Outdoor Recreation with Major Fun Hour

written by Olivia Moran Williams, Working Learner

Every Thursday the School of Community Resources and Development (SCRD) hosts Parks, Recreation and Sport Management Major Fun Hour in the Civic Space Park on the Downtown Phoenix campus. 

From noon to 1 p.m., the hour is dedicated to bringing the ASU Downtown Phoenix community together while also advertising the parks, recreation and sport management programs and showing people the often-overlooked aspects of them. 

The Parks, Recreation and Sport Management degree offers students a chance to explore the natural world while also giving them the opportunity to enhance their management skills and apply their knowledge to real-world situations. 

“Even though we are a real profession, we want to center that aspect of fun,” Steve Sassaman, assistant professor in SCRD, said. 

Major Fun Hour focuses on the outdoor aspect of the programs by highlighting an often-underused space on the Downtown campus. The event helps students and staff find the beauty in an outdoor environment while also being in the middle of a city. 

Between classes, internships, jobs and the normal hassle of day-to-day life, students often overlook play and fun. 

Along with their degree programs, faculty, staff and students also use Major Fun Hour to highlight the immersive outdoor experiences the school offers through PRM 294: Outdoor Adventure Lab. These outdoor experiences are either one weekend long or two Fridays long, and they count for one class credit. 

During these experiences students can learn different outdoor skills such as kayaking, hiking and rocking climbing. 

“Were trying to make these types of experiences as accessible as possible for everybody.” Sassaman said.

The classes offer an easy credit opportunity and less stress than a semester-long course. Students from any ASU major are invited to destress, get outside and learn new skills in these engaging classes.

Turn fun into a career, major in Parks, Recreation and Sport Management!