Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois

RST Alumni Spotlight Luke Bolinger, CPRP, a 2019 graduate of the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois online master’s degree. He has more than 15 years of experience in parks and recreation. Starting his parks and recreation career as an umpire for adult softball leagues and after serving in the United States Marine Corps, Luke returned to the field working with Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and the Town of Windsor Colorado Parks, Recreation, & Culture Department. In 2018, Luke became the Community Partnership & Special Projects Manager with the Town of Erie (CO), working his way up to the Development & Neighborhood Services Division Manager before recently becoming the Director of Parks & Recreation.    Luke’s professional accomplishments include securing over $3M in grant funding to support various park projects, the creation of the Erie Neighborhood Improvement Program, revitalization of community-neighborhood communication programs, and leadership on several restoration and development projects. Luke serves on the NRPA's National Certification Board and is a board member for the Colorado Parks & Recreation Association.    Outside of work, Luke enjoys golfing, reading, and attempting DIY projects. He treasures family time with his wife and two daughters, and he's proud of his extensive knowledge of Taylor Swift songs.   #RSTPride #AlumniShoutout 

Freshman Ava Montañez applied to colleges determined to find a degree that would support a career in the sports industry. #ILLINOIS rose to the top of her list with its Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois. “I have a real big passion for sports, I grew up loving it,” Montañez said. “I played basketball, baseball, softball growing up, it’s a big thing in my family.” And her family has helped her transition into college life. As the youngest of six siblings, Montañez leaned on her older twin sisters for advice in the application process. Together, they’re part of the first generation in their family to go to higher education. “I went to a small elementary school and middle school, coming to a school like this was a big change because I’m so used to knowing everyone around,” Montañez said. “But I had friends from my old school who came with me, and I have the I-LEAP program with staff I can go to. “Everyone’s going to have questions—find someone you can trust to help you through the college experience.” #ProudToBeFirstGen #FirstGenAtAHS

The Fall 2024 edition of the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois Newsletter is here! 📰 Learn all things RST and catch up on the latest happenings of the department at the link below 👇 https://lnkd.in/g_qfbN-g #RSTPride

It was an absolute honor returning back to campus and speaking with these amazing stundents. Looking forward to seeing what these students have in store.

Welcome back Tristan! The Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois had the pleasure of welcoming Tristan Elmore (’13 & Board of Visitors for AHS) back to campus this week. Serving as the Corporate Partnerships Activations Account Manager for the Chicago White Sox, Tristan met with RST 519 and RST 512 students to share industry-leading strategies for training and retaining staff as well as revenue-generating trends in game day operations. He also shared insightful information for optimizing fan experiences, working with contractors, managing corporate partnerships, and innovative staff reward systems. Thank you, Tristan, for taking the time to inspire us and share your experiences!

Welcome back Tristan! The Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois had the pleasure of welcoming Tristan Elmore (’13 & Board of Visitors for AHS) back to campus this week. Serving as the Corporate Partnerships Activations Account Manager for the Chicago White Sox, Tristan met with RST 519 and RST 512 students to share industry-leading strategies for training and retaining staff as well as revenue-generating trends in game day operations. He also shared insightful information for optimizing fan experiences, working with contractors, managing corporate partnerships, and innovative staff reward systems. Thank you, Tristan, for taking the time to inspire us and share your experiences!

Meet Dr. Michael Mulvaney! Introducing our new Director of RST MS Online Degree and Professional Certificate programs, who's also teaching RST 512 this semester! Dr. Mulvaney is an alum of our very own Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois program! After earning his Ph.D. in 2006, he built an impressive career as a Provost Fellow and Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State University. He has hands-on experience at the DECATUR PARK DISTRICT in various roles, from facility management to special recreation, Dr. Mulvaney brings invaluable expertise! Dr. Mulvaney has authored three textbooks numerous journal articles, and technical reports, and has presented nationally and internationally. His research passions include HR management in recreation, strategic planning, and exploring innovative teaching methods. Outside of work, Dr. Mulvaney enjoys the outdoors, running, and just picked up fishing! And here’s a fun twist—he built a baseball field on his property! 🎣⚾️ Welcome to RST Dr. Mulvaney! 📣 #RSTPride #NewFaculty

RST 512 was pleased to welcome alumnus Nick McDuffee, Park and Recreation Director for the Village of Savoy back to Huff Hall this week. Nick’s presentation focused on industry best practices related to the reduction of employee turnover, and he offered valuable career preparation advice from an insider’s perspective. The Savoy Parks and Recreation District has been a friend to the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois for many years and has provided internships to generation of our students. Thank you for the time and wisdom Nick – it was great to have you on campus. ILL!

*** Funded PhD Opportunity in the Social Impact of Sport at the University of Illinois*** I am recruiting a doctoral student who will conduct research on the social impact of sport while pursuing a PhD in the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism at Illinois. A graduate research assistantship is available for an admitted student, which includes a full tuition waiver, a partial fee waiver, and a monthly stipend. The expected start date is August 2025. For program and application information, please visit: https://lnkd.in/e4ib9nbA Prospective students interested in any of the following topics are strongly encouraged to apply: • Social impact assessment and management of sport organizations, events, and programs • Health and well-being promotion through sport participation and spectatorship • Corporate social responsibility in sport and broader service industries I invite interested students to join the PhD Recruitment Event organized by the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois on Friday, October 25, 2024. This event will be conducted virtually via Zoom. For further details on the event, please read the attached post. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] if you are interested in this opportunity!

Happy Halloween from Dr. Monika Stodolska and her students in RST 501! 👻🎃 Dr. Stodolska hosted a costume contest and pizza party to celebrate the spooky day with her master’s students! #RSTPride