University News

WIU's RPTA department recently participated in the Natural Resource Management and Agriculture Section of the 2019 CareerSpark, hosted by the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and Junior Achievement.
[Download Print-Quality Image]


[Download Print-Quality Image]


[Download Print-Quality Image]

RPTA Students Present at CareerSpark Event

October 25, 2019

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University's Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) was recently invited to participate in the Natural Resource Management and Agriculture Section of the 2019 CareerSpark, hosted by the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and Junior Achievement.

The two-day, interactive, multi-industry career expo was open to all eighth-grade students in the Peoria region. The department shared information about careers in natural resource management, public recreation and hospitality with more than 4,000 eighth graders from 68 schools across nine counties.

RPTA's exhibit, entitled "Bringing the Outdoors Indoors," focused on how resource managers and public recreation agencies maintain outdoor spaces like prairies and community gardens where plants and wildlife flourish. The exhibit highlighted how some spaces can host community supported agriculture programs, like community gardens, that can provide fresh and local foods. The exhibit also highlighted how careers in hospitality management intersect with local foods and nature-based tourism attractions.  

RPTA faculty and graduate students were joined by alumni Ashley Bozman, Prairie Land Conservancy, and Tom Miller, Peoria Park District - Sommer Farm, who shared their career experiences with the eighth graders. 

"As a graduate student, it was wonderful for me to engage with eighth graders and show them career opportunities they haven't even considered yet," said RPTA graduate student Apolline Ngati, of Macomb. "I had a good time working with professors and alumni to share the importance of our careers with potential students and their teachers."

For more information on RPTA at WIU, visit wiu.edu/RPTA.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing