July 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 45

I don't think [students are] getting
that, " he says. " They're also not getting the administrative/finance side,
but there's yet another issue: America
is the most complex country on the
planet. It combines freedom, choice,
diversity - this makes American society a difficult society to live in, unless
somebody is teaching students about
the emerging complexity of our communities and how we approach that.
My feeling is until park and recreation
people understand their value and importance of preparing communities to
deal with these things, we'll continue
to be described as a non-essential service. Students aren't prepared to deal
with that kind of complexity. "
Experience in the real world may
help prepare students to address the
needs of diverse communities, as can
continuing educational and networking opportunities outside the traditional college setting. NRPA offers several
accredited courses and certifications
year-round, plus extensive networking
and information-sharing opportunities through NRPA Connect. The association also hosts NRPA Congress
each year, a huge educational and
networking event designed to bring
the latest and most effective strategies
to park and recreation professionals
(www.nrpa.org/Congress2014). At
this year's Congress, attendees will
find interactive educational sessions in
the Learning Playground and Learning Labs, expanded Speed Sessions,
and a fresh look at how to support,
facilitate and communicate park and
recreation research.
Opportunities like these may be
just the ticket for the cash-strapped
young professional, who may also be
lacking in experience. " It's on [students] to take their assignments more
seriously and [take advantage of]
networking, " Burk says. " [Students]
often say, 'I should work on networking, going to conferences, etc.' [Those

experiences impact] their ability to
learn more about what's going on
in the field, put on better events and
meet needs of the community. "
It Takes a Village
There is no quick, one-size-fits-all solution to the challenges facing the field
of parks and recreation today. Students face myriad options of how to go
about structuring their undergraduate
and postgraduate careers. Professors
must juggle the pressures of keeping
their classrooms full with the desire
to provide top-notch education to the
next generation of park and recreation
professionals. Those out in the field
serving communities day in, day out,
must adopt an attitude of continuous
learning. And, perhaps most important, organizations like NRPA must
serve as the third support in the academic-practitioner-advocate triangle.
As the premier organization for park
and recreation professionals, NRPA
is uniquely positioned to advocate for
its constituents, disseminate important

research and provide tools for growth,
including continuing education, certification and networking opportunities.
Meanwhile, those eyeballing a career in the field will face a kaleidoscope of possibilities, which is likely
to shift and change more than once
as they navigate the hallowed halls of
academia. Still, says Dustin, there is
comfort in knowing the desire to relax,
have fun, be fit and build community
will remain an essential part of this
field with unlimited growth potential,
even as we attempt to address today's
identity crisis. " Curricula in parks
and recreation in higher education
will likely remain at the margin, because we live in a culture that remains
work-centered, not leisure-centered,
even as the evidence suggests leisure
will play a larger role in our lives in the
future, " he says. " Essentially, those of
us dedicated to parks, recreation and
leisure are ahead of our time. "
Samantha Bartram is the Associate Editor
of Parks & Recreation Magazine (sbartram@
nrpa.org).

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