CU Denver School of Public Affairs Helps You Learn and Grow as a Parks and Recreation Professional By Ellen Patterson, External Programs & Partnerships Coordinator, School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado
The CU Denver School of Public Affairs (SPA) has been a strong supporter of continuing education for parks and recreation professionals for many years. Three programs are currently open for applications and cater to professionals at different points in their career. We hope you’ll join us and pass this information along to colleagues and others in your networks.
22 • Colorado Byline | Summer 2022
The Parks and Recreation Emerging Professionals Program (PREPP) is an online learning program designed for newer parks and recreation staff or those who haven’t had access to formal parks and recreation education. It’s geared toward people who aspire to be in supervisory and management positions and is run in a cohort model to build strong networks among participants. Live, virtual sessions are held once-a-
week, in the evenings, to accommodate busy professionals across the U.S. There are 12, 3-week courses covering topics such as organizational structure and governance, equity, finance, program planning and evaluation, facilities/parks planning and management, human resources, and communication. Students develop portfolios of their learning and complete a final project. A new cohort starts this Fall.
