|
Park and Recreation Administration Option
This curriculum is designed to prepare students for the proper management of natural, cultural and recreational resources. Leadership positions in parks and other recreation settings require fundamental knowledge of basic principles from many disciplines which collectively emphasize the natural and cultural sciences as well as personnel and fiscal management, thus preparing students with leadership abilities and an applied understanding of the tools for recreation administration. Flexibility is provided through restricted elective hours, allowing credit hours to be taken in a more specialized area of the park and recreation field. The curriculum includes supervised field experience with an approved park or recreational agency and applications are further illustrated by frequent trips to nearby national, state and municipal park settings and private and commercial recreation attractions.
The park and recreation administration curriculum is designed for students wishing to work in natural resources and with people who use these resources for recreational purposes. This program offers professional careers for students who recognize the value of parks and recreation in our everyday lives and the benefits of organized recreation programs. The park and recreation field offers a diversity of career possibilities, and the UT Martin curriculum prepares graduates capable in both park management and recreation management. The park and recreation administration curriculum is offered by the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences.
Supervised field experience, or an internship, is available for academic credit. It is required of all students in park and recreation administration, agricultural business, agricultural science production and plant science programs, and strongly encouraged for students in all other agricultural and natural resources management degree programs. Internships are designed to enable a student to obtain credit for completion of a prescribed program of work with an approved business or agency. Students have served as interns in a variety of agricultural
; management and marketing positions and as interns with a variety of city, state and federal agencies. Supervision and evaluation are provided by faculty and on- the-job supervisors. An essential element of this program is that the work experience be designed so it contributes to a student’s learning and level of competence in his/her chosen career area; routine summer jobs or seasonal employment that do not meet these criteria cannot be considered for internship credit. Students interested in the program should apply for participation one semester in advance and they should have achieved senior standing at the time the work experience begins in the case of park and recreation administration – and ; junior standing in the case of other concentration areas.
Although competition is keen, students graduating from this program are competitive and prepared to enter professional careers with public agencies such as: National Park Service, Corps of Engineers, Armed Forces, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state parks, city (large and small), county and regional parks and recreational agencies. Employment with non-profit organizations such as church groups, scouting, boys’ clubs, girls’ clubs, and young men’s and women’s Christian associations, and zoos are also possibilities. Students interested in pursuing a career with the private sector may seek employment with such organizations as Disney, Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Sea World, private zoological parks, travel agencies, private outfitters, private guide services, cruise operators, and concessionaires working on public land. The park and recreation field is large and diversified. It is the policy of our staff to aid students in their efforts to find both seasonal and permanent employment.
Agriculture and natural resources management students are active in several organizations which include the Agronomy Club, Alpha Gamma Rho, Block and Bridle Club, Collegiate FFA, Collegiate 4-H, National Agribusiness Marketing Association, Park and Recreation Adventure Club, Equestrian Team (Athletics), Rodeo Team (Athletics), UT Martin chapter of the Wildlife Society, Student Cattlemen’s Association, UT Martin Turf Club, Sigma Alpha and UT Martin Pre-Veterinary Club. These student organizations provide opportunities for meeting established professionals in the field, enhancing leadership skills and participation in social activities. Teams composed of students enrolled in agriculture or natural resources management annually participate in intercollegiate contests in livestock judging, crops judging, horse judging, NAMA Quiz Bowl, SAEA Quiz Bowl and soil judging. Instruction and coaching are provided by faculty members and membership on the team is based upon participation and competitive performance in practice exercises. The teams have received awards in regional and national competition. They provide excellent opportunities for interested students to sharpen their evaluation skills. Equestrian competition is also available to interested students through the UT Martin athletics program.
The UT Martin Agricultural and Natural Resources Field Teaching and Demonstration Complex, located adjacent to the campus, is utilized as the lab farm in the department’s teaching programs. Together, both units comprise 680 acres and include herds of beef cattle, sheep, goats, horses and swine, as well as greenhouses and landscape, wildlife, field and forage crop demonstration areas. These facilities are used by faculty and students to conduct research that complements the teaching program as well as contributes to the broad objectives of the Center of Excellence. The organization outlined above enables students to become familiar with research conducted at the teaching farm, other experiment stations of the UT Institute of Agriculture and other laboratories of the university. UT Martin, in this way, occupies a unique position that differentiates it from other institutions. UT Martin also has the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex (pavilion and stalling facility), an Equine Center, West Tennessee Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and the Ray and Wilma Smith Livestock Merchandising Center, with all of these hosting a variety of events throughout the year.
Dr. Philip Smartt (psmartt@utm.edu) is a Certified Interpretation Trainer with considerable experience in park design and management. He also is heavily involved in forestry and utilization of forest products.
|
|
|
