Mission, Vision, Values and Philosophy
Mission Statement
The mission of the Recreation and Parks Leadership Studies at Minnesota State University, Mankato is to develop students who value leisure for all and excel as leaders in the RPLS profession.
Vision Statement
The Recreation and Parks Leadership Studies will be recognized by all critical stakeholders as the premier RPLS academic experience in the Midwest.
Values
The Recreation and Parks Leadership Studies values:
- Leisure
- Service
- Citizenship
- Collaboration
- Innovation
- Diversity
- Student Growth
Philosophy
Leisure experience is a basic human right. People of all ages and abilities need and deserve equal opportunity to engage in recreative activities of their choice. In order to assure quality leisure and recreational opportunities for everyone, leisure professionals are needed in a wide variety of roles, agencies, and settings to assess, plan, implement and evaluate programs that meet society's leisure needs.
Because of society's ever-changing conditions, free time and human recreative experiences are extremely complex. Therefore, leisure professionals must be prepared to: a) Promote the importance of leisure in quality use of free time; b) communicate effectively with people to determine needs, interests and wants; c) assist in diminishing barriers to leisure satisfaction; d) manage facilities and resources to maximize benefit for all concerned; and, e) creatively lead people to enhance the quality of their lives through leisure for health, balance and life satisfaction.
