Dave has been with the Des Plaines Park District for 12 years, the past five as Director of Parks & Recreation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Valparaiso University and a Master of Science degree from Indiana University. He has been an active member of the IPRA serving several terms on the board and many committees and presently serving as Co-Chairman of the Joint Editorial Board. He is also active in his community where he serves as Sunday School Superintendent in his church and President of the Rotary Club of Des Plaines.

The internship:
A Shared Professional Commitment

by David L. Markworth
Director of Parks & Recreation
Des Plaines Park District

For many years the field practicum experience of students has been one of the most important aspects of their professional development. This on-the-job training has been used to tie together the formal education process and has provided the base from which most young people enter the leisure services field. The practical value of this experience and in many cases the attitudes developed toward their future professional career field, is based on two factors. First, the interest shown and previous skills attained by the student, and second and just as important, the depth of the commitment by the agency's professional staff to the professional development of the young people coming into this field. By curriculum design, the student should be prepared with the minimum skills and experiences necessary to fulfill their obligations to the agency. Hopefully, the student will also be prepared with the proper attitude to learn and contribute to the host agency. Of equal and often underemphasized importance, is the responsibility and commitment of the agency's staff. The professional staff's efforts represent the most significant contribution they can make to insure the continued growth of the leisure services movement by providing quality entry-level employees who are professionally trained.

While the practicum program is designed to be a learning and growing experience for the student, that student must realize the agency's continued obligation to provide a certain level of professional services to their community. The agency's professional reputation is reflected by each of its employees. Therefore it cannot afford to jeopardize its public image by a field student's less than adequate performance. The agency has every right to expect a total commitment from the student in attitude and behavior over the duration of the practicum. In the same way, the student has every right to expect the agency supervisor to be philosophically committed and organizationally prepared to devote the time needed to assist the student in reaching his potential during the field experience. Too often the professional will accept the field student because he feels he has "an obligation to the field" and not because he is committed to the program or has made enough time available to properly work with the student.

It is apparent that over the past ten years, college curriculums have not only improved but have become more selective. The educational institutions have attempted to update their curricula in an effort to remain relevant and to better prepare their students for the reality of the working world. Although improvements have been made, some problems still exist. University faculty members must continue to make a concerted effort to remain abreast of current trends in the field. They must meet practitioners on site and tour new and innovative facilities. This will ensure that educators keep on top of the rapidly changing leisure services field.

The quality of students who go out into agencies continues to run the whole gamut. The majority approach experience from a very professional viewpoint. They are prepared to interview properly and report to the agency anxious to learn and contribute as much as possible to this program. Unfortunately, there are still

Starting from the ground up!

Illinois Parks and Recreation 6 September/October 1981

Learning to give recognition is part of the process.

a significant number who are quite the opposite. From their initial contact with the agency in an unbusinesslike manner, to not returning phone calls in setting up interviews, to not being properly attired while on the job, many students fall far short of their peers.

As compared to students of a decade ago, it does appear that today's students have unrealistic expectations as to how much time it will take to advance in the leisure services field. Many of them do not subscribe to the "paying your dues" theory of professional progression. It is not unusual to find a student who is reluctant to go into an entry level position upon completion of his practicum experience. As the Parks and Recreation job market remains crowded, it is important for the future to encourage only the best students who are aggressive and sincerely want to excel. The universities are currently doing a better job of weeding out the student who is only going through the motions and this trend must continue in the future.

Many colleges now offer a practicum in excess of 10 weeks and at times of the year other than the summer. As this trend continues, we look for more agencies to offer practicum experiences on a non-pay basis with a minimum of 14 to 16 week duration for junior and senior level students. This prediction is based on the fact that a 10 week practicum does not expose the student to program planning for the next season. A program which lasts 14 to 16 weeks on the other hand, covers an entire program cycle and preparation for the next. Because of tight budgets and limited funds, a non-paying field practicum offers more flexibility to the agency by being able to place a student in a true learning experience without having to justify that student's productivity to the agency board each week the student is there. In many respects this extra flexibility can be a benefit to the student.

With a crowded job market and each educational institution requiring a similar series of field experiences, it is only the student who will make the final decision as to how much he will benefit from this experience and how prepared he will be to enter the job market. In hiring full time entry level staff, the agency finds itself in an enviable position of being in a strong buyers market. Students must go beyond the minimum of 2 to 3 summertime experiences to even qualify for the final interview process. Today, most, if not all graduates have similar basic experiences. It is those students who, on their own, have acquired the additional experiences beyond those required by the university who are now the final candidates for available positions.

Based on a five year observation period of students and final candidates for entry level positions in the municipal parks and recreation area, it appears colleges are turning out "general recreation" specialists. Fewer students today have the in-depth background in special areas such as sports, aquatics, special facilities or cultural arts. Because of this and despite IPRA's efforts for stricter certification, many agencies will continue to hire non-parks and recreation majors such as physical education, drama or social workers because they may be, in fact, the most qualified for a particular job.

Today's students have strong backgrounds in general theory of leadership, philosophy of play and general program planning. They are still weak in many areas that need be stressed by the education system. As a general rule, students have poor oral and written verbal skills. They are not familiar with proper business correspondence or reports to be presented to a board or citizens group. Additionally, students with an emphasis in community recreation either possess no knowledge or are very weak in Parks Management skills. Any student hoping to attain some

Illinois Parks and Recreation 7 September/October 1981

middle or upper management position in the municipal park and recreation field in the future, must be able to at least understand and appreciate the operation of the parks department. Much of the mistrust over the years by "old guard" parks management personnel of recreation majors, stems in part to a lack of appreciation and understanding on the part of the recreation major for his parks management counterpart. None of the colleges in Illinois are producing Parks Management majors with any regularity. This is unfortunate because the chances are probably greater for employment and advancement in this area than any other leisure services specialty field.

A properly organized field practicum experience should be specifically designed around the student's strengths and weaknesses by the student and the agency supervisor. This program, once established, should possess the flexibility to enable greater student development in those areas of weakness such as aquatics, parks management or administrative skills. Additionally, the agency supervisor must communicate with the student's university supervisor to keep him informed of the student's progress. The professional's most valuable input into the whole educational process comes as augmentation to the formal educational process. A professional must be willing to share his expertise, philosophy and past experiences with the student if the student is to get the most from his time at the agency. It is only through the commitment of time to this type of tutoring, and by a strong professional example that the student will properly develop his own personal philosophy, work habits and attitude.

The educational institutions and the professionals in the field share an equal responsibility for the improvement of this educational process. There must be more communication and input between the host agency and college supervisor. The one-time visit by the college supervisor to the student and the agency no longer suffices. Unfortunately, it appears that there is now less opportunity for group interaction between professionals working with the program and university staff, than there was five years ago. A group process is the most valuable means of maximizing communications and should be reinstated. If universities would sponsor an interview day, for example, students would have the opportunity to interview with a number of agency representatives who were present at one site on the same day. If that is the case, then a mini-group meeting in the Chicago Metropolitan area should be held each field practicum cycle. Such a meeting would facilitate the interchange of ideas and experiences between students and their agency supervisors. These idea exchanges are essential for the continued improvement of this professional development program.

Seniors are patient with those who are learning— sometimes!

In order that the field practicum experience be as productive as possible, there are a series of certain responsibilities which must be met by both the agency supervisor and the student. The agency supervisor must have properly prepared his whole staff for the arrival of the student and notified the Board of his presence. The student should be treated as a co-worker by the staff and extended all the professional courtesies available to full time employees. The supervisor must then finalize the content of the field work experience with the student and orient the student to the agency and community. This orientation is essential and often is underestimated. It must include a comprehensive look at the agency's goals and objectives, facilities, staff and philosophy. Additionally, the community's socio-economic, religious, educational and business/industrial structures must be understood before the student can piece together all the important elements comprising the distinctive character of each community. Lastly, the agency supervisor must have committed enough time needed to properly monitor, guide and council the student in this most important learning experience.

In a like manner the student has responsibilities to the agency and in fact holds the key to the ultimate success of the program. The student must be willing to devote his total energies to this field practicum experience and to the agency he is working for. He must familiarize himself with the agency and its operating policies especially in his area of responsibility. He must prepare any reports which either the agency or university requires, and must be willing to approach each day with the commitment to give his best efforts for the agency. This commitment and best effort includes being well groomed and properly attired for the job he is expected to perform. In dealing with fellow staff and the public he must always be friendly, tactful and courteous. In other words he must be prepared to conduct himself as if it were his own full-time job.

Many improvements have been made in the practicum experiences now offered by universities throughout this state and the nation. There still continues however, to be much room for improvement on the level of both the educational institutions and agencies. Curricula need to be continually updated and evaluated on an ongoing basis and this evaluation process involves the practitioners from the field. It cannot be done strictly at the university level because it has a direct impact on the entire park and recreation movement. These responsibilities for improving this process must remain both with the educational institution and the agency's professional staffs.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 September/October 1981