Category: Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

RST student startup built to help venues stay booked

Jan. 10, 2024 | Ethan Simmons

An RST alumnus developed a digital platform to help venues maximize their booking potential.

Atop the usual final exams and projects, University of Illinois senior Sean Chang has been charting a different path for his final year in the Recreation, Sport and Tourism program—by building his own business.

With the help of mentors and the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the U. of I., Chang is growing “DoubleSpot,” a digital platform designed to help venues maximize their booking potential.

The business officially launched this summer, and already partners with venues such as the I-Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign, Bedford Park’s Wintrust Sports Complex, and campus cafe BrewLab.

“When we talk about video, we talk about YouTube—my long-term goal is when people think of venues or events, I want them to think about DoubleSpot,” Chang said.

The senior’s ambitious idea has found catalysts through the iVenture Accelerator, an entrepreneurial bootcamp designed to kickstart U. of I. students’ startups, and in guidance from RST faculty members, such as Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate and Graduate Affairs and former RST department head Carla Santos, who’ve dispensed their industry expertise and helped Chang connect with potential clients.

“[Sean] embodies that entrepreneurial spirit of RST,” Santos said. “We’re constantly reminding our students that while we are training you to go into this field, we’re training you to take risks, to reimagine what the field could look like.”

Chang grew up in Taiwan, but moved to California when he was a junior in high school when his father got a job at tech giant Nvidia.

“It was a new beginning for me,” he said. “Moving to a new country was completely different for sure, like culture, friends, school, everything.”

He fortunately joined his high school’s varsity basketball team, which helped him integrate within his new home, find friends and grow his love for sport.

When time came to apply for college, Chang wasn’t sure what he wanted for his future. He wanted to balance his desire for a career in the sports industry with the stability his family sought for him, he said. Chang applied for sports management programs, with the United States’ huge entertainment market in mind.

“There’s not a lot of Asian Americans in this field and I want to prove that if other people can do it, why can’t I do it? I think this kind of mentality has always been pushing me,” Chang said.

Illinois became his lead college option for its global reputation. Many famous Illinois graduates from his native Taiwan, such as YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, had cited the school as a powerful starting point. He went for the RST program in the College of Applied Health Sciences and obtained his family’s blessing by minoring in computer science.

“The U. of I.’s kind of a perfect match for me,” Chang said. “RST gives us a lot of opportunity to do what we like, and the faculty and professors are super supportive.”

Chang quickly made connections with faculty, including retired RST adjunct instructor Don Hardin, who had more than 30 years of NCAA volleyball coaching experience at the University of Louisville and the University of Illinois, where he was the head coach of the women’s team.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit during Chang’s freshman year and changed his course. He took a gap year to visit National Taiwan University, where he studied computer science and clarified his career goals.

“I figured entrepreneurship could be a good fit for me, I have the sports background, CS knowledge, and something we can bounce together,” he said. Plus, “U. of I. has a really good entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

With more professional knowledge, Chang started to dip his toes into the startup world. After returning to the U. of I., he engineered “Courtero,” a community basketball app designed to help players find games near them.

In 2022, he landed a summer job with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a business strategy analytics intern—essentially helping the team find more ways to generate revenue.

His idea for DoubleSpot first flashed in the walls of Dodger Stadium. Since the stadium only hosts 81 home games per season, he thought, what could all this square footage be used for in the downtime?

“Imagine people want to have their wedding in center field, or have their kids at a VIP lounge?” Chang said.

Sean Chang. (Provided)

He returned to campus with the idea fresh in his mind, finding early users for DoubleSpot in area park districts and local vendor CRS Hospitality, which owns several venues in the Champaign-Urbana area.

The pitch: For a small vendor fee, businesses can use DoubleSpot to drive users and event-planners to use the promoted venues on the site, or hopefully “double” their “spot’s” utilization rate, as Chang put it.

Landing a spot in the recent iVenture Accelerator cohort alongside several other student startups was “such a privilege,” Chang said. With the program’s extra time, resources, and mentoring opportunities, his team at DoubleSpot has catapulted its efforts.

“Sean and his team were culture-setters over the summer,” said Mayank Mehta, assistant director of entrepreneurial education at iVenture. “At every given time, you could see their team focused on developing their product. Whether it was during lunch, morning updates, and even after people had left for the day—someone was coding away.

“A lot of people’s passion shines in the way they talk about their idea, but Sean and DoubleSpot’s passion shines through in how they work on their idea.”

What’s driven the startup’s early success is a “customer-centric approach,” Mehta said, which solved a direct problem these vendors were facing. As for finding these vendors, RST faculty such as Santos have been a valuable resource to his team.

The Wintrust Sports Complex in Bedford Park has been an important early adopter of DoubleSpot, using the service to help digitalize its venue management process, Chang said. The complex is run by Chief Business Officer Joe Ronovsky, a two-time graduate of the U of I’s RST program.

Santos and Chang’s conversations have revolved around the ‘human component’ of building a business: how can you sell this product and what will you bring to the table that others won’t? Who from the RST alumni base could help him out?

Chang has a sponge-like ability to absorb information from mentors’ meetings, quickly implementing important slices of advice into his business, Santos said.

And yet, “Sean doesn’t really need mentoring,” Santos said. “He’s very self-directed and he knows what he’s doing. In our meetings, I hope I’ve given him as much as I’ve gotten out of it, to be quite honest.”

“He wants to deliver a product that makes a difference in not just the operation side of things but building a sense of community through using spaces more efficiently.”

Editor’s note:

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

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RST Staff Spotlight: Tim Tiger

The College of Applied Health Sciences has an array of faculty that are renowned in their areas of research and instruction. But AHS would not be able to operate as efficiently without its staff, who are the backbone of this great college. Periodically, we will shine the light on one of these staffers so their colleagues can get to know them better. This time, it’s Tim Tiger, a graduate student services advisor in the Dept. of Recreation, Sport and Tourism.

Q: What drew you to the University of Illinois?

A: I was recruited here for the MFA in Jewelry & Metals, which I completed in 2001.

Q: How long have you been in AHS?

A: I started working with RST in fall of 2007.

Q: What’s your favorite part of your job?

A: Working with and assisting students and helping them feel part of the Illini family!

Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus?

A: The Quad.

Q: The best part of being an Illini is …

A: Knowing that we are at one of the best education institutions in the world!

Q: What’s your favorite movie?

A: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Q: What’s your favorite TV show?

A: Past: “X-Files”

Current: “Curse of Oak Island”

Q: What’s your go-to snack?

A: Fun-sized Krackel

Q: What’s the last book you read?

A: An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People

QUOTABLE

“Tim’s an integral part of RST, and he has a genuine desire to be of service. Our faculty, students and staff count on him, and he manages to make it all happen with a smile and a great attitude. Thank you, Tim!” — Carla Santos, Department Head, Dept. of Recreation, Sport and Tourism.

Fesemyer races toward her next challenge: A Ph.D.

Sept. 18, 2023 | Ethan Simmons

Jenna Fesemyer’s approach to her academic pursuit matches her attitude on the track (Photo provided)

Jenna Fesemyer’s enduring love of wheelchair racing boils down to two factors. First, like other skill-heavy sports, there always a way to fine-tune her mechanics and improve her craft, she said. 

The second reason is simpler: “I love the feeling of going fast,” Fesemyer said.

While the Ohio-born Paralympian keeps up her competitive pace, she’s also racing toward her next professional challenge: obtaining a Ph.D. in recreation, sport and tourism from the University of Illinois. 

In many ways, Fesemyer’s approach to her academic pursuit matches her attitude on the track. She’s organized, consistent and utterly committed to both disciplines as avenues for personal growth. 

“When I first met her, I worried how she’d manage both being this high-level athlete and doing a Ph.D., which is so time-consuming,” said her advisor, RST Associate Professor Toni Liechty. “But it seems like she takes the same dedication she applies to her training and her sport and she brings that to the Ph.D. She doesn’t do anything halfway.”  

Fesemyer graduated from Illinois’ kinesiology program in 2019 and stayed to earn her master’s degree in education policy, organization and leadership. Initially, she wanted to be a physical therapist, but now has her sights set on becoming a faculty member at a university.  

Now she’s returned to her “intellectual home” in the College of Applied Health Sciences, entering her second year of the RST Ph.D. program. Fesemyer chose RST to focus her research on the psychosocial benefits of sport interventions for youth with physical disabilities and building more inclusive recreation communities. 

“Our faculty is really strong—I’ve enjoyed every single class that I’ve taken so far,” Fesemyer said. “When you have faculty that believes in the power of being in the classroom and passing on their legacy of their knowledge to their students, it makes a big difference. 

“I’m excited to have my own classroom one day.”

Track star without a track

Tracing back, Fesemyer’s future in athletics seemed a far cry from the opportunities she had in hometown Ravenna, Ohio, about an hour south of Cleveland. 

Due to a rare congenital condition known as proximal femoral focal deficiency, she was born without a hip socket. Her high school had an old cinder track, unsuitable for wheelchair sport. 

“It’s interesting how I ended up being a track athlete not having access to a track,” she said.  

So, Fesemyer and her family forged a path of her own; growing up with her two triplet siblings, competed in basketball, volleyball and golf with the use of a prosthetic leg and even threw discus and seated shotput for school track teams. 

Fesemyer attributes a lot of her competitive nature to growing up as a triplet. But sibling rivalry never stood in the way of their bonds: The trio decided to stay in the same classrooms whenever possible.  

“We were always competitive, but we always acknowledged we were teammates and advocates for each other,” Fesemyer said. “Watching them take on this role of constant allies for me as a sibling with a disability, we really have grown a lot together through those different facets. I attribute a lot of who I am to those experiences.” 

In 2013, Ohio’s high school athletics association added wheelchair events to the state track meet. With some persuasion from her parents, Fesemyer began making the half-hour trip east to Newton Falls High School to practice wheelchair racing, and “quickly fell in love” with it. 

As her skills grew and college drew nearer, she began investigating schools that would help to take her talent to the next level. 

She reached out to University of Illinois wheelchair track coach Adam Bleakney and scheduled a visit in fall 2014. Immediately, the fit felt right—the proximity, the academic programs and the history of the school’s accessibility and wheelchair athletics. 

Fesemyer’s application to Illinois was the only one she submitted. 

“I put all my eggs in one basket. I’m very happy it worked out,” she said.  

Early Illinois track practices were a wake-up call, Fesemyer said. She was back at the “bottom of the totem pole” athletically, and training became an all-day endeavor, maintained by constant hydration, good sleep and good fuel. 

What helped her adjustment period was the understated style of Bleakney. His reserved nature and methodical approach to practice and competition appeals to Fesemyer and many of his student-athletes. 

Fesemyer’s “sunny disposition” is near-constant, Bleakney said, to the point where her peers draw on her positivity to keep spirits high in tough practices. 

“(Jenna’s) always had an attitude of comprehensively applying her work ethic, self-discipline and drive to all areas of her life—academics, athletics and work,” Bleakney said. “She shares my philosophy as a coach: We’re training versatile student-athletes who are successful not only in athletics and academics, but in skills that will make them more employable.” 

That approach has carried Fesemyer’s improvement in the sport, culminating in an appearance the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics, where she placed seventh in the women’s 5,000-meter T54 race and shattered her personal best time. 

Three marathons remain for Fesemyer this year: Berlin on Sept. 24, Chicago on Oct. 8, and the New York City race on Nov. 5, which doubles as a Paralympic trial for wheelchair racers to punch their ticket to the 2024 Paris Games. 

“We’ve had a really good block of training over these past couple of weeks and so I’m feeling really good—getting stronger, but also growing in that confidence piece as well,” Fesemyer said. 

Circular moment

Fesemyer’s athletic and academic journeys crossed for in a moment this January when she hosted a wheelchair track clinic in Columbus, Ohio, for middle school and high school athletes. 

While helping adolescent wheelchair athletes with their skills, the clinic served a broader purpose: It set the stage for her pilot academic study, where she’ll revisit Columbus for a follow-up next January. 

“It really was a full-circle moment for me, starting as an athlete in Ohio in wheelchair racing to be able to go back and serve that same community through this wheelchair track clinic,” Fesemyer said. 

So far, her academic endeavors number from collaborating on a paper about inclusivity in recreation centers to working in Department of Kinesiology and Community Health Associate Professor Laura Rice’s lab on a fall prevention project for people with disabilities. 

Fesemyer’s experience in kinesiology has made it easier for her to collaborate across the college, her advisor said. 

“I think she’s a great representation of AHS as a whole, and why our college goes together,” Liechty said. “Because she understands why lifestyle fitness is important, why it’s important for people with disabilities and how organizations or recreation or fitness centers can facilitate that happening in a way that promotes health.

“She’s kind of the epitome of everything we do in this college,” Liechty said.  

Not all of Fesemyer’s contributions take place on the track, classroom or the lab. She recently served as a tour guide for the RST program during summer “Illini Days.” 

Prospective students were particularly interested in her Paralympic resume—despite her best efforts. 

“I don’t know why, but I always try to hide that part of my identity when I give tours because the identity of a student, for me, comes first,” she said. “That’s really important for me to showcase that, because my identity coming to Illinois was always to be a student first and celebrate the opportunity of being an athlete on the side.

“But it’s sports, and students get excited about sports which is great too.” 

As year two of her four-year Ph.D. program begins, Fesemyer is continuously grateful to return to full classrooms and in-person experiences with her graduate cohort. 

“Having that experience with my peers, coming in at the same time and progressing through the program at the same time has been a remarkable experience,” she said. “I believe in working in community and working with others.”

Editor’s note:

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

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Monika Stodolska named Brightbill/Sapora Professor

May 21, 2023 | Anna Flanagan

Monika Stodolska was named the Brightbill/Sapora Professor in Applied Health Sciences

Monika Stodolska’s research is guided by developing theory in the areas of leisure, culture, ethnicity and race and by pressing social issues such as lack of access to natural environments in urban areas and discrimination

By ANNA FLANAGAN

How does a scholar with a master’s degree in geography and a Ph.D. in earth and atmospheric sciences end up teaching and doing research in leisure studies? 

By pursuing the passion for understanding the relationship between culture and leisure that began in their graduate work.

At Warsaw University in Poland, Monika Stodolska focused her master’s degree on tourism development in Peru and received a post-graduate diploma in Latin American studies. Her doctoral research at the University of Alberta investigated leisure among ethnic and racial minorities in Canada. Since completing her Ph.D., she has continued to pursue her passion as a professor of recreation, sport and tourism, building an outstanding record of scholarly and professional contributions over the last 23 years. In 2022, she was named the Brightbill/Sapora Professor in Applied Health Sciences.

“I have always been interested in Latinx cultures and issues of cultural change that are related to migrations,” she said. “This merged with my interest in how leisure among diverse groups contributes to individual and community health and well-being.”

Stodolska’s research is guided by developing theory in the areas of leisure, culture, ethnicity and race and by pressing social issues such as lack of access to natural environments in urban areas and discrimination. She has investigated how leisure helps minorities to retain their culture, achieve socioeconomic advancement, adapt to host environments, develop a sense of belonging and improve their mental and physical health. She also has examined how crime, low socioeconomic standing and undocumented status impose constraints on leisure.

“Investigating factors that help underprivileged members of our society to live healthy and fulfilling lives is incredibly rewarding in and of itself,” Stodolska said.

She cited two studies as among the most meaningful to her. In the most recent study, Stodolska returned to her homeland to examine the experiences of refugees, largely women and children, who fled to Poland after being displaced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In what she termed a “truly unprecedented refugee crisis,” more than six million people have crossed the Polish border since February, and almost two million remain. Many of them are living with Polish families. Through interviews with refugees, hosts and volunteers, Stodolska is investigating how the refugees are adapting to their new lives and the role of leisure in helping them deal with war-related trauma, as well as the Polish population’s response to the crisis. Based on the findings of her study, she hopes to write a book and to contribute toward the design of refugee-centered recreation programs.

The other study, funded by the Call to Action to End Systemic Racism and the Urbana Park District (UPD), followed up on a study she and former RST professor Kim Shinew had done in 2017 that identified strategies for improving access to UPD programs and services for diverse communities. The 2021-22 study evaluated the changes the district had implemented and resulted in a blueprint for serving these communities that will be distributed to other recreation agencies in the United States.

Until Shinew’s retirement, she and Stodolska had a dynamic research partnership for more than 20 years. Of the partnership, Stodolska said, “We had different personalities but we worked together seamlessly. Our research interests are very similar, we have similar values, we care about communities and we care about underrepresented populations.” They also collaborated on establishing the Diversity Research Lab in 2001, when scholarship on leisure and recreation among racial and ethnic minorities was in its infancy. Alumni of the lab now hold leadership positions in leisure education, research and practice. Stodolska’s approach to mentoring graduate students is simple.

“I treat them like family. I expect them to form a non-competitive community and to support each other, and the relationships they form are incredibly strong,” she said. 

It is the same kind of environment Stodolska has found in RST, which she calls “truly my home.” While she has received many honors during her time at Illinois—a Larine Y. Cowan Make a Difference Award for Teaching and Mentoring in Diversity, Fellow status in the Academy of Leisure Sciences, the King James McCristal Scholar Award for Excellence in Research—it is her work with students that gives her the most pride.

“At the end of our careers, we won’t be remembered by the number of papers or the books that we’ve written but by the impact we’ve had on people and whether we’ve used this privilege of professorship to leave the world a slightly better place,” she said.

With all the projects she has yet to complete, the end of Stodolska’s career is far in the future. Wars, poverty and political instability all lead to migrations, and inequality is entrenched in U.S. and Western societies. Given leisure’s critical role in helping underprivileged members of society live better lives, she anticipates being busy for many years to come.

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Students bring volunteer force to ‘Medfest’

May 22, 2024 | Ethan Simmons

MedFest was set up to provide free medical screenings for Special Olympics athletes.

A small team of student audiologists-in-training conducted hearing examinations for nearly 100 athletes (Photo provided)

The stage was set at Wintrust Sports Complex in the Village of Bedford Park—a suburb of Chicago—when nearly 600 Special Olympics athletes from across the state began to stream in.

With the help of a substantial volunteer staff, including more than 25 students from the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, many of the athletes left the facility ready to play.

As part of the 22nd annual “MedFest” event, hundreds descended on Bedford Park to help athletes from Special Olympics Illinois receive their physical certifications to compete in the state.

In the most recent edition, hosted on Nov. 30, students from the Departments of Speech and Hearing Science and Recreation, Sport and Tourism took time out of their fall break from classes to help the event run smoothly.

A small team of student audiologists-in-training conducted hearing examinations for nearly 100 athletes, while 15 RST students helped from the event management side, signing in the athletes and directing them to the right locations.

“You can tell that they got so comfortable and were having a blast, talking with athletes and interacting with them,” said Melissa Garritano, senior director of Special Olympics Illinois region D, which covers the Chicagoland area. “Thinking back to when I was at the U. of I., I wish I would’ve done stuff like this. They drove up two hours to spend the day with us—the athletes loved them.”

The connection stemmed from Bedford Park’s budding partnership with the College of AHS. The Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism has a grant with the Village of Bedford Park, which heavily invested in the Wintrust Sports Complex. The project-heavy facility hosts community events on a regular basis, atop of its normal sports operations.

Joe Ronovsky, chief business officer of Village of Bedford Park, is a two-time RST graduate. He saw that the complex could serve as a real-world “lab setting” for community engagement projects led by RST faculty and students.

“Frankly, it’s kind of a one-stop shop, and it’s an opportunity for me as a teacher to show how all these things interact with each other,” said RST Clinical Associate Professor Michael Raycraft.

MedFest was set up to provide free medical screenings for Special Olympics athletes. Wintrust Sports Complex at Bedford Park began partnering with Special Olympics Illinois about a year and a half ago.

“Their facility is unbelievable,” Garritano said. She met Raycraft through their common connections to the Wintrust Complex.

Nicole Dudek, a junior in the RST program, was taken aback by the organizational strength and scale of the event. She started her day at MedFest positioned at the height and weight station, an entry point for many of the athletes.

When students showed up around 8:30 a.m., the Special Olympics staff had the gear and answers: nametags, T-shirts, and where each student would be working within the complex.

“From the event management side of things, you could tell how well-run this event was start to finish,” Dudek said. “It helped to have such a large open space and so many volunteers, and everyone worked well together with the sole goal to help these students get their necessary medical certifications.”

The “noisy, upbeat” energy of the event bolstered the volunteer experience for RST senior Carson Bounds.

“As you could imagine, with 450 kids taking a field trip to a large indoor sport facility during a school day, they all were quite excited to be there,” Bounds said.

Third-year audiology student Yadira Espinoza appreciated the pre-event workshop on how to work with a special needs population.

“Since it was a Special Olympics event, it was important for us to know what to expect; that every kid will be different depending on their needs and accommodations,” she said.

The athletes—ranging from elementary schoolers to full-grown adults—had a variety of responses to the hearing tests. Espinoza used her bilingual fluency to help some of the families who only spoke Spanish, she said.

“These opportunities are very important because they provide more or confirm what we learn in the classroom. It’s different to work with someone who may have Down syndrome or a speech delay; seeing it firsthand really makes a difference and puts you in a situation to put your critical thinking in place,” she said.

Students from RST and SHS teamed up at MedFast (Photo provided)

SHS audiology students are regular volunteers in the community, typically getting out for a handful of outreach events per semester, such as a recent visit to the ClarkLindsey retirement community in Urbana.

Clinical associate professor Sadie Braun supervised the audiology students in the volunteer event. Seeing her students persist with the athletes who didn’t respond right away to testing made the experience worthwhile.

“The athlete got this sense of pride when they were doing what we were asking them to do,” Braun said.

“It was awesome and unique to bring the U of I [audiology] crew up,” Garritano added. “Some of those athletes they got to see may have never had a hearing test in their life.”

Ronovsky thanked Raycraft and Village of Bedford Park President David Brady for tying together all the stakeholders in November’s event.

“Seeing the large group of RST and Speech and Hearing Science students volunteering at MedFest really tied together the meaning of community we’re trying to build at the Wintrust Sports Complex, in Bedford Park and throughout the state of Illinois,” Ronovsky said. “These Illini students are the next leaders in our communities.”

Editor’s note:

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

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Joe DeLuce: ‘You interview for your next job everyday’

May 21, 2023 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Joe DeLuce, a Recreation, Sport and Tourism graduate [M.S., 2001] and former visiting instructor, retired in December 2022 after 43 years in the park management industry, including his final 25 at the Champaign Park District, where he was executive director at the time of his retirement. DeLuce is not someone who likes the spotlight, so we sought out a couple of longtime colleagues and alumni who were more than happy to talk about working with him.

Elliott Bortner
Superintendent of Recreation
Geneva Park District

Bortner got his bachelor’s degree from RST in 2011. He met DeLuce in 2007 as a freshman when he was a kinesiology major. 

Q: When did you first meet Joe? 

A: I learned in my first semester that this field of study was not my passion and I met with my advisor in AHS. After asking a few questions about my interests, where I had worked in the past, and more, she let me know about RST and suggested I take a couple courses second semester. The first class I took was instructed by Joe and, by semester’s end, I felt confident this was the field of study I wanted to pursue. Fast forward to my senior year, I was fortunate enough to intern at the Champaign Park District while Joe was serving as the director of recreation.

Q: What has Joe meant to Urbana-Champaign?

A: I only lived in town a couple years following graduation, but those two years I was able to see the profound impact Joe had on the community. The way he interacted with people and everything he was involved in are two things that stand out to me when I think back to those times. Seemingly every place we went he knew someone, asked about their family or how their job was going, talked Illinois athletics and more.

Q: What was Joe’s main contribution to the parks department?

A: During my time at the Champaign Park District [2011-2013], I think one of his biggest contributions to the district was how the Virginia Theatre grew under his leadership, including its renovation/restoration. Since 
that time, I think one of the most impactful contributions is the new Martens Center in Champaign.

Q: Do you have a funny story to share?

A: I knew Joe played racquetball and I had played a few dozen times at CRCE [Campus Recreation Center East] and the ARC [Activities & Recreation Center] when I was a student. During my time working at the Champaign Park District, I challenged Joe to racquetball many times—challenges that were often met with chuckles and “Are you sure?!” He finally took me up on the challenge one day. He beat me three straight games and I don’t think I scored a single point. But, being the teacher/mentor he has always been for me, we then went to a different court where two others were playing. He and I teamed up for doubles and, after a few quick pointers, I improved enough to where we won a game.

Q: What has Joe done to make an impact on your life?

Following my internship and graduation, Joe asked if I would stay on and work under him as the recreation intern. In the following year, I had the opportunity to lead the District’s effort for Illinois Park and Recreation Association’s (IPRA) Distinguished Agency award and projects related to the District’s ADA Transition Plan. Joe brought me along to staff meetings, involved me in project planning meetings, encouraged me to make connections throughout the community, etc. A new full-time position was created at the Douglass Community Center and I was fortunate enough to be hired into that role. A year later, I became the special events and volunteer coordinator. In 2013, I moved back to my hometown of Batavia and began working at the Geneva Park District. In the fall of 2022, I applied for the Superintendent of Recreation position at the Geneva Park District and Joe spent over an hour on the phone with me prepping me with things to think about, ideas to prepare, and questions to consider. About a month later, outside of my family, he was the first person I called to tell I was named the new superintendent.  One of Joe’s aphorisms is “You interview for your next job every day”—I have tried to keep that in mind throughout my career. Joe has truly shaped my career in recreation and as a professional—ultimately his biggest impact has been being a mentor and a friend.

Sue Grey
President and CEO
United Way of Champaign County

Grey is a 1983 RST graduate and serves on the AHS Board of Visitors. She worked with DeLuce at Champaign Park District, and has known him for more than two decades.

Q: What has Joe meant to Champaign-Urbana?  

A: Joe has been a quiet, steady leader.   He has brought innovative and fun ideas to the community—helping our park district be the best in the area and across the state and country.

Q: What was Joe’s main contribution to the parks department?  

A: Joe has brought consistency, stability and strong leadership. He carefully managed the budget, and worked to make necessary improvements to facilities and parks.  

Q: What has Joe done to make an impact on your life?  

A: I appreciate that Joe was always a good listener. He took the time to make sure you were heard. That is an important quality that we could all use

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Message from Department Head Carla Santos

May 21, 2023 | Carla Santos

Photo by caption

Dear alumni and friends,

It is difficult to believe that another academic year is coming to an end. It has been an eventful year in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. I’m excited to share some of those events with you in this issue of RST E-News.

Professor Monika Stodolska, who has been with RST for more than 20 years, was named the Brightbill/Sapora Professor in Applied Health Sciences. Monika is an outstanding scholar, teacher, and mentor. She has served the department, college, campus, and profession in a variety of significant roles, and is renowned for her work in the area of culture and leisure. We celebrated Monika’s many accomplishments with an investiture ceremony in February.

RST assistant professor Sharon Zou applies marketing principles to her studies in tourism. She recently published a study of fee-based pricing at Indiana Dunes State Park that reflects her belief that parks and other tourism industries must build sustainable revenue models and not rely on state and federal support. We tell you about that study in this issue.

Alumnus Joe DeLuce, who gave so selflessly to this department and our students over the years, retired last December after a 43-year career in the park management industry. His last position was executive director of the Champaign Park District. Find out more about Joe as we wish him well in the next chapter of his life.

Finally, we celebrate the outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who have earned scholarships and awards this year in recognition of their academic, professional, and personal accomplishments. 

I am so proud to be the head of this incredible department, to work with a phenomenal group of scholars and alumni, and to support them in mentoring our students. We continue to work hard to remain a leader in recreation, sport and tourism education, research, and public engagement. You have my pledge that we will do whatever it takes to make sure that our faculty, staff, and students have the resources to continue to shine.

In gratitude, 
Carla Santos
Professor and Department Head

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Message from Interim Dept. Head Bill Stewart

May 21, 2024 |

Bill Stewart (Photo by Jerry Thompson)

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

Welcome to the 2024 spring edition of the RST newsletter. This publication features research endeavors from our faculty, notable student accomplishments and the ongoing engagement of our esteemed alumni.

We were delighted this semester by a visit from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and saddened by the loss of a dear former colleague and mentor. We take great pride in showcasing the achievements of our students, and we shine a spotlight on faculty members, underscoring how their research endeavors propel our department forward as a trailblazer in advancing knowledge and shaping policy and practice. Whether you are an alum, a current student, or a member of our esteemed faculty, we trust that you will find these narratives both enlightening and enriching.

As I reflect on the past academic year serving as interim head, I am deeply appreciative of the rich legacy of leadership within our faculty and alumni. Your enduring goodwill and assistance have contributed to the strategic growth of our department, evident in the expansion of our educational offerings and the increased visibility of our scholarly endeavors.

Warm regards,

Bill Stewart
Interim Head
Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism

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RST alumna Simmons discusses the importance of giving back

July 25, 2024 | Sam Rink

RST alumna Julie Simmons has joined AHS’ Board of Visitors (Photo provided)

Pivotal. That is how Julie Simmons, chief operating officer and co-founder of Paragon Marketing Group, described her experience earning a master’s degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The experience not only influenced her successful career in sports marketing, but also led her to where she is now, continually offering her generosity to the community that fostered her professional growth.

“When you truly learn and you really take to heart the lessons from your college experiences, I think you naturally want to give back to and support the institution that shaped you,” Simmons said.

Simmons has spent much of her career giving back to her alma mater, opening Paragon’s doors to current students in the form of mentorship and scholarships. The company sponsors four scholarships—one within Illinois’ own RST program as well as at Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University and DePaul University. 

For years, Paragon has also facilitated a number of internships with students in RST, as well as from other area universities.

“We strive for diversity in our recruitment, but supporting institutions within Illinois is particularly important to us,” Simmons said. “And because many of these applicants are local, it reduces the financial burden of internships and makes these opportunities more accessible.”

Internships at Paragon offer hands-on experience with sports marketing, priming students to work on a wide variety of client projects. According to Simmons, interns are exposed to different areas of the business including strategy, event logistics and planning, providing them with a broad understanding of the industry.

“For us, it’s about providing interns with a positive, real-world experience that equips them with the knowledge they need to pursue a career in sports marketing,” she said.

But Simmons didn’t want to stop at simply providing internships and scholarships. She is now part of the College of Applied Health Sciences’ Board of Visitors, an advisory board of volunteer alumni who aim to assist and advocate for the college’s goals. Simmons was nominated to the board in January of 2024 by Jean Driscoll, the assistant dean for advancement, who said “her [Simmons’] experience, leadership, and passion for service make her a wonderful addition to the board. Her accomplishments are too numerous to name, and the BOV will be a beneficiary of her talents and ideas.”

“I’m truly excited and honored that Jean nominated me for this position,” Simmons said. “For me, this is another way to give back to a place where I experienced tremendous growth.”

Simmons not only has her own professional expertise and experience on the corporate side of scholarships to offer the board, but also her unique experience as a woman owner in a male-dominated industry.

“When I started out, I was often the only woman in a room full of men, and that’s still often the case,” she said. “One of the most important things I learned was the value of finding advocates for myself and other women. Building that support network is crucial. When I worked at the University of Illinois in the athletic environment, I was the only woman on the promotions team for quite a while. Despite that, everyone was welcoming and open, showing me that you can coexist and support each other.”

Those experiences of positive mentorship are a large part of Simmons’ motivation to join the Board of Visitors, but she has yet another personal connection that draws her toward supporting an institution of learning. Simmons, being the first person in her family to go to college, has a particular appreciation for the privilege of higher education, especially for going on to receive her master’s degree from Illinois.

“If I didn’t have others helping me along the way, great mentors to guide me and people encouraging me to expand my horizons, I wouldn’t be where I am today. That’s what I want to do, as well. I want to provide others with the information they need, whether it’s about the sports industry, being a woman business owner or the importance of education. It’s all about paying it forward.”

Simmons reflected on the impact of a positive learning environment on her career and how it has influenced her and her peers to continue working with the university, recalling her time working with Michael Raycraft, a clinical associate professor in RST, and Stephen Staples, a member of the board.

“That’s why it was pivotal for me, and that’s why I feel very passionate about trying to give something back to something that really helped me.”

When it comes to her future on the board, Simmons expressed her excitement to join the Nominating and Governance Committee.

“I’m excited to be able to bring my background and experience,” she said. “I look forward to contributing substance and value to our initiatives. I’m excited to get some more meat on the bones.”

 

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Zou helps tourism industries build sustainable financing

March 06, 2023 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

In the final year of her doctoral studies, Zou took a class that connected marketing and the financing of park, recreation, and tourism services

Sharon Zou

Growing up in Guangzhou, China, Suiwen “Sharon” Zou quickly learned the importance of marketing a business.

Zou’s parents are entrepreneurs and they run their own factories.

“My parents, they are very savvy business people,” said Zou, an assistant professor in the Dept. of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois. “Growing up, I was educated by my parents that financial resources are an important means, if not the most important means, to an end. That got me very interested in business, in different business principles. So I always have that in mind.”

When Zou left China for the United States to pursue a graduate degree, she was focused on business. When she chose Texas A&M—in part to be near the person who became her husband—she gravitated toward an interest in marketing because of her advisor, whose research involved marketing.

“I was taking multiple classes, and specifically two classes that really got me to shape my research agenda. One was a class with the marketing department,” she said, “and the class discussed influential papers in psychology and behavioral economics. That started to plant the seeds.”

In the final year of her doctoral studies, she took a class that connected marketing and the financing of park, recreation, and tourism services. That’s when everything clicked for Zou, and she was hooked. Zou completed her Ph.D. at Texas A&M and then, with her husband urging her on, she applied for the job in the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois.

“I was not confident I would be able to get tenure here,” she said. “But my husband told me I have the support. So when I came (to Illinois for the job interview), there was this celebrity crush, you know? And then (RST Professor) Monika Stodolska picked me up from the airport. I could not believe it, because I was citing her work. I could not believe I was meeting people that I cited in my research!”

Now, she said, “I study how people have fun.”

Precisely, the overarching goal of Zou’s research is to improve tourism/leisure experience and community well-being by examining consumer’s perceptions and devising innovative marketing practices. 

A recent study involved fee-based pricing at the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Zou said it was vital for public parks and other tourism industries to build a sustainable revenue model and not to solely rely on decreasing funding from state and federal sources. 

The primary purpose of Zou’s study was to “understand visitors’ and surrounding community residents’ perceptions of Indiana Dunes National Park user fees to inform a fee structure that balances revenue generation and equitable access.”

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Zou said, “parks saw explosions of people visiting.” While that was great for parks in terms of revenue, it also led to increasing operation costs at a time when government funding for these sites is being reduced.

“The specific goal is to find out how visitors see the park fees, and are they fair?,” Zou said.

The RST researcher said her preliminary findings indicate there was no consensus from study participants on what “fair” means, and that tension between fairness principles partly explains the longstanding controversy and debate on public land user fees.

Zou said tourism industries need to diversify their revenue streams because of declining funding from state and federal agencies.

“It’s like an investment,” she said. “You need to diversify in order to have that sustainability. You need to be more entrepreneurial with your funding sources. As for pricing user fees, how we can design a fee structure based on visitors’ diverse levels of perceptions and willingness-to-pay so that it is more acceptable to the visitors and we’ll get more revenue for the underfunded park services.”

Zou is also working with four local, rural communities—Galena, Savanna, Havana, and Grafton—to build up their tourism industries. Those communities have small populations—in the hundreds—but on the weekends, it grows ten-fold, in some cases.

“The goal of that project is to create a toolkit for a rural community that is underresourced to help to guide their tourism development initiatives,” she said. “We are close to finishing the toolkits.”

One thing is clear from speaking with Zou: she loves her work and her workplace.

“(RST Dept. Head) Carla Santos told me, ‘This is a huge playground. You will have a ton of support to do the research, and you will have a lot of playmates that will play with different toys. And it will be a great place to work.’ And it turns out to be really, really true.”’ 

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.
 

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