Jan. 15, 2024 | Bruce Adams
ORPR is designed to be an asset to faculty and the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism
In November 2021, while Laura Payne was the interim director of the Office of Recreation and Park Resources, a group of stakeholders held a retreat to focus on the core missions of ORPR.
“We generated a lot of rich discussion and accomplished a lot in a short amount of time,” Payne said. “One of the key points to emerge from the planning meeting was that ORPR can and should play a key role in addressing emerging challenges related to community health and well-being by generating creative and innovative solutions.”
Fast-forward to 2023, and Payne—now the Joseph J. Bannon director of ORPR—said, “We want to be known as a leader in conducting applied research and outreach across recreation, sport and tourism.”
ORPR, which is affiliated with the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism within the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois, is designed to be an asset to faculty and RST, Payne said.
“We see ourselves as an applied research and outreach unit that serves the entire department,” she said. “Where it makes sense, we’d like to be a resource for faculty. We can assist with grant applications, community engagement and outreach efforts. Since we have a formal connection with Illinois Extension, we can assist with building collaborations between Extension and RST.”
Payne is a professor in RST and an Extension specialist who has directed statewide outreach and research programs. Her research has examined the relationship between leisure style and the health of older adults with chronic conditions and the role of local parks and recreation agencies in health promotion and health behavior change.
Sport and tourism initiatives can play important roles in enhancing human health and improving environmental sustainability evolving media landscape, the spread of misinformation and disinformation regarding scientific topics such as natural disasters, vaccines and climate change can pose a risk to public health.
Laura Payne
Drector of the Office of Recreation and Park Resources
Joelle Soulard, assistant professor in RST, called Payne “a respected colleague. Her dedication and expertise have been invaluable to our field. As the leader of ORPR, Laura is committed to enhancing health and well-being through research, education and outreach programs. Her vision aligns perfectly with the university’s land grant mission.”’
Payne is focused on channeling the expertise and knowledge of RST faculty and students to impact people’s lives positively and address many of society’s health and wellness challenges.
“It is our goal to become the place RST organizations and professionals seek out for evidence-based information and research-based resources that are useful for organizations,” she said.
Payne said the core principles and mission of ORPR have not changed, but she wants to build on what was done before she was appointed to the top role.
“I view this stage of ORPR’s continued development as fine-tuning,” she said.
To that end, ORPR has refreshed its mission statement, which is to collaborate on recreation, sport and tourism initiatives to build healthy communities. The values that guide their mission include utilizing scientifically sound applied research and best practices, being responsive to community and industry needs, issues and trends and providing undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on educational experience via projects.
Soulard said Payne’s “innovative approach has been instrumental in advancing statewide outreach and research initiatives that directly benefit communities across Illinois. Her work is driving the next wave of innovation in our field, making a meaningful impact on the quality and sustainability of recreation, parks and wellness programs and services.”
RST Assistant Professor Sharon Zou said that Payne “speaks multiple languages with community leaders, RST professionals, Extension colleagues, academic faculty and students. She involves undergraduate and graduate students in ORPR projects, which have been great learning experiences for our students.”
Most importantly, Payne said, wants people to understand how parks and recreational activities enhance lives.
“Sport and tourism initiatives can play important roles in enhancing human health and improving environmental sustainability,” she said. “Parks and recreation agencies offer places for people to be physically active, reduce stress, engage in social activities and strengthen community ties through festivals and events.”
