Category: Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

A new fellowship for a groundbreaking leisure researcher

May 23, 2025 | Ethan Simmons

RST Associate Professor Liza Berdychevsky has been named a TALS Fellow for her continued contributions to leisure sciences. 

As a graduate student, Liza Berdychevsky didn’t expect much fanfare when she first visited a Leisure Research Symposium as a “future scholar,” on behalf of The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS). In 2008, she was completing her master’s program and searching for a university to complete her doctorate. 

Yet when she began to meet the academy’s cadre of experienced leisure scientists, Berdychevsky felt seen, welcomed and valued, “almost like a celebrity,” she said. 

Seventeen years later, Berdychevsky—now an associate professor of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at Illinois—has been named a TALS Fellow for her continued contributions to leisure sciences. 

“It’s one of the biggest honors there is in our field,” Berdychevsky said. “I certainly didn’t expect it to happen so early. I’m very grateful to my colleagues’ recognition of my work, and the fact that they felt that it’s time.” 

Berdychevsky arrived at the Urbana-Champaign campus in 2013, after completing her doctorate at the University of Florida. She quickly made her mark studying risky leisure behaviors, such as sexual risk taking, violence, and delinquent practices, along with sexual leisure and positive sexuality across gender and lifespan. 

Her work often focuses on vulnerable populations, including older adults facing ageist stereotypes around their sexuality, transgender people, high-risk young travelers and people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Her name will join the TALS Fellows alongside a select group of scholars, including many of the same researchers she looked up to as a budding academic. 

She’ll share the mantle with several of her colleagues from RST at Illinois. Previous fellows include Professor Monika Stodolska, a frequent collaborator; Professor Laura Payne, director of the Office of Recreation and Park Resources; Associate Professors Toni Liechty and Julie Son; and Professor and current RST Department Head Carla Santos. 

Santos said a TALS fellowship provides “global recognition for your research,” which can lead to keynote speaking opportunities and bolster recruitment of top graduate students. 

“Her work offers direction and examples that influence practices on how to advance positive sexuality, including sex as leisure in later life, and is informed by theory and empirical evidence,” Santos said. “Dr. Berdychevsky is undoubtedly pushing the boundaries of what leisure scholarship can, and should, become.”

Berdychevsky is a frequent contributor to prominent leisure, tourism, sexual health, and aging journals, including Leisure Sciences, Leisure Studies, Tourism Management, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Sex Research, Archives of Sexual Behavior, The Gerontologist, and Innovation in Aging. She has also published two books co-edited with University of Otago Professor Neil Carr: “Sex in Tourism: Exploring the Light and the Dark” (2021) and “Innovation and Impact of Sex as Leisure in Research and Practice (2022). Her third book, “Sex in Hospitality: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is under contract. 

“If you look at the mission of TALS, it’s an organization for scholars who are focused on the fundamental value of leisure and how we can promote it through scholarship, education, advocacy, and service,” Berdychevsky said. “They were pivotal to most of my choices throughout my career. Many of them feel like a family to me.” 

Berdychevsky will accept her fellowship at the 2025 TALS Research and Teaching Conference, hosted March 5-7 in Pittsburgh. 

The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS) was founded in 1980 by former leaders of the Society of Park and Recreation Educators, including Allen Sapora, a pioneer in recreation education and research at Illinois and former RST department head. 

(To learn more about Associate Professor Berdychevsky’s work, visit her faculty page here.)  

Editor’s note:

To reach Ethan Simmons, email ecsimmon@illinois.edu.
 

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RST internship: Jonathan Oliveira

Oct. 22, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

This summer, RST Illinois Ph.D. candidate Jonathan R. Oliveira had the opportunity to serve as a stadium competition analyst for Copa América at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Jonathan Oliveira worked as a stadium competition analyst for Copa América at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (Photo provided)


In his role, Jonathan was responsible for implementing and monitoring operations activities directly related to matches, press conferences, and stadium familiarization of all the national soccer teams who played at the stadium. In addition, he coordinated overlapping activities in areas inclduing transportation, protocol, and marketing. Further responsibilities included managing match equipment, locker rooms, ceremony rehearsals, organizing volunteers, and more.

On the highlights of his summer, Jonathan said, “I had the opportunity to interact with some of the most famous soccer players, coaches, and staff in the world and learn about the behind-the-scenes of match-day operations. I could connect and learn from several brilliant professionals with vast experiences in the sports events industry. This experience at Copa América was a dream accomplished!”

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Beebe hopes to make MLB his future home

Oct. 21, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Nate Beebe holds a glove used by Rita Meyer Moellering of the Peoria Redwings, a team from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1940s. (Photo provided)

For someone who wants to work in baseball in the future, Nate Beebe had a dream internship this summer.

Beebe, now a senior in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, spent his summer interning at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Beebe was one of 16 students chosen for the 2024 Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Youth Leadership Development. The program, which hosted its 24th class, offers interns the opportunity to learn from Hall of Fame employees, senior leadership staff and Steele Internship alumni through various seminars and career development events.

Beebe said the idea to apply for the internship came from RST Teaching Associate Professor Mike Raycraft. Beebe’s role involved compiling reports for leadership and developing new queries for specialized searches, building his skills as a data analyst. Additionally, he had the opportunity to create a 10-minute presentation for museum guests about artifacts not currently on display.

“I worked very closely with Kimberly Adler (manager of Data Analytics) and Jason Schiellack (director of Membership and Annual Giving),” he said. “Kimberly was who I did all of my day-to-day tasks with, and she helped me become acclimated to the systems that were being used and the practices in place at the Hall.”

Beebe said he enjoyed his time in upstate New York, working at what many regard as the best of the four major sports’ Halls of Fame.

“The feeling that I had is probably best described as excitement,” he said. “There’s just so much history in Cooperstown, and I couldn’t believe that I was going to get to work there every day for 10 weeks.”

While interning, Beebe lived about 30 minutes south of Cooperstown in Oneonta. The nearby State University of New York campus has a relationship with the Hall of Fame and directs interns to stay in the college’s dorms, he said. He took advantage of the location by taking day trips to Philadelphia and New York City for baseball games.

Those trips could be viewed as scouting for future work opportunities.

“I would like to work in baseball after graduation,” Beebe said. “I’m not sure if I want to pursue that immediately after school or try to work in a corporate environment first and develop some skills, but, eventually, I would like to work in some type of data analytics role with a baseball team.”

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Will the 2024 Olympic Games become the playing field for social justice protests?

Oct. 21, 2024 | Sharita Forrest

RST Assistant Professor Yannick Kluch studies sport as a platform for promoting social justice. Kluch has worked with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, USA Diving and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He spoke with research editor Sharita Forrest about the history of Olympic athletes’ social justice protests and governing organizations’ efforts to avert them with Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter.

RST Assistant Professor Yannick Kluch studies social justice protests and political activism in Olympic and collegiate sports. (Photo by Fred Zwicky)

What was the origin of Rule 50?

A first version of Rule 50 was added to the Olympic Charter in 1955. During the Cold War, the International Olympic Committee was thinking about ways to keep politics out of sport. In my work, that’s one of the key questions I look at. Spoiler alert: It’s not possible. Sport and politics always mix.

The IOC views the Olympics as a neutral place where everybody can come together regardless of their differences. However, the Olympics have always been mixed with politics.

Rule 50 came into the public spotlight after the 1968 Mexico City Olympics when U.S. athletes John Carlos and Tommie Smith protested by raising their fists on the podium. That’s become one of the most iconic images in sports history. The backlash was intense. After that, the IOC added the terms “racial propaganda” to the rule.

Who have been the rule’s greatest proponents?

A recent study I conducted looked at that question. We found that the biggest proponents are Olympic committees representing dictatorships like China and Russia. They support the notion that we shouldn’t talk about politics in sport, whereas more democratic countries such as the U.S., Germany and Canada believe the rule infringes on athletes’ freedom of expression.

The IOC advocated heavily to keep the rule, although there have been some developments, especially leading up to the 2020-21 Tokyo Games. More recently, the IOC made an addition to Rule 40 that underlines athletes’ right to freedom of expression. That change has important implications for any policy seeking to silence athlete protests, such as Rule 50.

What consequences are imposed on athletes who violate Rule 50?

There’s a lot of inconsistency and lack of communication about the consequences.

In 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos were expelled from Team USA. In 2019, when Gwen Berry raised her fist at the Pan-American Games, the USOPC put her on probation.

However, the USOPC later reversed that decision as part of a comprehensive policy change that now allows Team USA athletes to protest at USOPC-sanctioned events.

In Tokyo in 2021, when Raven Saunders raised her arms on the podium in protest, initially the IOC wanted sanctions, but Raven’s mother died a couple days later so the IOC chose not to impose any.

There were other protests at the Tokyo Games that revealed an inconsistent stance. For example, the IOC allowed a German athlete to wear a rainbow armband in support of LGBTQ+ people during competition—which would usually be a clear violation.

Are there indications that the IOC is becoming more tolerant of athletes’ protests?

The IOC’s response to the 2020-21 protestors was very different compared with 1968 and hints that things are changing somewhat.

Generally, the IOC portrays itself as more tolerant, but there is little evidence that policies have changed. The IOC issued a consultation request in 2019 inviting athletes, experts and the national committees to weigh in on Rule 50—but it remains intact.

However, we had historic changes on the U.S. side. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee created the inaugural Team USA Council on Racial and Social Justice, bringing together over 40 Team USA athletes, alumni, national governing body representatives and external experts. I was one of the four experts.

The Council released recommendations saying that Rule 50 infringes on athletes’ freedom of expression because it’s not compatible with the major human rights frameworks in sport and international relations.

About two days later, the USOPC Board of Directors announced they would no longer punish athletes for peaceful protests. This was a complete 180-degree reversal. Just two years before, they had sanctioned athletes Gwen Berry and Race Imboden, but the council’s recommendation led them to lift those sanctions.

Do you foresee similar protests from U.S. athletes at the 2024 Summer Games?

Four years ago, I would have said yes because there was a lot of conversation on racial and social justice globally. Support for athletes utilizing their platforms for social good was at an all-time high. 

Leading up to the Paris Games and this next decade of sport mega-events, I am a little worried that the protest momentum has fizzled out. Four years ago, I got a lot of inquiries from national governing bodies about how to manage protests. But it’s been quiet, so I don’t anticipate as many.

Still, there are many issues worth speaking up about right now—including systemic racism affecting athletes globally and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. We have some great Olympic and Paralympic athlete leaders advancing social justice, so hopefully we’ll see some discourse surrounding these topics.

Editor’s note: There were no major protests at the 2024 Olympics or Paralympics.

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Message from the RST Department Head

Oct. 22, 2024 | Carla Santos

Greetings, Friends and Alumni of the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism,

Welcome to the fall 2024 edition of the RST newsletter. I am pleased to share highlights of the latest research from our faculty, remarkable student achievements, and the continued involvement of our distinguished alumni.

We are proud to spotlight the accomplishments of our students and showcase how the cutting-edge research conducted by our faculty positions our department as a leader in advancing knowledge, shaping the future of our field and addressing pressing issues in the communities we serve. Whether you are an alum, current student, or a member of our esteemed faculty, we hope you find these stories both inspiring and thought-provoking.

As I reflect on this past academic year away from RST, I am profoundly grateful for the strong tradition of leadership within our faculty and alumni network as I return to this post. Your steadfast support and commitment have been instrumental in the continued growth and success of our department, evidenced by our expanding educational programs and sustained influence in academic and professional arenas. Together, we’re connecting the academy with industry and making a difference in people’s lives. With your continued partnership, we’re shaping a healthier, more inclusive future for communities. Thank you for being such an essential part of our journey!

Warm regards,

Carla Santos
Head
Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism

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RST Ph.D. candidate is developing a culturally responsive-sustaining water safety program

Oct. 18, 2024 | Sam Rink

RST doctoral candidate and longtime swim instructor Latashia Key says targeted, inclusive swim lessons for young Black girls are crucial in not only decreasing disproportionate drowning rates but to improve confidence and self-esteem. (Photo provided)

Black people have the second-highest drowning rates of any race or ethnic group in the United States, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control, and the rate of drowning increased 28 percent in 2021 from 2019. A large part of this troubling trend is that many Black children and families have limited or no access to swim lessons that could prevent these deaths. Latashia Key, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a swim instructor for more than 35 years, knows this well, and she is aiming to change it.

Latashia recently received a grant from the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance to fund her research. Her study, “Making Waves to Design an Aquatic program for African American Girls: A Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Swim Lesson and Water Safety Program,” seeks to design, analyze and reproduce what she refers to as “culturally responsive” swim lessons targeted toward young Black girls. Latashia says targeted, inclusive lessons are crucial in not only decreasing disproportionate drowning rates but can also improve confidence and self-esteem through learning an essential lifelong skill.

One contributing factor to low rates of Black swimmers “is the generational trauma” Latashia said. From segregated pools to communities that often didn’t have access to pools, many Black families passed fear of the water, or a general sense that “Black people don’t swim” to their children. Young swimmers often don’t see Black swimmers, lifeguards or instructors in their communities, she said. 

Latashia completed the third iteration of her study in the summer of 2024 in Indianapolis where the Olympic Swim trials were held, which was a perfect backdrop for her program and an opportunity to expose more Black girls to the sport. The program involved collaboration with different local organizations to recruit participants and instructors in the communities where the program was being held. This iteration was conducted over five weeks with the girls meeting two times a week for 45 to 60 minutes, and included lessons in and out of the water. 

Also, instructors taught basic water competency skills such as bobs—which helped children learn to go under water by getting their face wet and blowing bubbles—front and back floats, flutter kicks and jumping into the pool with and without a life jacket. Girls also learned that there are Black women and girls who participate in sports such as swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo. Latashia said some iterations had more involvement from parents but the participation of the children and hearing their reaction to the study was heart-warming.

“I think the biggest takeaway is a culturally responsive program like this is very needed, but also very well received, especially by the parents,” she said. 

RST Associate Professor Toni Liechty, Key’s mentor and advisor, said working closely with the communities in which different iterations were held was crucial in the development of this study. Liechty emphasized how important this study is due to the lack of similar research. “I was really shocked at how few studies have actually been done on the topic, especially when we know that there’s this big drowning gap,” Liechty said. “More research like this is needed to explore the disparities and facilitate swim education. Projects like these happen because there is someone like Latashia who is passionate about addressing the issue and understands the way water experiences can change lifestyles.”

The history of Black people and swimming is long, beginning at the trans-Atlantic slave trade and continuing through 19th century Jim Crow laws and into the 20th century with segregation. Black people were historically kept out of leisure spaces—such as public pools or beaches—reserved for white people, and this lack of access has bled into current times. It was only in 1973 that the Supreme Court ruled that private swim clubs weren’t allowed to deny membership to residents based on race, and harmful stereotypes and a culture of fear still pervade conversations around Black people and swimming. 

That history is why representation was such an important factor in the study, according to Latashia. She spoke about how her undergraduate education at Morgan State University, one of 107 historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, made her feel empowered as a woman of color.

“I didn’t realize there were Black professors until I enrolled at Morgan State,” she said. “I understand the impact those educators had on my ability to dream and imagine myself in non-traditional spaces. For this study, it was important to recruit instructors who were African American, knowing the power they can play in teaching others that look like them. I think it is important to actually have the opportunity to impart and empower children to know they can do it. What they saw, what they learned about swimming, and that swimming is for Black people and Black kids and Black girls and Black boys.”

When it comes to the future of her research, Latashia and Liechty hope to be able to develop a strategy for culturally responsive swim lessons that can be translated to any community that wants to implement it and Latashia said some communities she worked with on the research have already expressed interest. Also, she was impacted by the emotional response of the children who participated, and watched their fear and anxiety about swimming dissipate and turn into joy was fulfilling.

“The pool should be fun,” she said. “I think that’s the big thing.”


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Liechty named a fellow in TALS

Oct. 21, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

RST Associate Professor Toni Liechty was inducted earlier this year as a fellow in The Academy of Leisure Sciences.

The criteria for earning the distinction highlight not only Liechty’s performance as a teacher, leader, administrator, practitioner and researcher but also her dedication to the advancement of the leisure sciences.

The TALS fellowship is a testament to Liechty’s commitment and contributions to the field. Her demonstrated leadership, notable contributions to leisure literature, and significant involvement in professional associations have set her apart as a trailblazer.

Founded in 1980, TALS holds as its purpose “the intellectual advancement of leisure sciences.” 

Fellows are outstanding scholars elected through a rigorous process within the academy to carry the purpose, based on at least 10 years of demonstrated competence in quality and quantity of scholarly literature contributions, leadership and participation in professional associations, and outstanding performance as professional in the field of leisure.

“It’s a real honor to be recognized by scholars who I have looked to as role models and mentors,” Liechty said. “I appreciate all the support from my research collaborators and my colleagues.”
 

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2024 RST Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of 2024 scholarships and awards. The undergraduate and graduate students recognized within these pages have shown outstanding dedication and creativity in the pursuit of their personal and professional goals. We are very proud of your achievements. Click the link to read the PDF program.

Message from interim Department Head Bill Stewart

Oct. 23, 2023 | Bill Stewart

Hello friends and alumni of the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, 

In my first couple of months as interim head, I’ve been grateful for the strong legacy and leadership network of our faculty, alumni and friends. With your goodwill and support across the years, the department has grown in strategic ways through expansion of teaching programs, along with extending the reach and visibility of our scholarly impacts. Dr. Carla Santos, the previous head who has moved into the AHS Dean’s Office, has left us in a solid position to engage our future.  

I hope this message finds you well and in good health. It is my pleasure to share with you our fall 2023 newsletter. As a takeaway message, please know that we are committed to keeping you informed about our programmatic developments—from innovative research projects to exciting student achievements to alumni in action.

We are thrilled to showcase the accomplishments of our students. This newsletter features inspiring stories of how our graduates are making their mark in the industry, and how our current students are working their way toward that goal through their coursework and life-changing internships.

Furthermore, we highlight a few of our faculty to illustrate how our research propels the department forward as a leader in advancing knowledge and influencing policy and practice. Whether you’re an alumnus, a current student or faculty member, we hope you enjoy our stories.

I’m hoping to connect with many of you over the coming year and invite you to stop by Huff Hall to visit your Illini family. Wishing you all an invigorating fall season!

Warm regards,

Bill Stewart
Interim Head
Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism

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Alumni Spotlight: Haley Bauman

Oct. 23, 2023 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Haley Bauman graduated from the University of Illinois in August 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation, sport and tourism. She told us about her internship program this summer.

This past summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to complete a 10-week internship as an activities field support agent for the Catalina Island Co. My initial connection to this company was through an online job search, which led to a seasonal position as a sales agent in the summer of 2022.

After experiencing an incredible season on Catalina Island, I knew that once this opportunity came to an end it would not be the last time I worked for this company. This past spring, I partnered with their tours and activities management team to create an entirely new position that aligned with the RST Internship Program.

I chose Catalina Island for my internship site because I thought it would be the best fit for my future career goals in the eco-tourism industry. Additionally, the Catalina Island Co. provides numerous opportunities for employees to try out multiple positions within their tours and activities department. I decided to do my internship in California because I am hoping to move there post-graduation. Having connections in the location where you plan to live is crucial for your employment in the future.

As a field support agent in the tours and activities department, my primary responsibilities included guiding tourists and helping with any questions or concerns, packaging tours and activities in a cost-efficient and time-friendly manner and assisting co-workers with daily tasks. Additionally, I assisted my internship supervisor with office and onsite jobs, such as setting up signage for cruise ships, adjusting balance sheets and organizing work spaces to maintain a clean and happy work environment. The unique eco-tourism opportunities I packaged, sold and guided guests to partake in ranged from semi-submersible rides and bison expeditions to eco-ziplining tours.

A major positive aspect of this internship experience was that it provided me with the opportunity to practice a work-life balance in the real world. Through trial and error, I found which strategies worked best to keep me happy and healthy during this process. Another key aspect was that I have grown personally and professionally, which allowed me to reach the goals I had set for myself—especially in the areas of communication and customer service. This internship also helped me discover a major life lesson: not everything needs to go according to plan for you to be successful. In fact, most things won’t go according to plan and that’s OK because it’s the problem-solving and outcome that dictates your success.

Although my internship has ended, I am continuing to work with the Catalina Island Co. as a sales agent for the tours and activities department through the remainder of the season in October. This opportunity has been such an incredible learning experience and I am excited to continue to grow with this position. Overall, I would definitely recommend interning for this company as it provides hands-on experiences to help individuals build confidence and a better understanding of what interests them in the field of recreation, sport and tourism.

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