Alumni
Hello and Welcome to our RALSA Home Page!
We are glad you’re here. As the Recreation and Leisure Studies (RLS) Department has grown and diversified, so have our alumni. Hence, we are excited to have you here on our RALSA (Recreation And Leisure Studies Alumni) Web-Page.
@ RALSA CAN
The CSULB/RLS/RALSA/ Community Alumni Network (Now just RALSA CAN), is an alumni networking organization that supports the CSULB Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. RALSA CAN provides events, programs, and services to students, alumni, and industry professionals to strengthen and unite the RLS (Parks, Recreation, Travel, Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, Event Mgt, Recreational Therapy) community.
RASLA CAN is led by a group of alumni such as Joanie Conoley, Patti LaPlace, Rita Hayes, Annett Alverez, Ivan Alvardo, Joanna Contreras, Emeline Noda, Tori Thorpe, Alexandra Luong, Rick Brown, Dominic Mangiapane, Helena Villegas, and more, representing the BA, BS and MS degree programs in and multiple industry The RLSA CAN Board meets quarterly – sometimes in person, sometime via Zoom, or TEAMs. If you have earned a degree in RLS from CSULB then you can become a member of our RALSA Network, and/or Alumni | California State University Long Beach
For more information, please contact our RALSA network leadership team via email (CHHS-RALSA@csulb.edu) and don’t forget to follow us RLS and RALSA CAN FB, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Most importantly: PLEASE keep in touch and update your contact information by emailing the either RLS department office (kindly include degree and year graduated) and share information about job opportunities, internship sites, and events, conferences, or seminars targeted at RLS students, professionals, and or for Alumni.
RLS Department home page link RLS Website
CSULB RLS ALUMNI LET US CONNECT!! You are invited to come down to THE ISM BREWERY & KITCHEN 210 E. 3rd Street Unit A, Long Beach, CA 90802 on Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 4:30PM to 6:30PM.
California Parks and Recreation Society (CPRS) Conference is in Long Beach and there is a captive audience of CSULB RLS Alumni here for the Conference! This makes it an ideal time to call all RLS Alumni together to reunite with former classmates and meet up & network with RLS alumni from all over California.
We want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to CPRS Region 5, Districts 9,10 & 12 who are hosting this Sunset Social for allowing us to join in their event!! They are a wonderful Community Partner to our Department and especially to our students!
The David Gray Awards – Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6 PM-9:pm at the Grand 4101 E. Willow St. Long Beach – All RLS Alumni, Students, and Faculty are invited to the Department’s End of the Year Celebration of our Students, Alumni, Faculty and Community Partners. Tickets/registration may be purchase via this link https://commerce.cashnet.com/DavidGrayAwards2026
RALSA alumni have helped create funds to support students, which are awarded at the annual Daid Gray Celebration event in April each year. The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies is deeply grateful to the individuals, families and/or organizations which have provided financial support for our student scholarships, and other Awards:
RALSA supported Awards
Jack Minar Outdoor Recreation Award
Marilyn Jensen Graduate Student Award
Randy Andersen Leadership Award
RLS Scholarship Awards
CeEtta Crayton Scholarship Award
Maridith Curfman-Janssen Recreation Therapy Internship Scholarship Award
Edward and Rosalie Ricci Scholarship Award
Julie Regnier McCoy Recreation Student Award
Wynndi Dahlin Returning Student Scholarship Award
Lee Tussing Graduate Student Scholarship Award
Joanie Conley Student/Faculty Experiential Service-Learning Award
Please note that the Department would like to establish an award for The DAVID GRAY Outstanding Student Recognition Award. If you'd like to contribute it the David Gray Award, or to our any of our RALSA scholarships fund, or even start a new scholarship fund, please get in touch with Dr. Terry Robertson, Department Chair. Terry.Robertson@CSULB.EDU,
BEFORE WE FORGET, Here are some “Did you know” questions and answers.
1st - DID YOU KNOW THAT THE OUTBAC is under RLS?
2nd - DID YOU KNOW THAT THE JAPANESE GARDEN is under RLS?
NOW YOU DO!!! We hope you take the time to enjoy both of them.
You should also check out the OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) website where Patti LaPlace (RLS faculty member) is the Executive Director!
Also, did you know that Dr. Robertson is on the Advisory Board for the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) If you have any business ideas check it out!
Look what you learned! JOIN our RALSA and Keep checking back with us!
