Aurora University Recreation Administration Program Recognized for 75-Year Legacy

Rita Yerkes (at left, in photo), Dean of the School of Experiential Leadership at the George Williams Campus at Williams Bay, Wis., who accepted the award, said it is the first such award given to a university academic program. The ACA Board of Directors designates five National Special Recognition Awards each year to individuals or agencies for outstanding contributions for the development of organized camping. The award recognizes the work of the Recreation Administration Program in the School of Experiential Leadership. The Illinois Section of the ACA nominated the AU program for this award.

“The ACA award is in many ways similar to the lifetime achievement honors given to individuals,” said William Duncan, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of the George Williams Campus. “We are very honored to receive this prestigious award.”

For more than 75 years, hundreds of students and camp staff have been introduced to the world of organized camping at Aurora University. Many AU alumni have chosen organized camping and outdoor pursuits as a career and continue to make a difference in the lives of children and adults.

“The Recreation Administration Department faculty of the George Williams Campus of Aurora University in the School of Experiential Leadership places a high value on camp experiences for children and our students,” Yerkes said. “Camp prepares participants for lifelong learning and leadership.”

The ACA is the leading organization for children and adult camps in the United States. It has developed nationally recognized standards for camps to operate. It is recognized nationally and internationally as the association for parents, university students, and professionals to turn to for current information and professional development.

The recreation administration program represents a rich heritage of leadership in organized camping dating back to George Williams College (GWC) Dean Hedley Dimock who was a pioneer in the field in the 1940s and 1950s. The program had its early beginnings as a student-training initiative in recreation program management during the late 1920s on the George Williams Campus. The master’s degree program was located on the Aurora University campus until the fall of 2004 when it was moved back to the George Williams Campus. The bachelor’s degree will move to the George Williams Campus in fall 2005.