Community Recreation and Youth Development

In the Community Recreation & Youth Development program, students acquire leadership, programming, and management skills for careers in community and youth based recreation service agencies and facilities that are focused on enhancing the livability of communities, improving the quality of life for all people, and promoting positive youth development. Public park and playground use has increased 30% by families with children during the current period of economic difficulty. (NRPA) Non-profits, including youth-serving agencies, employ 11% of Connecticut's workforce and generated $8.7 billion in wages in 2008. (CT Association of Non-Profits)

Students graduating from the Community Recreation & Youth Development program might find careers in municipal parks and recreation departments, youth serving agencies, and senior centers as:

Course Requirements

In addition to the department's core courses, students will take the following concentration-specific courses:
Recreation & Youth Development - 3 credits
Advanced Techniques of Program Planning & Management - 3 credits
Facility Design & Management - 3 credits
Seminar: Commercial Recreation - 3 credits
Grantsmanship - 3 credits
Community Recreation & Youth Development -Specific Internship - 6 credits

Internship

One of the key academic and professional development experiences our students receive is field experience through internships. There are generally two internships required of the undergraduate student. One internship follows the junior year, after successful completion of prerequisite upper division courses, which prepares students for programming in a variety of settings. This 300-level internship is customarily a summer experience, entailing an 8-week, 320-hour exposure in an approved setting under both agency professional and university faculty supervision. This internship is followed by additional upper division coursework in preparation for the 400-level internship the following summer, entailing a 12-week, 480-hour experience with emphasis on supervision, administrative and management duties. Agency and university supervision is provided. For a more detailed explanation of the internship requirements, please read our handout.
The two internships combined earn the student 9 credit hours toward the degree and enhance preparedness for professional employment. Along with the portfolio, internships fill out the student's profile as a prepared and well-rounded individual ready for the challenges of the profession.The internship process is an important part of the student's education and preparation for their future careers. In the past, students have successfully completed internships at the following:

Bainbridge-Decatur County YMCA
Bedford Youth Soccer                        
Bethany Parks & Recreation
Boys and Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley
Branford Parks & Recreation
Brookhaven Parks & Recreation
Canaan Parks & Recreation
Camp Happiness, City of Milford Camp Twin Lakes, Inc.
Central Connecticut Coast YMCA - Woodruff Family YMCA
Cheshire Parks & Recreation
City Of Milford Recreation Department
City of Waterbury Bureau of Recreation
CYC, Boy Scouts of America - Camp Sequassen
Coventry  Parks & Recreation
Dolphin Journeys
East Hartford Parks & Recreation Greater Waterbury YMCA
Greenwich Parks & Recreation
Guilford Parks and Recreation Department                                               
Hamden Parks & Recreation                                                               
Hamden/North Haven YMCA
Manchester Parks & Recreation                                                                    
Monroe Parks and Recreation Department
New Britain Parks and Recreation Department
New Haven Parks, Recreation & Trees
New Haven YMCA Youth Center
New Britain Parks & Recreation
New Milford Parks & Recreation
Newington Parks & Recreation                                                                   
Newton Parks & Recreation Department
North Branford Parks & Recreation Department
Ocean Community YMCA
Office of Residential Life (SCSU)
Orange Park and Recreation
Oxford Parks and Recreation
Plainville Park & Recreation Department
Rocky Hill Parks & Recreation Department
Soundview Family YMCA
South Windsor Child Development Center
Stamford Parks & Recreation
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Wallingford Parks & Recreation
West Haven Parks & Recreation                                                                  
Westport Parks and Recreation
Wolcott Park & Recreation Department
Woodruff Family YMCA
Winding Trails YMCA of Metropolitan Washington 

Advisory Committee for the Community Recreation & Youth Development Program

Robert Ceccolini, Director, Cheshire Parks and Recreation Department
Bill DeMaio, Director, New Britain Parks and Recreation Department
Pamela Gery, Director, North Branford Recreation and Senior Center
Alison Harle, Executive Director, Connecticut Recreation and Parks Association
Robert D. Levine, Director, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Trees, City of New Haven
Rick Maynard, Director, Guilford Parks, Recreation, and Seniors Department
Jim O'Rourke, Executive Director, Greater Waterbury YMCA
Jack Ribas, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lower Naugatuck Valley
Chris Silver, Director, Manchester Office of Neighborhoods and Families

Faculty for the Community Recreation & Youth Development program

 

Dr. Deborah Smith
Ph.D. Indiana University;  M.S. Indiana University
Former Director of School Programs and Playgrounds/Youth Extension Agent for Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department in Bloomington, Indiana
smithd17@southernct.edu

Mr. Joe Milone
M.S. Southern Connecticut State University
Park Ranger, Camp Director/Naturalist for New Haven Parks, Recreation & Trees
milonej1@southernct.edu

Mr. Robert Sheeley
M.S. Southern Connecticut State University
Associate Vice President for Capital Budgeting and Facilities Operations, Southern Connecticut State University
sheeleyr1@southernct.edu

Ms. Joanne Scuilli
M.S. Yale University.
Executive Director, Solar Youth Inc.
scuillij1@southernct.edu


Mr. Alex Palluzzi
M.S. Southern Connecticut State University
Director of Recreation, Town of Branford Recreation Department
palluzzia1@southernct.edu


Dr. Robert Cipriano
Ed.D. New York University;  M.S. Morehead State University
Former Chair of Southern Connecticut State University's Recreation and Leisure Studies Department
ciprianor1@southernct.edu


Mr. Martin Torresquintero
M.S. Southern Connecticut State University
Outdoor/Adventure Coordinator for New Haven Parks, Recreation & Trees
torresquinm1@southernct.edu

For more information, please contact the advisor for the Community Recreation & Youth Development program:

 Dr. Deborah Smith
(203) 392-6390
Smithd17@southernct.edu