Spring 2007 Newsletter
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Welcome • Roundup • Internships • Alumni • RPTA Club • Water Adventure • LNT • Edna Valley • Hospice • AEOE • New Classes • Donate
From My Little Wooden Desk…
Dr. Bill Hendricks
The Cal Poly Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration program’s amazing 2006-07 academic year continues to roll right along as Spring quarter comes to an end. On May 31st, more than 120 students, faculty, and staff celebrated numerous achievements at the end of the year banquet “RECCIE Roundup” held at McLintock’s in Shell Beach. Several students were recognized at the event for academic and leadership achievements. One of our faculty has also received multiple accolades this spring; Cal Poly Associated Students recognized Ms. Cynthia Moyer for her contributions to the community; and this Spring she received the Faculty Community Service Award from President Baker.
As we prepare for Fall, we are pleased to announce the appointment of a new faculty member, Mr. Brian Greenwood. Brian will be completing his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University this summer. His expertise in youth development through sports will be a tremendous addition to the expertise of our faculty. With Brian joining us, Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration will have seven full-time faculty for the first time in the 31-year history of the program.
In order to support our growing program, we are embarking on a capital campaign. This summer, Netzel, a company that specializes in fundraising and advancement for higher education institutions, will be assisting us in preparing a readiness assessment and launching a campaign with an anticipated start date of Fall 2007. Our first goal will be to raise funds for an endowed faculty position. Stay tuned as we launch the campaign and plan a kick-off event for alumni, friends, students, parents, and advisory council members Fall quarter.
Finally, congratulations to our 2007 graduates! As you embark on your careers, remember us always, stay in touch, and keep those cards and emails comin’.
RECCIE Roundup
The RECCIE Roundup was quite the success with an amazing committee (shown left in the picture) led by Professor Kendi Root. They threw a great hoedown to end the year in the usual "REC" style. The night started out with pictures and lasso competition and ended with line dancing and awards. Held at McLintocks in Shell Beach, guests enjoyed an amazing dinner and dessert while watching a slide show and winning prizes. The seniors were honored with a gift from the program and a song sung lovingly by the faculty. Overall it was a great night and one that will go down in the books as a great send off for our 2007 graduates!
Internship Spotlight
During Spring quarter the REC program had twenty-three students interning with a variety of public, non-profit, and commercial agencies. With the goal of expanding their knowledge of the hospitality field, five students selected to intern with different hotels and resorts. Developing their promotion and marketing skills was the goal for several of the spring interns. Three students stayed on campus to intern with Cal Poly Athletics or Associated Students. In order to strengthen their management and planning skills, Pablo Chagolla and Lance Turner are interning with different private businesses within the San Luis Obispo area. Two of the interns desired to strengthen their event planning skills during their internship. With her desire to work with children, Nicole Wilson selected to intern with the SLO Park and Recreation’s children programs. Breanne Boghosian is swimming her way through her internship with the aquatics program at Cuesta College. Rebecka Turner is in Fresno interning with the California Department of Health Services. The senior residents of The Manse on March in San Luis Obispo have benefited from the recreation programs developed by Ashley Quisenberry during her internship.
Read more about the spring internships to find out about how your agency can provide an internship.
Alumni Spotlight
Erica Francis
I graduated from Cal Poly in Spring 2006 and have been having adventures ever since. Recently I was hired by a park in Alaska. You can't know the true meaning of solitude and wilderness until you experience the depths of the Alaskan frontier. I took an Interpretation position in Katmai National Park, AK, 250 miles southwest of Anchorage, and it has been a small taste of what some call the last frontier. Here at Katmai, the brown bears roam free, moose pop up every so often, and bald eagles abound. We were flown into camp by float plane and we order our food online and sometimes the mail just does not show up (or comes 2 weeks late cause someone forgets to send it out- this just happened). We have no phone and we catch dinner in the lake. It truly is bush Alaska and nothing can compare.
Chelsea Endicott
In December 06 I walked across the stage to receive not one, but two hand shakes from President Baker. Not because I was particularly special, but because the photographer did not get the shot of the illusive hand shake with The Baker. I should have taken the second handshake as a sign that my life is not only unpredictable, but also humorous. After Christmas I left for Pensacola, Florida, which has the whitest beaches I have ever seen. Then I headed out to New Orleans for New Years Eve. Don’t worry ladies…..you don’t have to take off your tops for beads. It was sad to see the destruction of hurricane Katrina still lingering. A few days later, I headed out for Santiago, Chile. I had no particular reason to go. Only that I was embarking on the life adventure and I wanted to start it in another country. I stayed in Chile for three months where I forced myself to learn Spanish, a new culture and how to dodge traffic. I went backpacking in the Patagonia where you can drink the water straight from the rivers and eat all the berries in sight without consequences. No matter where I went people would stare at me because I have blonde hair and blue eyes. There were more than a few times when people asked me if I was famous. All in all it was a great experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Now I am back in SLO hanging out with friends and working for Shea Homes.
RPTA Club
Kristin M. Markert
RPTA Club had a great year filled with fun and excitement. We kicked off our year helping Professor Root’s REC 420 class helping out with the San Luis Obispo Home Show at the Madonna Expo center where we learned a lot about expo center set up and large events. At Morro Bay Harbor Festival the RPTA Club, assisted by Rho Phi Lambda, ran the volunteer command center for the entire festival. We “baked” cookies as holiday treats for our professors and researched events for next year. We held a surf clinic that was a success and looks like it might just catch another wave into the 2007-2008 RPTA Club calendar. Along with the surf clinic, REC Club will be looking into a community project as well as CPR certification classes for the new school year. Read more…
Thanks to everyone who participated this year and helped out with RPTA Club events as well as our program functions. This year was awesome with our wonderful auction, fantastic banquet and great fundraisers. You all made this president's job a breeze with your help and support. Thanks for such great memories and a great friendship.
Water Based Adventure Leadership
White Water Rafting on The Kings River
Billy Headrick
Learn by doing at its finest! This quarter whitewater rafting on the Kings River was offered as one of two trips the class could take in order to earn activity credit. The class met at the Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions campground on a Friday night where we were oriented to the facilities and briefed on the upcoming activities. The next morning we were served a first class breakfast, then herded on to a bus, and taken ten miles up the river to help inflate the boats. The rapids were simple enough that the first timers could enjoy them but rough enough for the more seasoned rafter. Along the ride we were given tips on how to read the rapids and what went in to commercial guiding. That night we re-lived the experience as we watched a slideshow put together by the professional photographers that work the river. Although we had already rafted the river, Sunday still held new and exciting activities for us including a swim through a class two rapid, rescue practice, and watching a number of professionals attempt to set up a pulley system known as a z-drag. The class left with a sense of accomplishment as well as a stronger feeling of camaraderie that could never have been built in the classroom.
Sea Kayaking in Morro Bay
Julie Pluim
We had a wonderful adventure with 7 students from the REC 325 class as we learned about water-based adventure leadership. We met at a campsite in Monatana de Oro on Friday afternoon, set up camp, and headed out for a hike. We hiked to the top of Vallencia Peak. When we got back to camp we made dinner and called it a night because we were so tired from trekking. Saturday morning we made breakfast headed to Morro Bay to go kayaking. We had lunch on the dunes and walked along the beach back to our campsite. Along the way we stopped and did some tidepooling. Our adventure turned out great! It was fun to learn about the amazing history right here where we live.
Leave No Trace
Tristan Fuenmayor
Students were given the opportunity to enroll in a Leave No Trace (LNT) master educator course this quarter that not only gave them the understanding of what LNT is about, but also gave them hands on experience on a 5 day backpacking trip. The trip was amazing. I had never been backpacking before, but I’ve been working at camps since I was in middle school. In the past the principles of Leave No Trace rarely crossed my mind and yet after this 5 day trip in the wilderness I found myself wishing I had learned them years ago. I’ve been on a number of REC related trips and conferences, but this trip was the best. I got to learn what it means to Leave No Trace in the outdoors and cause as little environmental impact as possible while spending 5 days in the beautiful Vantana wilderness; for the outdoor professional this experience is priceless.
REC 350 Expands Community Connections
Brian Greenwood
When designing REC 350: Recreation Areas and Facilities Management, I thought about my professional experience in Campus Recreation and how my colleagues in facility management lamented their lack of education with facility construction and expansion projects. I decided to embrace the “Learn by Doing” mantra and implemented a facility expansion project for REC 350 students in the winter quarter.
The facility expansion project included research on organizations in making a facility choice, a master plan, request for qualifications and proposals, and publicity for a groundbreaking ceremony. Groups of 4-5 students chose a range of recreation facilities from Los Osos Skate Park to Mott Gym to Edna Valley Vineyard.
Student groups produced an expansion manual for their respective community facility. One group stood out from the rest. Katie Kretzinger, Rebecca Hale, Julia Groth, and Adrian Plaxco developed a manual for Edna Valley Vineyard. Kretzinger reflected on the project, “I originally thought this project would just be a lot of work, but in the end I walked away with a working understanding of project expansions and all the considerations that must be made prior to construction.”
Hale and Kretzinger presented the expansion manual to Tina Hoppe, Events Coordinator for Edna Valley and REC advisory council member, at the winery on Thursday, May 17. Hoppe stated, “We are thoroughly impressed with the quality this student group exhibited in creating our facility expansion manual. We will undoubtedly be utilizing the manual.”
REC 420 at Hospice de Rhone
Tessa Bunge and Amanda Ball
Hospice du Rhone celebrated their 15th year as the largest international celebration of Rhone grape varieties. This year’s theme was “Annie get your glass,” and took place May 3rd-5th at the Paso Robles Fair Grounds. For the seventh year in a row Cal Poly’s Event Management class, REC 420, partnered as volunteers for the weekend festivities.
Over 35 students participated in a variety of job positions from polishing wine glasses, working registration, selling merchandise, to emptying “spit buckets.” Students were also required, as a class assignment, to evaluate the event as a whole and provide recommendations for next year.
Not only did students accrue volunteer hours while working at Hospice du Rhone, but they also gained a learn-by-doing experience with exposure to the world of hallmark events. REC 420 is offered fall 2007 and spring 2008. Next year’s spring class will again participate with Hospice du Rhone.
AEOE Conference
Kenny Hackman
The Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education’s (AEOE) statewide Spring Conference took place April 27-29 in Sonora, CA. The conference’s theme, “Connecting with Community,” highlighted ways in which experiential education can link with human and natural communities. Workshops ranged from diverse topics like “Amazing Mosquitos!” to “How Students Can Green Their Commute: A Service-Learning Project.” Dr. Jeff Jacobs presented an enlightening workshop titled “Fostering a Sense of Community Experientially,” focusing on fostering a sense of community within a broad range of groups. AEOE also hosted a career fair, with several dozen outdoor education camps and schools recruiting from all over California.
The highlight of the conference was seeing everyone connecting with one another. When cars first pulled into the Sierra Outdoor School, several greeters were on hand to help people find the registration lodge. Throughout the weekend, our friendships were rekindled, and new ones were formed. The AEOE community is proud to teach people how to connect with their local community, and many participants took home many ideas on how to encourage people to connect with others in their own communities.
Wine Tourism
REC 412: Are you interested in learning more about the role tourism plays in the local wine industry? Do you want to visit local tasting rooms and vineyards? Register for REC 412 this fall! We’ll explore this important facet of rural and agricultural tourism while visiting Central Coast wineries and tasting rooms. The course is 2 credit hours and will be Fridays from 12:10 to 2:00pm. Some travel is required. Contact Dr. Greenwood at 756-2050 or jbgreenw@calpoly.edu if you have any questions!
RPTA Club Officers for 2007-2008
- President: Beth Lane
- Vice President: Sandra Martinez
- Secretary: Tessa Bunge
- Treasurer: Kasryn Gilmore
- Ag Council Rep: Heidi Diestel
- Social Chair: Heidi Diestel
- Membership: Kelly Higginbotham
- Promotions: Sara Zellman
I wish the new officers luck and success for next year and know that they will do a fantastic job with our club in helping it to reach more members and grow.
Recognized Students
The students who were recognized at the RECCIE Roundup for academic and leadership achievements were:
- Joni Parmer – Outstanding Contributions to the REC program
- Katharina Obermoser-Ruef – Outstanding Senior
- Amanda Ball – Outstanding Senior
- Nicole Adams – Outstanding Senior Project (sponsored by Pismo Coast Village RV Resort)
- Ashley Juola – REC Scholarship (sponsored by Pismo Coast Village RV Resort)
- Jamie Okazaki – Thom Group Award for Community Service and Leadership (sponsored by Carol Thom and Stacey Stanek)
- Marcy Maloney – Outstanding Alumnus
Internship Spotlight - Spring 07
Twenty-three students are interning this quarter with a variety of public, non-profit, and commercial agencies.
With the goal of expanding their knowledge of the hospitality field, five students selected to intern with different hotels and resorts. Alycia Stephens and Amy Love are interning with the Pebble Beach Company; Hayley Hume is with Sunterra Resorts in Avila Beach; Kristin Markert is at Sea Pines Golf Resort in Los Osos; and Allison Park headed to Paso Robles to the Summerwood Winery and Inn.
Developing their promotion and marketing skills was the goal for several of the spring interns. Brenna Moyer is interning with Kennedy Club Fitness, Amber Howard for Morris Insurance and Somer DeFrates with the San Luis Obispo Downtown Association. Amanda Willson passion for waterskiing took her all the way to Florida to intern with the USA Water Ski team. While Ryan Benigno’s soccer background lead him to Dallas, Texas to intern at Pizza Hut Park, one of the largest soccer facilities in the United States. Sydney Stokes returned to her hometown to intern with the Tahoe Donner Association.
Three students stayed on campus to intern with Cal Poly Athletics or Associated Students. Nellie Aube is busy promoting Cal Poly athletic events and Willimena Cisco is developing her coaching skills working with the women’s track team. Jessica Gates is working on a variety of ASI events and programs during her internship.
With the goals of strengthening their management and planning skills, Pablo Chagolla and Lance Turner are interning with different private businesses within the San Luis Obispo area.
Two of the interns have the goal to strengthen their event planning skills during their internship. Michelle Heyn internship involves planning for the first major fundraising dinner for the Saddleback Memorial Foundation in Southern California. While Sarah Thorne is learning about the planning demands for different events hosted by Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank. With her desire to work with children, Nicole Wilson selected to intern with the SLO Park and Recreation’s children programs. Breanne Boghosian is swimming her way through her internship with the aquatics program at Cuesta College. Rebecka Turner is in Fresno interning with the California Department of Health Services. The senior residents of The Manse on March in San Luis Obispo have benefited from the recreation programs developed by Ashley Quisenberry during her internship.
If you have a potential lead for an internship opportunity, contact Cynthia Moyer, Internship Coordinator at cmoyer@calpoly.edu or 805-756-2059
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