Three Clemson University Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) students have been recognized for completing rigorous, research-based coursework requirements through the university’s Calhoun Honors College as they completed their undergraduate degrees.
Interim Department Chair Jeffrey Hallo says that recipients Ryan King, Bailee Matthews and Emma Leroux are all outstanding students that have worked hard to make the most of their learning experience.
Clemson PRTM Honors Graduate Ryan King.
“Departmental Honors give our undergraduate students the opportunity to do advanced, in-depth study and research within their chosen area of study,” Hallo says. “It is a rigorous program, but Ryan, Emma and Bailee more than rose to the challenge. I’m extremely proud of their accomplishments.”
Ryan King, from Greenville, South Carolina, is expecting to graduate in August 2020. He plans to work in public parks and recreation, with a focus in outdoor recreation. In his free time, he enjoys hiking with his chocolate Lab, Colt, and mountain biking. He’s taken a 14-day road trip out west and visited a variety of national parks including Arches, Death Valley and Yosemite. He’s hoping to spend a few years on the job to get an understanding of the field and explore what he might want to study in graduate school. Ryan was also recognized in two other ways: for Academic Excellence and with the Award for Excellence in Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Management.
Clemson PRTM Honors Graduate Emma Leroux.
Emma Leroux, from Fort Mill, South Carolina, is graduating this spring with a concentration in Recreational Therapy. She is attending Vanderbilt University in the fall to study for her master’s in Special Education. She is very thankful for the support from the PRTM faculty and her family and friends that helped her succeed while at Clemson.
Bailee Matthews, from Lake City, South Carolina, graduated this spring with a concentration in Recreational Therapy. She is a member of Clemson University’s Student Government and the
Clemson PRTM Honors Graduate Bailee Matthews.
Recreational Therapy Club. She has been a member of the Calhoun Honors Program since her sophomore year and has been a part of a research team to determine the users, user perceptions, benefits, personal experiences, and outcomes of a cancer survivor park in Greenville, South Carolina.
Throughout her years as a student at Clemson, Bailee has had multiple opportunities to gain hands-on experiences working with different populations, from stroke and traumatic brain Injury to dementia and Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is currently working at the National Health Care of Greenville skilled nursing facility where she is interning with the Recreational Therapy department for her senior internship. After graduation, Bailee plans to attend graduate school in the Fall to pursue Speech Language Pathology.
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The parks, recreation and tourism management department at Clemson University is one of the largest and most well-recognized programs of its type in the nation. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in community recreation, sport and camp management, park and conservation area management, PGA golf management, public administration, recreational therapy, travel and tourism, and youth development leadership.
