The Brigham Young University Therapeutic Recreation Club was recognized for its efforts to go forth to serve, receiving the Community Service Award at the Utah Recreation Therapy Association’s annual conference.
“I think this is a wonderful recognition for our students’ involvement within the community,” says Neil Lundberg, recreation management department chair. “Our students have had a very active club for a long time and have done all sorts of community outreach projects through the adaptive sports program.”
The BYU Therapeutic Recreation Club received the award for its efforts in promoting therapeutic recreation through hosting events and experiential activities designed to serve the community and give students more exposure to the field. One activity included wheelchair basketball games where participants were able to sign up to play basketball in wheelchairs to better understand what it is like to play sports with a physical disability.
One of the students that coordinated many of the club events this past year was Ashley Nelson. Consequentially Nelson, an April 2016 therapeutic recreation graduate from Crocker, Mo., received the Outstanding Student Award at the conference for her service as club president and as a URTA student representative.
“I am very grateful that I have been able to be involved in such fun and serviceable activities,” Nelson says. “And with the award I was able to buy a bike and can now be more active myself.”
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and public management. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,300 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.
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Writer: Aricka Wilde