to lifelong skills for our graduates.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact one of our co-presidents:

Jonathan Korfhage, jbkorf@sbcglobal.net

Kirk Sturm, kirk@sturmlaw.net

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OPEN HOUSE

Ashley Quisenberry

During Open House along with being able to gain information on Cal Poly's Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration program by talking to students and professors, participants were invited to take part in Cal Poly's Motto ÏLearn by Doing.Ó Adults and children were invited to come and learn a few initiatives that previous Recreation 270 (Challenge Course Leadership Facilitation) had built for class projects. The following initiatives were available from one of Dr. Goldenberg's class: Pipeline (involves PCP pipes and forming shapes to guide a marble through), A-Frame (one person stands in the A and others hold the ropes to support, balance and move the person), Trolleys (boards that you stand on and ropes to hold onto to help you move), All Aboard (platform), a rope bag to teach knots, and a Lycra Tube (four individuals stand inside and stretch out the material and run back and forth hitting each others right hands). The initiatives individuals enjoyed the most were Trolleys, All Aboard, Lycra Tube, and the A-Frame. Adults as well as children had fun challenging themselves and working together to complete the tasks. It was a good experience to be able to be an ambassador for the REC program and to show and express to visitors some of the activities and classes that REC students at Cal Poly participate in.

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RPTA Club

Kristin Markert

Well another year at Cal Poly has come to an end and boy am I exhausted. This year the RPTA Club had loads of fun and fellowship while fighting those midterm and finals blues. This past year we went camping, fishing, hiking, played soccer, football and went surfing. We helped out with Open House, the Senior Banquet, Relay for Life, Wildflower, Wine Festivals, Easter Egg Hunt, Pitch Hit and Run, and even attempted to go to the Price is Right. Our current Club officers, lead by our President, Ryan Baker, must have had such a blast. The members appreciate all that the officers have done to help our club. We wish those graduating a successful life and loads of good times and happiness and don't forget to stay in touch and join our Alumni roster to get news and updates (and even buy the new club shirt).

If you missed out on all this fun and excitement don't fret, because the RPTA Club will be back in full force next year. I will be RPTA Club President next year and the club has voted a fabulous core of officers who are ready and willing to pack next year with just as much fun. I hope to involve our fun activities such as camping and surfing with fundraisers to help generate money for our clubs activities and guest speakers. To keep up with the club when you can't make the meetings be sure to check out our website www.calpolyrecclub.com .

We conducted a survey to find out the members needs and wants so the Club may gear our plans towards you. Next year watch out for opportunities to get involved both with the club and your concentration in the community.

To become a member or pay your fee for next year, please contact Kristin Markert at kmarkert@calpoly.edu or visit our webpage to get a membership form.

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AWARD WINNERS

On Monday May 8th, recent Cal Poly Recreation Parks and Tourism Administration graduate, Dan Pronsolino, was one of four students from the College of Agriculture to receive outstanding senior awards at the College's annual awards banquet.  Pronsolino was recognized as Outstanding Senior for Contribution to the Community.  He is currently the Vice President of the Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless and has volunteered with several local agencies during his time at Cal Poly.

(College of Agriculture- Student Awards Banquet, May 8, 2006. Back row: Miles Floyd- RPTA Club, Dan Pronsolino- Outstanding Senior Award, Dr. Hendricks- Program Coordinator, Front Row: Chelsea Green- RPTA Club, Joni Palmer- Rho Phi Lambda, Dr. Goldenberg- Faculty, Kristin Palos- Rho Phi Lambda)

Cal Poly Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration student, Brendan Gail was awarded several times this year. These awards include: The William N. Wasson Award Recipient-Region VI, Outstanding Student Employee of the Year- Cal Poly, and Outstanding Student Employee of the Year- Northern California. The William N. Wasson Award was given to Brendan at a business meeting when he attended the NIRSA conference in Louisville, KY in April.

Brendan will graduate with a Sports Management Concentration and this summer has an internship at NBC television. He will be working with sports and community events. Next year he is going to San Diego State for Graduate School. Through NIRSA he was able to interview and secure a Facilities Graduate Assistantship at the Recreation Center.

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