5.05

Evidence of Compliance: 

The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies promotes ongoing, meaningful student engagement in professional organizations and service activities through structured opportunities, mentorship, and curriculum integration.

Faculty encourage participation by embedding professional development modules in core courses (e.g., REC 141, REC 323, REC 351, REC 421, and REC 480) and including assignments related to conference attendance and professional networking. Also, in collaboration with CPRS and WILS, the department hosts career-focused workshops and student-mentor programs, and actively supports students in applying for scholarships and awards through a maintained Canvas site. As a result, students have consistently been recognized with honors from CPRS District IX & X, the California Foundation for Parks and Recreation, WILS, and CSULB’s Outstanding Graduate Award. On top of that, depending on their interests, students are encouraged to participate in state and national organizations including the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), Women in Leisure Services (WILS), Southern California Municipal Athletic Federation (SCMAF), American Camp Association (ACA), National Intramural Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA), and others. Specifically, students frequently attend the annual CPRS state conference, often receiving free registration through the CPRS student initiative, and additional support from the Recreation Society and department faculty.

In particular, the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) District 10 and Recreation Therapy Sections are the largest partners for student involvement. CPRS District 10 routinely hosts on-campus meetings designed for mentoring and connecting students with important internship and job opportunities. Also, District 10 has an ongoing scholarship program, for which our students have been awarded yearly. A recent example of the important partnership between District 10 and RLS can be found by viewing the Fall 2025 on-campus speed networking event, as well as the Fall 2025 mentorship program. These activities take place annually in collaboration with the District 10 board and RLS Faculty. In addition, each year, one student serves as a student representative on the CPRS District 10 Board of Directors, attending meetings, organizing events, and serving as a liaison between the board and the student body. 

The CPRS RT Section also has been closely collaborating with the RLS department to include and connect with RT students by assist hosting a continuing education workshop series titled "The Beach Symposium." This annual event serves as a way for RT professionals to acquire continuing education units, and for students to be involved in networking with professionals, creating opportunities for both internships and potential employment pathways. The CPRS RT section also has an ongoing scholarship program and provides opportunity for an RLS RT student to serve an RT student representative to nurture their leadership and communication and to build networking. On top of that, RT students often work directly with external partners such as the American Gold Star Manor (AGSM) and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). AGSM, for example, was one of the popular sites for RT students where they could practice applying classroom knowledge in real settings. Under a supervisor guidance, students learn to plan and facilitate various programs considering the characteristics of the AGSM residents and communicate professionally with not only the residents, but families and staff. On the other hand, since OLLI is located on campus, more students were able to involve and gather rapid feedback and refine their faciliation skills across multiple sessions. In fact, since Fall 2024, a virtual reality project has run continously faciliated for OLLI members and about 20 students have been involved and participated as a student facilitator and have served over 30 OLLI members, which helped students to be exposed to the most up-to-date device and applications as well as develop an aiblity to utilize them. 

Through these sustained and multifaceted efforts, the department ensures that students are not only involved but are well-prepared to engage in professional service and leadership.