College of Education and Human Development
RHT Grads Find Internships Lead to Jobs
After graduation, Sam King got a permanent job at the outdoor adventure park where he had interned as a student.
Sam King, BS Recreation, Health and Tourism '12.
(This article was written by Frances Womble and originally appeared on Mason News.)
Although many college graduates are struggling as unemployed or underemployed members of society, some graduates of Mason's School of Recreation, Health and Tourism are finding degree-applicable jobs, thanks to research opportunities and internship experiences they had as students.
Sam King graduated in August with a BS in Recreation, Health and Tourism with a concentration in parks and outdoor recreation. After completing an internship his senior year at Go Ape, an outdoor adventure park that includes zip lines, high wires and treetop-high bridges, King was offered a full-time job. He credits his academic classes and the practical experience he gained through his internship with helping him secure his postgraduation job.
"Certain classes I completed helped me to be competitive for the internship position and the job I've secured with Go Ape," King says. "Principles and ideas learned in class were applied in the real world through my internship. Also, my classes were viewed by the directors and the other managers at Go Ape as highly useful and made me a well-rounded employee."
King says his daily tasks include greeting guests, instructing them in safety measures and coaching them through obstacles in the park.
King encourages other graduates to apply to as many jobs as possible to increase their chances of finding one.
"Apply to anything and everything that looks interesting to you," he advises.
Rebecca Flaherty, a 2005 graduate with a concentration in parks and outdoor recreation and a current student in the MS in Sport and Recreation Studies program, agrees.
"My advice to recent graduates would be to apply for all kinds of parks and recreation jobs and to be willing to take a job that might not be exactly what you had in mind," she says.
Flaherty held a variety of jobs, including several with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and National Park Service, before finding her current job as assistant manager of Algonkian Regional Park in Sterling, Va. At the park, she assists in operating a golf course and conducts research on park programs.
"The job that I have now requires me to do the same duties that I did in my internship, only with a different subject matter," Flaherty says.
"My first parks and recreation jobs during college and upon graduation were not the best paying or the most exciting, but they led to other experiences in the field. I am very pleased with the path that I have taken to get to this point in my career," she says.
King adds, "There is nothing stopping a graduate from getting what they desire. They just need to use all of the resources Mason provides."
King says these include research opportunities with professors as well as academic advising.
For additional information:
- Contact CEHD Communications: cehdnews@gmu.edu
- College of Education and Human Development: cehd.gmu.edu
- School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism: rht.gmu.edu
- Parks and Outdoor Recreation program: rht.gmu.edu/programs/prls
- Sport and Recreation Studies program: rht.gmu.edu/srst
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