3.05

Evidence of Compliance: 

The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at California State University, Long Beach maintains ongoing consultation with practitioners, alumni, and community leaders to ensure the curriculum reflects current professional standards, emerging trends, and the evolving needs of the recreation and leisure services field.

A. Internship Program as a Primary Channel for Consultation

For over 20 years, the Department’s internship program has served as a cornerstone for practitioner engagement. Students complete 400–600 hours of professional fieldwork during their internship semester, during which faculty supervisors, agency mentors, and students collaborate closely. The internship coordinator maintains ongoing contact with over 150 agencies, which represent a diverse cross-section of recreation, parks, event management, and recreation therapy service providers.

Faculty supervisors engage in consistent phone and email communication with agency mentors and, when within a 50-mile radius, conduct site visits during the internship. These touchpoints not only enhance the quality of the student learning experience but also provide valuable feedback from practitioners on the preparedness of students, industry trends, and evolving skill requirements. This feedback directly informs curriculum and course-level revisions.

B. Active Alumni Engagement

With over 2,300 alumni—many of whom remain in the Southern California region and continue working in the profession—the Department benefits from a well-established alumni network. Alumni routinely return as guest speakers, part-time instructors, internship supervisors, and curriculum advisors. The Department created an alumni survey in 2014 and distribute it annually, gathering employment and program outcome data, and plans to update this instrument in alignment with recruitment efforts at the state CPRS Conference.

The Recreation and Leisure Studies Association (RALSA) serves as a formal structure for alumni engagement. Its purpose includes supporting curriculum quality, mentoring current students, providing feedback for faculty development, and advocating for the profession. Although RALSA was temporarily dormant due to faculty turnover, the board resumed activity in Spring 2019. Faculty frequently consult alumni for input on curriculum development, joint research efforts, and program expansion.

One important outcome of these efforts has been the development of a department Community Advisory Board. At this point the board is made up of department alum and retired faculty. The department is currently looking to formalize and expand the CAB to include community partners from internship and job placements.  Several meetings were held in 2023-2024, and 2024-2025, meeting info, agendas, and minutes can be found via this link: Recreation and Leisure Studies Community Advisory Board Meeting Info. 

C. Professional Organizational Partnerships

The Department maintains deep connections with local, state, and national professional organizations, which serve as an important channel for practitioner input. Notable examples include:

• Hosting CPRS District 10 board meetings and professional development workshops on campus

• Faculty and student participation in the CPRS District 10/Women in Leisure Services Mentoring Program

• Co-sponsorship of events and workshops with CPRS, NRPA, and ATRA

These partnerships provide faculty with regular, structured opportunities to hear directly from professionals in the field and to align coursework with real-world needs.

D. Faculty Leadership and Participation in Professional Associations

All full-time faculty maintain active memberships and leadership roles in a variety of professional associations, including:

• The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS)

• American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)

• California Parks and Recreation Society (CPRS)

• Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP)

• National Association for Interpretation (NAI)

• Travel & Tourism Research Association (TTRA)

• World Leisure Organization (WLO), among others

This professional engagement allows faculty to remain current in the field and to bring back insights and standards that directly influence course content, pedagogical approaches, and programmatic goals.

E. Documented Curriculum Adjustments Based on Practitioner Input

Feedback from agency mentors, alumni, and professional associations has directly influenced several curricular decisions, such as:

• The re-sequencing and revision of prerequisite structures to better reflect fieldwork preparation

• Enhancement of the professional portfolio assignment in REC 480 to align with industry hiring practices

• Introduction of new content modules (e.g., DEI in recreation, trauma-informed care, and digital engagement) based on practitioner and alumni suggestions

Meeting minutes from department curriculum discussions and alumni survey summaries provide documentation of these practitioner-informed decisions.

Summary: The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies consistently engages with practitioners and alumni in a multi-tiered and structured way to affirm and evolve its curriculum. These consultations are intentional, ongoing, and integral to the department’s commitment to preparing students for professional success and maintaining curricular relevance in a rapidly changing field.