The Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) Blog

Welcome our New Faculty and Staff

Posted on by shawndy

As the new school year begins, we are pleased to introduce our new faculty members! With their passion and expertise, we look forward to the incredible impact they will have on our department and our students.

Felipe Bertazzo Tobar, an international scholar from Brazil, holds the tenure-track position of Assistant Professor in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Department at Clemson University (USA). With an interdisciplinary background, he also earned a Master’s in Cultural Heritage and Society as well as a Bachelor of Law and Social Science, both from Univille University in Brazil. His research interests lie at the intersection of sport, tourism, heritage, events, and politicsAt Clemson University, he seeks to advance his interdisciplinary research agenda, contribute meaningfully to giving students a holistic and meaningful educational experience, and continue serving the Clemson community.

Ashlyn Hardie is a tenure-track, Assistant Professor in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Department at Clemson University. Dr. Hardie has an interdisciplinary background, including a B.S. in Sport Management from Wingate University in North Carolina, a Master’s in Business Adminstration (M.B.A.) from Averett University in Virgina, and a Ph.D. in Kinesiology (Emphasis in Sport Management) from Texas A&M University. Dr. Hardie also earned her Certificate of Nonprofit Management from Texas A&M University, with an emphasis area on International Nongovernmental Organizational Development. At Clemson University, she seeks to empower students with the necessary tools to contribute to positive community development, advance her research agenda toward practically oriented outcomes, and serve the community of the greater Clemson area.

Olivia McAnirlin, a health and nature researcher, is the Co-Director of the Virtual Reality and Nature (VRN) Lab in Clemson’s PRTM department. She holds degrees in exercise science, kinesiology and health (with a focus on sport psychology), and PRTM. Her research interests include studying the psychological and physiological impacts of nature and virtual reality, personalizing nature experiences for individuals, as well as using virtual reality as a form of storytelling. As Co-Director of the VRN, she works to mentor graduate, undergraduate, and high school students in the research process, externally fund impactful research studies, and provide health benefits to individuals through safe and accessible simulated and physical nature opportunities.

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PRTM Alumni Feature: Grace Lenning

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

Students are often intrigued by parks, recreation and tourism management because of its diverse curriculum – and graduate with confidence in their skills for a variety of careers. Recently, we caught up with Grace Lenning, a 2020 graduate from the Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, to hear about what she’s been up to since finishing her degree. 

Let’s get to know Grace! 

Q: What was your concentration within the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management? 

A: Tourism and Event Management (formerly, Travel and Tourism) 

Q: Where did you work during your required internship?

A: I interned with Mill Community Ministries where I planned events and managed fundraising. After my required summer internship, I stayed with the organization for almost a year. 

Q: What has your career path looked like post-graduation?

A: Graduating at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was very hard. I bounced around a lot in the beginning but was determined not to let COVID slow my momentum. I worked at the Inn at Patrick Square, sold insurance and managed events and marketing for a bar and restaurant before starting my job with TTi. 

Q: What is your current job?

A: I work for a company called Techtronic Industries in Charlotte, NC as a product coordinator for Hoover floor care. In my role, I participate in every aspect of new product launches – from development and engineering to marketing – and help maintain the quality and marketability of legacy products. 

Q: What are your job responsibilities? 

A: I work with engineers on both development and quality issues. I work with our brand and marketing teams to produce materials for our online retailers, in-store displays and to make sure products are showcased in a way that communicates their value to consumers. I also work with our finance and sales teams to track sales, pricing and costs of products. I wear a lot of hats in this role!

Q: How did your degree in PRTM prepare you for this position?

A: PRTM taught me how to think outside the box. I learned how experience economy can impact the consumer shopping experience and what that means for competitive marketing strategies in any given industry. This knowledge is invaluable in my current role, and I credit PRTM for preparing me to succeed through a diverse learning experience. 

Q: What advice would you give PRTM undergraduates today?

A: Life is wild and weird. Take challenges head on and take opportunities as they come. 

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: PRTM is one of the best, most versatile majors – enjoy it and GO TIGERS!

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YDL Students and Alum Impact Clemson Summer Scholar’s Program

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

Summer Scholars is an academic summer camp for middle and high school students to experience life on Clemson campus as they start to think about the future prospect of attending college. While in the program, the students stay in residence halls, explore the campus and facilities, and take part in engaging courses that provide an insight into what it’s like to study at Clemson.

This year summer, one Youth Development Leadership (YDL) Master’s alumni and two current students are working in the program: Donna Buss (currently enrolled) is the Administrative Coordinator, Lacey Edgerton (class of 2022-currently enrolled) is the Director, and Leslie Heffington (class of, 2019 and current Ph.D. student), has a part-time role as Graduate Assistant.

With Donna and Lacey in management positions and Leslie working closely with the camp counselors, this year’s Summer Scholars policy and practices were directly informed by content taught through the YDL course. Here’s what Donna, Leslie, and Lacey felt the participation in YDL Master’s impacted their work this summer.

Making Changes to Summer Scholar’s Inclusion and Diversity policy – Donna Buss

Donna Buss photo.

I feel incredibly fortunate to work at Clemson University, where I can continue my education and work full time. Since beginning the YDL master’s program in Fall 2021, I have applied every paper and project to Summer Scholars. In one of the Master’s modules, we were tasked with creating a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan for our current program. I took this opportunity to make changes to the Summer Scholar’s inclusion and diversity policy; here’s a part of the plan that was implemented:

Summer Scholars believes in the dignity and the intrinsic worth of every human being. We welcome, affirm, and support young people of all abilities, experiences, races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, religion and non-religion, citizenship and immigration status, and any other category people use to define themselves or others.

We strive to become an increasingly inclusive and welcoming environment for our community, strongly affirming the value of inclusivity in all areas of camp life and culture. Summer Scholars encourages meaningful participation, and when we stumble, because sometimes we are not sensitive, we are committed to learn, invest, and reflect more deeply into the values we strive to uphold. As a community, we know that an important aspect of inclusion is continually reflecting and evolving as we go. You are always encouraged to communicate with us if you have concerns.”

Working Hands-On With Camp Counselors– Leslie Heffington

Leslie Heffington photo.

This summer, a lot of my focus has been behind the scenes with Summer Scholars, but I have used information from the YDL program in my interactions with staff. When I was enrolled in the YDL program, I particularly enjoyed the classes that focused on staff management and leadership. I think in the camp setting, we must look at what motivates our counselors to do their jobs. They work long hours, often have minimal time off, and are somewhat disconnected from their friends and family outside camp. The leadership team must make sure these counselors have the support and resources necessary to do their jobs effectively. Creating a positive camp culture and compassionate environment for counselors is essential to the success of any camp program. Without the counselors, camp wouldn’t exist!  At Summer Scholars, we have been lucky to use the strategies and techniques presented to us in the YDL program to try and set up our counselors for success.

Supporting Underserved Students and Developing a Program Evaluation Plan – Lacey Edgerton

Lacey Hennessey photo.

As a student of the Youth Development Leadership Master’s program, I have enjoyed taking the content that I have learned in my courses and applying it to the Summer Scholars program. At the start of my role with the Summer Scholars Program, there were two major additions I wanted to add to program operations—financial assistance for underserved students to attend camp and an enhanced outcomes evaluation plan for both campers and counselors. Two courses within the YDL program have given me the knowledge and tools necessary to implement these additions, Grantsmanship and Assessment and Evaluation of Youth Programs.

One of the goals of Summer Scholars is to increase college awareness and postsecondary education attendance, and we hope to increase this affinity for college among underserved students. We hope that through grants, we will have the financial means to provide scholarships for students to attend camp who otherwise may not receive that opportunity, introducing them to higher education both academically and socially.

Within Summer Scholars, we focus on the development of not only campers but also our counselors. Now that I have my first year under my belt, I hope to take the information I learned from Assessments and Evaluations to create an ongoing outcomes evaluation plan that allows us to continue to grow our reach and impact with both our campers and counselors, cultivating an environment and program rich in positive youth development.

Finally…

We are delighted with how Donna, Leslie, and Lacey applied what they learned through the YDL Master’s program and had such a positive impact on the local community. If you want to gain applied and management skills to thrive in the field of youth development, check out our online Master’s of Science degree in Youth Development Leadership (YDL) (36 credit hours, 12 courses, 2 years) and our Graduate Certificate in YDL (15 credit hours, 5 courses) – https://bit.ly/YDLmasters or email youthdev@clemson.edu.

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The Camp Community’s Navigation of COVID-19

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

Barry A. Garst, Ph.D. and Ali Dubin

Camp is a principal positive youth development setting providing critical supports and opportunities for children and adolescents during summertime and across the calendar year (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019). After two years of programmatic and operational disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the camp community is once again providing camp experiences to millions of youth across the U.S. While the summer of 2020 relied heavily on virtual engagement and significant reductions in the overall number of youth served, the summer of 2021 was successful due to camps’ effective application of a host of COVID-19 mitigation strategies (called “non-pharmaceutical interventions” or NPIs) including screening, masking, cohorting, hand hygiene, sanitizing practices, ventilation, and social/physical distancing (Garst et al., 2022; Suh et al., 2022). In fact, cohorting (i.e., organizing camp participants in small groups for camp activities) was the most common NPI camps used in 2021.

The summer of 2022 finds camps combining recommended camp health care practices, lessons learned from 2020 and 2021, and innovations and adaptations in response to COVID-19, to ensure the health and well-being of camp participants and to facilitate a return to a more “normal” program delivery model. Organizations such as the Alliance for Camp Health and the American Camp Association have collaborated closely with the Centers for Disease Control and other health organizations to translate health care guidance related to communicable disease prevention and management into recommended practices for the camp community. Camp NPI utilization in many camps is being strengthened by innovations including drive-thru camper check-in, which allows for COVID-19 testing and screening before anyone steps onto camp property. Another impactful adaptation includes transitioning camp health care services like medication administration and triage to an outdoor location, which allows for increased ventilation and distancing to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19. Notably, preparation for the summer of 2022 has required camp administrators and camp health care providers to evaluate important trade-offs. These tradeoffs (e.g., staff time off and possible community spread of COVID-19, use of cohorts, use of masking, and vaccination requirements) are described in this infographic.

Youth development practitioners, educators, and researchers interested in learning more about how the camp community is responding to the pandemic, as well as the emerging mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) needs of youth and staff, are encouraged to visit the Alliance for Camp Health, the American Camp Association, and the Healthy Camp Toolbox.

  • Dubin, A., & Garst, B. (2022). Camp programs and health care trade-offs within the context of COVID-19. CompassPoint, 32(1), 19.
  • Garst, B., Dubin, A., & Gaslin, T. (2022). Application of non-pharmaceutical interventions in camps following the onset of COVID-19. Child: Care, Health, and Development. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12957
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2019). Shaping summertime experiences: Opportunities to promote healthy development and well-being for children and youth. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25546
  • Suh, H. H., Meehan, J., Blaisdell, L., Browne, L. (2022). Non pharmaceutical interventions and COVID-19 cases in US summer camps: Results from an American Camp Association survey. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 76. 327-334.http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2021-216711

* Reprinted with permission from the Alliance for Camp Health (Dubin & Garst, 2022)

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Momentum Bike Clubs founder passes leadership torch to new executive director

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

Momentum Bike Clubs (MBC), a group mentoring initiative facilitated by the Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, begins a new chapter this spring, as leadership passes from David Taylor to Tavaghn Monts.

Monts, who also serves as the assistant director of community collaboration for the department’s Race, Ethnicity, Youth and Social Equity Collaboratory, will take over as executive director of Momentum Bike Clubs on June 1, moving from his current role as associate director of the organization.

“David has poured his heart and soul into making MBC the supportive, inclusive, life-giving program it is today,” Monts said. “I consider it a great honor to take the reins and carry his vision into the future.”

Founded by Taylor in 2010, the program uses cycling as a vessel to foster positive mentor relationships and build resilience in underserved youth facing persistent poverty, parental incarceration or instability in their home lives.

Once a week, middle and high school students throughout the Upstate participate in group rides on local trails to establish healthy exercise practices and stay connected with their mentors and peers. Clubs work to provide students with the support they need to overcome challenges, develop healthy relationships and pursue their dreams.

“Connection and a sense of belonging are important to the youth we serve,” Taylor said. “MBC offers them a community of people who are advocating for their academic and personal success, as well as their mental, emotional and physical well-being.”

Bike club students can participate in internships, trips, youth development seminars and high school preparation resources. Younger students are also eligible to “graduate” to the more rigorous challenge team, a diverse group of young people who take on more difficult rides and push each other to achieve their goals.

Since its induction, Taylor’s passion for positive youth development can be seen in how he has nurtured and grown the program from an inaugural group of 10 students to over 1,100 youth and 110,000 miles ridden.

Moving forward, Monts plans to continue Taylor’s important work of advocating for underserved youth in the Upstate and providing them a place of refuge from the adversities of life.

END

Momentum Bike Clubs operates on the belief that youth and caregivers thrive when living in inclusive and supportive communities and promotes vigorous exercise and healthy peer and mentor relationships. MBC was founded in 2010 and is facilitated by the Clemson University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is part of the University’s College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS). Established in 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in seven schools and departments – Communication; Nursing; Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; Political Science; Psychology; Public Health Sciences; Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice – to further its mission in “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.

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PRTM celebrates student achievement at annual awards ceremony

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

This week, we celebrated the hard work and achievements of an outstanding group of parks, recreation and tourism management students!

Awards were given to undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni. Each award winner was chosen based on his or her academic achievement, leadership and professional involvement and strength of character.

This week, we celebrated the hard work and achievements of an outstanding group of parks, recreation and tourism management students! 

Awards were given to undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni. Each award winner was chosen based on his or her academic achievement, leadership and professional involvement and strength of character.

2021 – 2022 winners are as follows:

Certificate of Academic Excellence: This recognition is given to students with outstanding GPAs. 

Maggie Brewer, Ann-Preston Campbell, Jillian Courtney, Berkley Derrick,Sarah Feller, McKenzie Maffett, Meredith Powell, Elli Seabrook, AubreyWease, Jordyn Weber 

Academic Achievement Award at the Junior Level & Senior Level: This award is presented to the junior & senior with the highest GPA. 

Juniors: Creighton Boyd, Mary Scott Brown, Madison Ederer, Grace Groke,Danielle Hess, Micah King, Leila Long, Elise Macaron, Nicholas Massey,Megan Medley, Thomas Romano, Jackson Satterfield Seniors: Claire Beaudry, Shelby Bentley, Grant Blasingame, SofieChirichiello, Ryan Schuchmann

Award of Excellence in Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Management: This award is presented to an outstanding senior in Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Managementon the basis of academic achievement, leadership and professional involvement in a CRSCM related field. 

Marie Benedetti and Davis King

Park and Conservation Area Management Founders and Leaders’ Award: This award is presented to a junior or senior in Park and Conservation Area Management who exemplifies the values, work, leadership and spirit of the founders and leaders of our public lands. 

Maggie Brewer

Award for Excellence in Recreational Therapy: This award is presented to a student who displays high academic standards while achieving excellence in Recreational Therapy through service to special populations and achievement in professional activities. 

Marley Neal

Award for Excellence in Professional Golf Management: This award is presented to an outstanding senior in PGA Golf Management on the basis of academic acheivement, leadership and professional involvement in golf management. 

Nolan Miller

Award for Excellence in Travel and Tourism: This award recognizes an outstanding student in Travel and Tourism based on academic achievement and demonstrated interest and dedication to the Travel and Tourism field. 

Cayman Williams

Markvan Bellamy Brooks Endowed Scholarship Award: This award is presented to an outstanding undergraduate student studying sport management. The scholarship recognizes the life and work of Robert H. Brooks, ’60 and Mark Bellamy Brooks, ’91. 

Nicole Entrup

Lawrence R. Allen Engaged Future Professional Award: This award is given to an undergraduate PRTM student who has demonstrated a commitment to professional engagement in the PRTM field.

Izzy Miller

Greg Schoper Leadership Award: Established to honor a graduate of the department who was killed in action in Vietnam, this award recognizes the department’s most outstanding student leader of the year. 

McKenzie Maffett

Stevenson-Smith-Lovett Award: Established in memory of the families of the donors, this award is presented to a rising senior who exemplifies personal qualities of integrity, love, compassion, service and a positive attitude. 

Emily Brady

Judith E. Voelkl Scholarship Award: This award recognizes a student who plans to serve the public through a career in the PRTM field, has academic achievement of at least a 3.0 GPA, and who exhibits the qualities of caring, compassion, commitment and spirit. 

Scarlett Lawthorne

Bert and Johnnie Brantley Outstanding Student Award: This award is presented to two PRTM seniors who have exhibited outstanding service to the PRTM Department, the University and the community during the student’s academic career at ClemsonUniversity while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. 

Shelby Bentley and Sarah Bratton

Marsha A. Ward ’79 Fellowship for Play: The Marsha A. Ward ’79 Fellowship for Play is awarded annually to a Clemson University graduate student inPRTM who demonstrates a commitment to play and the value of play in modern society. 

Leslie Heffington

Graduate Student Awards of Excellence: This award recognizes graduate students who are distinguished through academic achievement,scholarship, community service and perseverance. 

Anup K C, Olivia McAnirlin and Kaitlin Mueller

Francis A. McGuire Graduate Student Teaching Award: This award is presented to a graduate student who has shown excellence in teaching exemplified by the qualities of caring, passion and engagement with students. 

Ali Dubin and Felipe Tobar

Brett A. Wright Award for Graduate Student Achievement: This award recognizes graduate students who are distinguished through outstanding academic achievement. 

Rita Penniman and Tania Santiago-Perez

Outstanding Alumnus Award: This award is presented to former PRTM graduate student who have made outstanding contributions in the field of parks and recreation. 

Practitioner: Jennifer Bozard Academic: Dr. Melissa Weddell

PRTM Student Ambassador Recognition: This recognition is given to students who have represented PRTM as Student Ambassadors andhave helped to advance the mission of the department by sharing their experiences with currentand prospective students. 

Grace Caroline Bell, Taylor Bogucki, Sage Ennis, Alia Logoleo, Jordyn Weber

Recognition of Retirement: This award is presented to faculty and staff members in recognition of their years of service to the PRTM department and as a celebration of their retirement. 

Larry Allen, Ken Backman, Karin Emmons, Fran McGuire, TequillaStokes, David Taylor, Bill Quinn 

Recognition of Service: This award is presented to the person who provided impactful service and positive contributions to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. 

Paul Borick 

Distinguished Service Award: This award is presented in recognition of impactful service, positive contributions and steadfast leadership to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

Dr. Jeff Hallo

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PRTM faculty, graduate students lead discussion on environmental conservation from an international perspective

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

During the first in a series of important environmental conservation discussions facilitated by faculty and graduate students in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University, Assistant Professor Aby Sene-Harper and Tigers United Fellow Pramod Yadav led a conversation on the role of environmental conservation in international relations, politics and policies.

The discussion encouraged dialogue about topics not often addressed in classroom settings and provided an opportunity for scholars to foster co-learning, enhance awareness of local impacts of conservation programs and deepen students’ and faculty members’ knowledge of international conservation policies. Participants were asked to consider how academicians, conservationists and policy officials can work together to embrace shared values and goals in environmental conservation.

The Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management department plans to host several more discussions on important topics related to international conservation throughout the year.

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An Insight into Racial Inequities for Black Youth and Youth of Color in Outdoor Spaces with Dr. Corliss Outley

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

This weekend Dr Corliss Outley will be presenting her keynote speech at the Coalition for Education in the Outdoors 15th Biennial Research Symposium. The speech is entitled, “Stand Up!: Race, Freedom Calls and Outdoor Education”, and emphasizes that:

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience quality environmental and outdoor learning. Yet, for many the right to live, work, learn and play in the outdoors has been limited. The inclusion of all cannot be the work of one person or even one organization–individuals must work together to intentionally change policies, pedagogy, curriculum, culture, and systems.”

During Black History Month, our YDL team wanted to highlighted the important messages Dr. Outley brings to our collection attention in her keynote speech and, more broadly, her research endeavors to address issues of race in the field of youth development. While Black History Month is poignant reminder of the social and racial inequities in our society, as Dr. Outley points out, there is a need for collective and intentional change that far exceeds a single month.

In this blog post, we’re taking a specific focus on the social dynamic that exists between outdoor settings and issues of race; specifically, stereotypes, discrimination, and feelings of isolation for Blacks and people of color in the outdoors.

Click image to read Outdoor Afro Connects Black Americans with Nature

History and Recent Incidents of Racial Injustice in the Outdoors

When discussing the changes required to promote engagement in the outdoors for Black youth and other youth of color, we need to also consider how their perception of the outdoors has been shaped by historical oppression and more recent discriminatory actions.

Historically, outdoor spaces could be considered a dangerous or threatening environment for not only Blacks but other people of color as well. For example, we do not need to delve too far into our history to see horrific images of Black people being lynched in woodland spaces, Black youth being harassed and chased out of White suburban communities, and racial segregation in parks.

By acknowledging the history of brutality and discrimination that has occurred in outdoors spaces, we can begin to understand why there may be issues of generational trauma associated with the outdoors, contributing to present day feelings of dissociation and stigmatization.

More recently, the cases of Ahmaud Arbery, who was murdered by two White men when jogging through a suburban neighborhood under false accusation, Chris Cooper, who was racially abused while bird watching in Central Park, and a family who were harassed, threatened, and effectively held hostage while on a nature reserve trip, highlight resounding issues of racism in natural spaces and reinforce implicit messages that Blacks and people of color are not safe in outdoors environments.

Although the cases highlighted above are extreme examples that make news headlines, Dr. Outley contends that they are the manifestation of racist undertones and attitudes within society that isolate oppressed groups from natural spaces. Indeed, a recent piece in the New York times gives a compelling account of Black surfers’ feelings of prejudice and discrimination in a sport that has historical roots in African countries but has often been considered a primarily White sport.

Act Now and Affect Change for Youth

In light of recent events and historical issues of discrimination and trauma for Blacks and people of color in the outdoors, there is a need for researchers in the field of youth development, and specifically outdoor education, to work with communities and organizations to make natural settings accessible, safe, and places for growth and well-being for young people of color.

Dr. Outley, suggests six core principles that should be at the forefront of the thinking and practices of researchers and organizations when aiming to nurture young people’s growth in nature.

  1. Recognize historical oppression/ invisibility
    • Bring attention to historical marginalization at the individual level and systemic racism that manifests itself in present day structures and operations in your communities and countries.
  2. Gain Cultural Competency
    • Increase awareness, gain knowledge, and acquire skills to work with Black girls and boys & their families.
  3. Examine your own organizations 
    • Awareness of organizational culture (e.g., being anti-racism takes action, not denial)
    • Capacity building to change behaviors (e.g., workshops to enhance cultural competence)
    • Take action on the biased policies, procedures, practices, and norms that led to community disinvestment and child developmental deficits.
  4. Name it & Educate
    • Name Anti-Blackness, Racism and Misogynoir for what it is (action), include examples of what it looks like (educate), and the ways that it manifests in all aspects of society (awareness).
  5. Become an Ally & Advocate
    • Actively support policies that affirm Black girls and boys.
    • Assist in healing from racial trauma (e.g., acknowledge the impact of racial trauma and provide safe spaces to discuss experiences)
    • Encourage and Respect Inclusion in the Outdoors (e.g., build a sense of belonging in the outdoors)
    • Know the difference: ‘Ally ‘– assist/support in current efforts; ‘Advocate’ – aim to influence by formal support, acknowledging & utilizing your privilege to engage in order to make social/political change.
  6. Say it Loud & Proud!
    • Anti-Blackness is centered on the belief that Black girls and boys and their accomplishments are inferior, it is critical that Black excellence is identified and spoken of frequently.

If Dr. Outley’s work on race, youth development, and the outdoors has piqued your interest…

Dr. Outley is just one of a team of developmental experts who teach in Clemson University’s online Master of Science degree in Youth Development Leadership (36 credit hours, 12 courses, 2 years) as well as a Graduate Certificate in youth development leadership (15 credit hours, 5 courses). These programs are uniquely designed for professionals working in youth development settings. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/34HATgt or email youthdev@clemson.edu.

Resources & Organizations

Color in the Outdoors Want to learn more about the world around you? “Interested in getting outside with other people of color? Come join us. Whether it’s your first time, or your hundredth, we’d love to have you out with us”. https://www.colorintheoutdoors.com/

Diversify Outdoors. Resources. https://www.diversifyoutdoors.com

Indigenous Women Hike. “We are a collective of Indigenous women reconnecting with our ancestral homelands”. https://www.facebook.com/indigenouswomenhike/

Latino Outdoors. “a unique national Latinx-led organization, working to create and support a network of ambicultural leaders in the outdoor, conservation, and nature movement. As part of this work, we are focused on expanding the Latinx experience in the outdoors and providing greater opportunities for leadership, mentorship, and professional development”. https://latinooutdoors.org/

The Sunrise Movement. “a national nonprofit organization that encourages young people to get involved with advocating against climate change”. https://www.sunrisemovement.org/

Watch: A Conversation About Racism in the Outdoors. https://www.audubon.org/news/watch-conversation-about-racism-outdoors

Reading and References

Atlantic Re: Think.  (2020). Five Ways to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive:  An Action Plan for Change. https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/rei-2018/five-ways-to-make-the-outdoors-more-inclusive/3019/

Fisher, C. (2020). Multicultural Wilderness. Environmental humanities, 12, 51-87. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341841018_Multicultural_Wilderness

Rao, T.Y., & Roberts, N. (2018). Voices of Women of Colour: Dreaming of an Inclusive Outdoor Leadership Environment. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325115260_Voices_of_Women_of_Colour_Dreaming_of_an_Inclusive_Outdoor_Leadership_Environment

Rakow, D. & Brown, L. (2021). Anti-racism in the Outdoors: Resources related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion of Black, Indigenous and People of Color in parks and greenspaces. https://www.childrenandnature.org/resources/anti-racism-in-the-outdoors-resources-related-to-inclusion-diversity-equity-access/

Wilkerson, I. (2020). Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Random House Publishing Group. https://www.npr.org/2020/08/10/900274938/caste-argues-its-most-violent-manifestation-is-in-treatment-of-black-americans

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Meet Dr. Em Adams, assistant professor in PRTM’s recreational therapy concentration

Posted on by Shelley Gordon

 

Meet Dr. Em Adams, assistant professor in parks, recreation and tourism management’s recreational therapy concentration!  

Em received her doctorate from Clemson University in parks, recreation and tourism management with a cognate area of recreational therapy and a certificate in clinical and translational science. After completing her degree, she spent several years as an assistant professor at Lehman College in Bronx, New York before rejoining the Clemson PRTM family last year.

Let’s get to know her!

Q: What courses do you teach in PRTM’s recreational therapy concentration?

A: I teach Assessment in Recreational Therapy (PRTM 3240) and Advanced Facilitation Techniques (PRTM 8720).

Q: What are you research interests? 

A: My research focuses on health equity and building resilience in individuals, families and communities who have experienced violence and trauma. I’m also passionate about reducing barriers to treatment for mental health and finding ways to reduce burnout and vicarious trauma among healthcare workers.

Q: Outside of work, what are your hobbies? 

A: I love music and any type of water activity.

Q: What words of advice would you share with undergraduate or graduate students in PRTM? 

A: Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself and make sure you’re taking time for self-care. Keep open lines of communication with your professors and ask for help as needed.

Em was recently named a fellow for the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s Diversity Institute for Emerging Leaders. This institute was designed to assist early-career scholars in fostering a deep understanding and application of the principles of diversity and inclusion in both their research and mentoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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