** The department has moved to ET - 101 **
California State University, Long Beach graduated its first recreation student in 1953, just four years after the legislature created the university. An independent Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies was created in 1965 under the guidance of Dr. David Gray. National accreditation of the program by the National Recreation and Parks Association/American Association for Leisure and Recreation Council on Accreditation has been awarded continuously since 1982.
Starting in the fall 2011 semester the Department will be offering a new minor in Event Planning and Management. This new minor is in direction collaboration with the Hospitality Management program on campus and will provide students with training and coursework to prepare them for professional jobs in the event planning and management field in public, private and commercial enterprises.
Each of the full time faculty in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies are actively engaged in the following research, teaching and/or community services
The student organization, Recreation Society, was awarded the "Outstanding Student Organization of the Year" Award by the Associated Students, Inc. at the May 2011 Awards Banquet.
The California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) District 10, presented its 2010 “Special Recognition Award” to the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at CSULB for its impact on and contribution to the field of parks and recreation.
Maridith Janssen, department chair and associate professor, said the department was honored for its role in educating and developing highly competent and qualified professionals. She accepted the award on behalf of the university at CPRS District 10’s annual awards and installation banquet, held in Laguna Niguel on April 21.
“This award is a great honor for the Recreation and Leisure Studies Department at Cal State Long Beach, and it truly represents the dedication and professionalism of its faculty,” Janssen noted. “We were recognized for our involvement in service learning throughout the district in a variety of cities and programs, our role in the district mentoring program and our dedication to the students and profession through teaching, leadership and service.”
In addition to the award, CPRS District 10 presented 13 scholarships to students in recreation and leisure studies programs at either the community college or university level. Of the 13 scholarships given at the event, nine of them were given to CSULB students.
Among the CSULB students (and their majors) receiving scholarships were: Robert Hernandez (therapeutic recreation) - Platinum Scholarship, $1,200; Vanessa Prado (therapeutic recreation) - Gold Scholarship, $800; Marci Knapp (graduate student, public policy and administration) - Past President’s Scholarship, $600; Travis Plante (travel and tourism), Tiffany Yoshida (therapeutic recreation) and Meredith Metsker (grad student, recreation and leisure studies)- Silver Scholarship, $400; and Chavone Miller (community recreation), Ashley Powers (therapeutic recreation) and Julia Relph (therapeutic recreation) - Consortium Scholarship, $300.
In all, CPRS District 10 awarded $13,000 in scholarships. In addition, all scholarship recipients received a one-year CPRS student membership that includes full registration for the 2011 CPRS Conference in Sacramento.
To be eligible for the scholarships, students must live, work or attend an accredited college in the District 10 area; be a full-time student with 12 semester units or more or a part-time student with six semester units or more, and work 20-40 hours a week. (Graduate students must maintain nine semester units for full-time student status or three semester units and be working 20-40 hours per week for part-time status)
Additionally, students must major in recreation, leisure studies, parks, physical education, public administration, kinesiology, gerontology or a closely related field, and have career aspirations in the recreation or parks profession.
CPRS provides career development, networking, resources and is the public advocate for California park and recreation professionals. Founded in 1946, CPRS is a nonprofit, professional and public interest organization with more than 4,000 members. In addition, more than 175 park and recreation agencies in California are members of CPRS.
CPRS is organized geographically into regions, districts and by special interest sections. Each district and section is governed by CPRS members who provide local and/or specialized training programs and networking opportunities at the community level.
District 10 is comprised of 60 agencies including two universities located in Orange and Los Angeles counties.
-Rick Gloaty for Inside CSULB
What’s Going Down at the Beach?
DAVID GRAY AWARDS
CSULB REC Society concluded the year with sponsoring and coordinating the annual David Gray Awards for the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies on April 28, 2011 at Acapulco Restaurant in Long Beach. The highlight was the reading of the “This I Believe Paper” by Phillip Salmon. Blaine Lewis was honored with the David Gray Award.
2011-12 REC SOCIETY BOARD
Also at the David Gray Awards, held on April 28, 2011 the new Student Board for the CSULB REC Society was installed:
President: Robert Skiles
Co. Vice President:
Co. Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Historian:
Social Chair:
Community Service Chair:
Publicity Chair:
CHHS Representative:
CPRS Representative:
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