Delta State University’s outdoor recreation program recently received recognition in the national online publication Mobile RVing. Part of the Division of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER), it “opens many doors for students who want to get outside for a living,” according to the platform.
“The program prepares students to work in community parks and recreation, outdoor education/ teaching, college campus recreation, military and wellness, commercial trade and adventure, research or even play therapy and therapeutic recreation in care and senior living facilities,” writes reporter Amanda Brandon.
The article, published earlier this month, came about after Dr. Todd M. Davis, an assistant professor and director of Delta State’s recreation administration and outdoor education program, queried the site to become a blogger. “What the RV world saw from our program is some synergy there,” he recalled. “There is some connectivity.”
The bachelor of science in recreation administration is one of three concentrations that HPER offers. The multidisciplinary program incorporates behavioral, physical, and environmental sciences as well as the arts and the humanities.
“It’s the only program in the state of Mississippi at a four-year institution that provides these outdoor recreation adventure courses for all students on campus,” Davis added.
Students can also pursue concentrations in exercise science and sports management.
Davis, who has led the outdoor recreation program at Delta State since 2008, played an instrumental role in the opening of the Dave Heflin Outdoor Recreation Laboratory in 2017. The former locker room contains classroom space, a rock wall, equipment storage, and spaces for packing for an outdoor adventure, rope-climbing, and knot-tying.
“Delta State’s facilities are designed to train students for the rigors of working in camps, races, and outdoor adventure outfitters,” Brandon explained.
“We are finding students gravitate toward us because of the culture we have created and high-quality program we have here with so many assets, the lab, and the visibility,” concluded Davis. “It’s becoming the cool thing to do.”
Todd Davis
