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Wiggins, Brenda

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Dr. Brenda P. Wiggins
PhD, University of Oregon
Associate Professor
Academic Program Co-Coordinator, Recreation Management
Professor-in-Charge, Recreation Management: Therapeutic Recreation
Sport and Recreation Studies

Contact Information

Send email to Dr. Wiggins

Phone: (703) 993-2068
Fax: This information is not available
Email: bwiggins (@gmu.edu)

George Mason University
Fairfax Campus
Krug Hall 213
4400 University Dr.
MS 4D2
Fairfax, VA 22030

Profile

Dr. Wiggins is the Academic Program Co-Coordinator and Internship Coordinator for Recreation Management.  With all three degrees in Recreation, Wiggins obtained her A.B. at San Diego State University in Recreation Administration with a minor in English; M.A. from The University of Maryland in Therapeutic Recreation with an emphasis in Gerontology; and Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in Leisure Studies with an emphasis in Tourism. Prior to her teaching and administrative roles at George Mason University, she taught recreation and physical education courses at Kansas State University as well as the University of Oregon.

Her writing and presentations have included application of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) for Disability and Health; the Esport phenomenon; American women's participation in sport and tourism; interpretative analysis of constraints and negotiations among people with disabilities; and staff retention in a summer camp for children and teens with disabilities to name a few. Dr. Wiggins served for over a decade on the Therapeutic Recreation Advisory Board of Fairfax County and she is an avid Patriot Baseball fan, hiker, crafter, and reader.

Research Interests
  • Inclusive recreation programming across the lifespan
  • Leisure interests among people with developmental and physical disabilities
  • Social psychology of leisure
Recent Publications
  • Shaw, A., Drogin Rodgers, E., Rodgers, R. P. & Wiggins, B.P.  Esport spectator motivation. In R. Rogers (Ed.), Understanding Esports: An introduction to the global phenomenon.  Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2019.
  • Read, R., Slocum, S., Daniels, M. & Wiggins, B. (2019, June). Identifying Guideline Compliance Among Antarctic Tourists.  In Abstracts from International Conference on Tourism. Brado, Porto, Portugal.
  • Wiggins, B.P. and Daniels, M. J. Hegemony and identify:  The Routledge History of American Sport Hegemony and Identity: The Evolution of American Women’s Participation in Sport Tourism. In Borish, L.J., Wiggins, D.K. & Gems, G. R. The Routledge History of American Sport, Routledge, London, UK, 2016.
  • Porter, H., Wiggins, B.P., & Haynes, N. Parkinson's disease.  In H. Porter (ed.), The Recreational Therapy Handbook of Practice: Concepts and Techniques-ICF Based, Idyl Arbor Inc., Enumclaw, WA, 2013.
  • Wiggins, B.P. Emma's gown. In Daniels, M. and Loveless, C. Wedding Planning and Management: Consultancy for Diverse Clients-Second edition, Routledge, London, UK, 2013.
  • Wiggins, B.P. Recreational parks, golf, and ski venues. In White, K.K. (ed.). America Goes Green: An Encyclopedia of Eco-Friendly Culture in the United States, ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA., November, 2012.
  • Wiggins, D.K. & Wiggins, B.P. Striving to be in the profession and of It: The African American experience in physical education and kinesiology, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 82 (2) June, 2011, 320-333.
  • Daniels, M. J., Rodgers, E. B. D., & Wiggins, B. P. (2005). “Travel Tales:” An interpretive analysis of constraints and negotiations to pleasure travel for persons with physical disabilities.  Tourism Management, 26(6), 919-930.
  • Wiggins, B.P. (2004). Four biographical essays in Wiggins, D.K. (ed.) African Americans in Sports, Armonk, N.Y.: M .E. Sharpe.
Campus Affiliations
Courses Taught This Semester
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