~ Press release issued by Lord Fairfax Community College
LFCC students specializing in recreation and outdoor leadership studies have another college to seamlessly transfer to thanks to a new 2+2 (two years at LFCC for an associate degree, and two years for a bachelor’s degree) agreement with Ferrum College.
After earning an associate of arts and sciences degree in general studies with a specialization in recreation and outdoor leadership, LFCC students can then choose to major in either ecotourism, or recreation and outdoor leadership at Ferrum.
Courses students would take while attaining their associate degree include college composition; history, math and science electives; introduction to recreation, parks and leisure studies; outdoor recreation; risk management; leadership and supervision; outdoor adventures; and program planning.
Associate Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Professor Stacey Ellis has built the recreation and outdoor leadership program from the ground up. It is designed to prepare graduates for careers in parks and outdoor recreation, sports management, tourism and events management, therapeutic recreation and more.
“As people and communities continue to realize the impact recreation and being outdoors has on overall wellbeing and health, there will be a growing need for professionals trained in the recreation and outdoor wellness fields,” says LFCC President Kim Blosser. “We at LFCC are grateful for the hard work put in by Professor Stacey Ellis and her counterparts at Ferrum College to ensure that LFCC students can seamlessly transfer into their bachelor’s degree programs at Ferrum.”
The agreement comes about six months after the creation of the Virginia Office of Outdoor Recreation. It’s estimated that the recreation industry contributes about $22 billion annually to state revenue and employs around 200,000 people.
“More and more people are discovering the beauty of Virginia and they are spending time in our lakes and trails, and at our many parks and cultural sites,” Ferrum College President David Johns says. “We need professionals ready to support this growing area of tourism, and we need them to be business savvy educators who are advocates for Virginia’s natural environment. Ferrum College is delighted to partner with Lord Fairfax Community College to prepare such women and men.”
In November, the Ferrum Promise initiative was announced. It guarantees that students transferring from a Virginia community college with an appropriate associate degree will be able to graduate within two years, or receive free tuition for the remaining coursework.
Ferrum College joins Radford University and Shepherd University in offering 2+2 agreements for LFCC recreation and outdoor leadership students. At Radford, students can choose to major in tourism and special events, outdoor recreation and leadership, or recreation therapy. At Shepherd, their options are a public recreation and sports studies degree with a concentration in either public recreation and parks administration, or therapeutic recreation.
Learn more about the program at lfcc.edu/recreation.
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