5.05

Evidence of Compliance:

Student participation in professional associations is focused on but not limited to the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) at district and state levels, the National Park and Recreation Society (NRPA), American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation (SCMAF), and Women in Leisure Services (WILS).

Each year, one student from the Department serves as a Student Representative on the CPRS District Ten Board of Directors. This student representative is actively involved in District Ten functions as well as providing a conduit for other students from the Department to actively participate in District sponsored events. Annually, District Ten holds one of their monthly meetings on the CSULB campus to foster a connection between the District Ten board of directors and current Recreation and Leisure Studies majors. The District has also sponsored student-specific workshops such as resume writing, and strategies for successful interviews. Many of these workshops are available to students free of change, and occasionally students are invited to attend at a significantly reduced rate.

In conjunction with CPRS District Ten, another local professional organization, Women in Leisure Services, has joined forces for the past 12 years, to form a professional/student mentoring program. Professionals from the two organizations provide workshops and networking opportunities for students from the Department to engage in professional mentoring opportunities.

The Department also encourages student membership in American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), Association for Experiential Education (AEE), American Camp Association (ACA), National Intramural Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) and similar associations that may be relevant to the student’s specialized interests. The importance of professional affiliation is discussed in several classes as appropriate, and faculty participation is presented as a model to students. In the past five years, CPRS has developed a student membership initiative that allows students to join CPRS or renew their student membership and obtain free registration to the annual state conference. This endeavor has been extremely successful in helping students become involved in their state organization. In any given year, the Department has seen anywhere from six to 30 students attend the state conference (depending on the location).

Limited assistance is available to students interested in attending professional meetings and they are encouraged to participate alongside faculty in attending and presenting at conferences. Faculty include course work modules related to conference attendance and networking, prior to and following conferences. The Recreation Society (student majors group) also provides financial assistance and encourages participation in professional meetings. Students are also involved with faculty in organizing and implementing workshops that attract members of the professional organizations in attendance. Students are encouraged to attend the workshops at discounted rates and to network with future internship site supervisors, colleagues and potentials employers.

The Department conducts an ongoing scholarship program, in which information about all known scholarship opportunities offered through professional associations is posted on the Department’s BeachBoard site (an organizational site within the campus learning management system) and maintained in a central file. Students are informed about qualifications and deadlines and are urged to apply. Recognition of award winners encourages other students to apply. Our students have been particularly successful in receiving local, regional, state and national awards and honors over the past five years. Scholarships/honors that have been awarded to our students include:

California Foundation for Parks and Recreation (multiple students all six years)

CPRS District X (multiple students all six years)

CPRS District IX (a few students over the six years)

CSULB Outstanding Graduate Award

Women in Leisure Services (WILS) Scholarship (multiple students all six years)