In this 2017 file photo, Recreation and Leisure Studies students and alumni gather to network and show their pride in the program. This September, a similar event will welcome them back to the University to celebrate the department’s 40th anniversary.Calling all Brock Recreation and Leisure Studies grads.
This fall, the University’s Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (RECL) will mark its 40th anniversary by inviting its graduates back to campus during Homecoming weekend.
In the months leading up to the celebration, RECL 40@40 social media campaigns have been launched on Instagram and Twitter to recognize the accomplishments and growth of the department and its grads. The campaigns will highlight the past four decades, share photographs throughout the years and showcase the different careers paths and other activities graduates have pursued since finishing their studies.
Among the 40 alumni being highlighted is Cait Wilson (BRLS ’12), a senior manager at OURA in New York City, who graduated from the program in 2012 and still feels connected to the University today.
“My favourite part about my time at Brock was the small tight-knit community and campus,” she said. “I never felt like a face in the crowd or a small fish in a big pond; I always felt like I was a part of something bigger than myself. The smaller campus was a great environment to develop deep, meaningful friendships with people who are still my friends today.”
With graduates leading in communities, fitness centres, arenas, provincial parks, offices, hospitals, municipalities and more, Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies Martha Barnes (BRLS ’97), who is a Brock Recreation and Leisure alumna herself, said they are an example to students and faculty alike.
“While the types of positions and settings where our alumni work differ, the common thread that unites RECL alumni is a commitment to improving the quality of life for everyone,” she said.
The Homecoming reunion, Barnes said, will be a perfect chance to give back to the people who have made the department what it is today.
“Many alumni have been supporting student learning and other department events throughout the years and we are using this opportunity to express our appreciation,” she said.
Details about the reunion event will be available this summer. To register, visit Brock’s Homecoming website.
