RPTA ORGANIZATIONS
Student Recreation Society (SRS) – The Student Rec Society is a club for Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) majors and minors that encourages professional involvement, sponsors fundraisers, offers scholarships, brings speakers to campus, and provides a great opportunity to meet other students in the major. SRS meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Currens 206 with the FIRST meeting on Wednesday, September 10th. Mandi Hanson is the current President of SRS and can be reached at MM-Hanson@wiu.edu.
Student Therapeutic Recreation Society (STRS) – STRS is a club for RPTA majors with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation, but is also open to anyone with an interest in working with special needs individuals. The current president of STRS is Will Helling and he can be reached at: WJ-Helling@wiu.edu.
H.E.L.P. (Horn Environmental Learning Project) – This club helps with the upkeep and maintenance of WIU’s Horn field campus. Some of the activities that students become involved in include prairie planting, prescribed burns, trail building, Earth Day projects, outdoor skills seminars, and other outdoor environmental activities. Meetings for Fall 2008 will be on Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Horn Field Campus. Melinda Brooks is the current President of H.E.L.P. She can be reached at: ML-Brooks3@wiu.edu. Mindy Harpman is the Advisor for H.E.L.P. and can be reached at 833-5798.
Horn Field Campus, administered by the RPTA Department at WIU, is located on 92-acres and includes woodland, prairie, and several miles of nature trails. It offers a wide variety of educational & service programs and provides recreation opportunities for leisure, public service, instruction and research. On site there is a Challenge Course which is composed of a Teams Course (low ropes) and a High Elements Course. It also offers a Climbing/Rappelling Tower for students to try out sport climbing skills & experience rappelling. The climbing tower is a 40 foot vertical wood structure, with three sides for climbing-complete with rock-like handholds-and one side for rappelling. Horn also offers summer camps and programs throughout the year. For more information, contact Mindy Harpman, Horn Field Coordinator at 309-833-5798 or email her at: HF-Campus@wiu.edu
The Student Commercial Recreation & Tourism Society (SCRTS) is RPTA’s newest club! Anyone interested in commercial recreation and tourism is invited to attend. Meeting dates will be posted when available. Cynthia Fleming is the current President and can be reached at: CA-Fleming@wiu.edu.
Paddlers Canoe and Kayak Club – The Paddlers Canoe and Kayak Club is a Campus Rec Sports club that offers students the opportunity to learn the sport of canoeing and kayaking. This club offers roll clinics, pool sessions, river trips, big water sea kayaking, local & regional paddling, camping, spring break trips and long weekend and day trips. The faculty advisor, Dr. Mike McGowan, is on Sabbatical this semester but will return for the Spring 2009 semester.
Rho Phi Lambda – Rho Phi Lambda is the Honorary Professional Recreation, Park and Leisure Services Fraternity. To be invited to join Rho Phi Lambda, Undergraduate students must have 9 hours earned in RPTA courses, have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall, and a 3.2 in the RPTA major. Graduate students must have 9 hours earned and a minimum 3.5 grade point average. The faculty advisor for this club is Dr. Dan Yoder. You may contact him with any questions at: DG-Yoder@wiu.edu
