Online Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management Graduates Share Their Experiences

NC State Online offers four graduate certificates, four master’s degree programs and an online undergraduate certificate in the College of Natural Resources. Prior to spring commencement, we caught up with three graduates of the Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management (PRTSM) degree program who are graduating in spring 2021. We inquired about their experience completing the online program while working full time.

Nicole Benbow is the program coordinator for the Village of Pinehurst Parks and Recreation Department in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The 2020 Suzie D. Walston and Mac Walston Fellowship award recipient said, “I decided I wanted to be a more well-rounded professional in the field of parks and recreation, so I decided to pursue my master’s degree.” 

Sophie Duncan serves as Recreation Manager in Greenville, North Carolina, Recreation and Parks Department. Duncan enrolled “with the thought that it would assist me in climbing the organizational ladder, allowing me to meet like-minded professionals, and aid in pushing myself toward another personal achievement,” she said. 

George Ivey works as the North Carolina Development Director for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation in Asheville, North Carolina. Ivey enrolled in the NC State program because he desired “more formal training to enhance my skills and impact going forward,” he said. 

These graduates are ready to put their studies into practice. First, they’re looking back on their journey to earning their degrees, which began in the fall of 2019.

Why did you pursue your degree from NC State Online?

Nicole Benbow: My undergrad degree is in Therapeutic Recreation and I spent the first half of my career strictly working with residents with disabilities. When I made the move to Pinehurst, I had the opportunity to work with everyone in the community.

I eventually would like to explore the possibility of being a director of a department someday. I had the opportunity to learn more about the program at an NCRPA conference and just knew this was the place for me. 

It would allow me to continue to work full time and I had heard great things about NC State and the College of Natural Resources.

Sophie Duncan: One of the biggest attractions to the program was the online component. As someone who tried an in-person graduate program while balancing a full-time job filled with nights and weekends, it only made the program more attractive to me. Being able to balance a full-time job with school could not have been easier with this program. With proper time management and organization, being a student again fit well within my current profession.

Duncan was awarded The Fletcher Graduate scholarship from the NC Parks and Recreation Scholarship Foundation in December 2020. She also participated as a student panelist at the 2020 NCRPA Annual Conference, in a session hosted by Jason Bocarro and Erin Adair.

George Ivey: Parks have been a theme running throughout my life, from growing up near the Blue Ridge Parkway to personal and family adventures to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone and dozens of other national, state and local parks. A large portion of my working career has also focused on parks, including six years with Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and my current position with the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. During my eight years working as a consultant, I managed several training programs for managers and partners of Icelandic national parks and natural areas (I am half Icelandic). These have all been wonderful experiences, but I felt like I needed more formal training to enhance my skills and impact going forward.

I chose the program at NC State because it has a solid reputation and excellent professors, and it is clearly designed for working professionals with its distance learning format, evening classes and focus on practical skills and knowledge that you can utilize on a regular basis.

Describe your experience in the PRTSM online master’s program.

Nicole Benbow: The program overall has been wonderful. The professors are very knowledgeable about their areas of study, and their passion for the field shines. I’ve been out of college for more than 15 years, so it was a new experience for me to take classes online and work on projects with people that I had never met. I’m leaving the program with many new professional contacts and friendships and as a stronger professional in the field of Parks and Recreation.

Sophie Duncan: My experience within the PRTSM program has been rigorous and challenging in all the right ways while lighting a new fire in me to achieve more and push through barriers.

In a relatively short period of time, I have taken in a vast amount of knowledge while also improving my critical thinking, analysis, research and writing skills. I will forever be grateful for my professors and classmates who have sharpened my skills and broadened my knowledge throughout this process. The insights they have given me, the connections I have made personally and professionally, and the new mindset that I now have for this field is credited to them and this program as a whole.

George Ivey: The Conceptual Foundations (PRT 500) course with KangJae “Jerry” Lee was the perfect way to start my studies by opening my mind to many interesting ideas and perspectives related to recreation, leisure, sports and play. The remaining core courses then strengthened my knowledge and abilities on fiscal management, marketing, and other key disciplines that are relevant to anyone working in these fields. I enjoyed being able to focus on one topic at a time thanks to the short but intense eight-week courses.

We had a great cohort from a wide variety of professions and experiences. They played a key role in enriching the class discussions and showing me new ways to analyze and solve common concerns. I expect we will continue to share challenges, ideas, and suggestions long after graduation. 

How did you balance working full time and completing your degree?

Nicole Benbow: A lot of late nights! I would go to work, come home to enjoy spending time with my family and help my daughter with her schoolwork. After getting her to bed I would head up to my office to get as much accomplished as possible and still get a few hours of sleep in. I would read in the car on trips to see family. Sometimes I would use my lunch break to listen to class lectures. Basically, the old saying rings true –– “Where there’s a will there’s a way.” Also I’m blessed to have a very supportive family that helped keep me inspired during this journey.

Sophie Duncan: I am by nature a very competitive person propelled by inner strength, hunger and the desire to achieve. These qualities helped me balance work and school by trusting my staff and coworkers, setting goals for myself within the program, and working ahead as much as possible within each course.

George Ivey: Pursuing this degree required focus and discipline. In addition to working full time, I became a new father a year before starting this degree, and our daughter was born in the middle of my studies. I had to set my priorities and stick to them. I’m very grateful that my wife took on extra household and parenting duties, especially on class nights.

How do you see your PRTSM degree helping you in your current career, or how has it already impacted your work? 

Nicole Benbow: I was able to use my work organization for a lot of the assignments. Some of these assignments have been implemented like my risk management plan, and I have been able to use GIS skills to help with events. The program has expanded my professional horizons and allowed me to improve on my processes in my position.

Sophie Duncan: As an individual deeply invested in the realm of recreation, with this program, I was able to refine my pre-existing knowledge of recreation. As well, I was able to gain a better understanding in leisure activities and practices, ultimately pushing me to seek more opportunities in my professional roles.

I have had a myriad of different experiences that have given me access to various degrees of knowledge in the field. In turn, this enabled my passion for the field to continue to grow and has helped mold me into the professional I am today. However, prior to this program, I had never felt truly accomplished in my professional role. This program changed that for me, and now, for the first time in a long time, I feel accomplished in all facets of the job I perform and feel as if I am in an upward trajectory as a leader in the field.

George Ivey: Practical topics dominate the core curriculum, and they have been immediately relevant to my work. While the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation serves primarily as a fundraising organization, we manage several different programs and projects, from the nationwide Kids in Parks program to the renovation, reopening and operation of the historic Bluffs Restaurant to programming at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Whether I am writing a grant proposal or participating in strategic planning, I have applied my learning to improve how I identify, analyze, and solve problems to make the most of new opportunities to advance our mission.

What is your advice for other working professionals who are considering continuing their education or are currently enrolled in a master’s program? 

Nicole Benbow: I would encourage them to pursue their dream, not be overwhelmed, and remember to take time for yourself. For those already in the program –– the stress is only temporary and the finish line is in sight. Yes, I would encourage others to take the online program. It was truly designed for working professionals and it allows you to continue to work while going to school.

Sophie Duncan: Being able to have a full-time job and attend school online is a very attractive aspect, but my advice is it does take time and commitment and to really dive into your coursework. The professors want each student to achieve their goals and learning outcomes, and it can easily be accomplished with time management.

George Ivey: The online program provides a very practical way to learn during evenings and days off while minimizing travel time and costs. All the core courses have immediate value to working professionals. The professors have deliberately designed their courses for online delivery, and they know the tricks of the trade to make distance learning engaging and effective.

How do you plan to celebrate your graduation?

Nicole Benbow: Yes, I am planning on attending the ceremony and will hopefully get to meet more of my cohort in person, especially those that I have developed a genuine friendship with. I’ll celebrate with my family and enjoy some rest and relaxation at the coast for a few days with no stress of assignments being due. 

Sophie Duncan: My plans are to attend the virtual ceremony on May 14 via Zoom.

George Ivey: As soon as I finish my last assignment, we are packing our bags for a family vacation –– to a state park, of course. I look forward to tuning in to all the graduation ceremonies remotely; for a master’s program designed for distance learning, a Zoom graduation seems somehow appropriate.

Congratulations to all of our NC State Online and the rest of #NCState21!

Are you interested in advancing your career with a Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management from NC State Online? Visit the program page and online.ncsu.edu/programs for a full list of degree and certificate programs.