Union College Students to Present Paper
at Recreation Research Conference

Five Union College students have co-authored a paper that has been accepted as the only undergraduate presentation at the Southeastern Recreation Research Conference being held in Athens, GA on February 21-23.

The students are seniors Lucas Green (Harlan, KY), Scott Benson (Middlesboro, KY) and Skyler York (Clarksville, TN), and juniors Bre Sharp (Lexington, KY) and Brian Stackpole (West Haven, CT). All except York are majors in Union's Recreation Management program, which prepares students for careers in recreation program management, outdoor recreation, wilderness and park management, park and wilderness cultural interpretation, and resort management.

The presentation is the culmination of a study conducted last October on the motivations for attending the annual Daniel Boone Festival in Barbourville. As part of a comprehensive project spanning two courses in the major, the five students designed the questionnaire, developed a sampling plan, administered the survey, input the data, and finally ran statistical analyses before developing the paper.

"Union College is very proud of these students," said James Harding, Associate Professor of Recreation Management. "Their three-page abstract was peer-reviewed by at least two other professionals in the field and was deemed equal in quality to the work produced by graduate students and faculty from much larger research institutions. Being selected for presentation is not only a testament to their individual and collaborative efforts, but to the quality of Union's Recreation Management program."

Other presenters at the conference will be from North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, UT, University of Georgia and Clemson, as well as agency personnel from the National Park Service and US Forest Service.

Union College is a learning community dedicated to creating personal, intellectual, and social transformation through the pursuit of knowledge, wisdom, service, and spiritual growth. Founded in 1879, the College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

February 11, 2002

[Top]