Assignment 2

INTRODUCTION
The Activities and Recreation Center, better known as the ARC is simply what the name implies. It is one of the largest on campus recreation centers in the United States listing at 34,000 square feet. From our guest lecture Michael Danielson, we learned that 10,000 people walk through the doors at the ARC on high point days and that it also houses around 750 jobs. This is a great place for both recreation and leisure.

BACKGROUND
The ARC is simply a place where all University of Illinois students and staff can go for free to work out, relax at the indoor or outdoor pool, have fun on the rock-climbing wall, and enjoy many other opportunities. The ARC used to be a building named IMPE but then was completely renovated after listening to student to now be what is known as the ARC. Almost everything in the ARC and anything done to it comes from student demands. They want the students to decide what they want and then deliver it. As said the ARC is an on campus recreation facility, and is one of the largest in the nation.


EMPLOYMENT
If the ARC offers nothing else that you may want it can definitely offer you a job. The ARC employs 700 to 750 students along with 60 other professionals in top positions. For students they offer many different positions, including internships. Some positions they offer are positions in event management, facility management, intramural activities, personal trainers and many others. Some of the internships they offer in communication, marketing, and human resources. They also offer professional positions and graduate positions. They way to get one of these positions is usually by attending an informational meeting, then filling out an application with a resume, and finally being interviewed. Also from what I have heard from those who have came to talk to my classes, they look for employers who are seeking a major dealing with the position being applied for so they can get experience. I also got the chance to ask Michael Danielson how does one get his foot in the door, he replied "I would say there are two initial steps that would you would take for employment. One, I would attend an information session since that introduces the values, opportunities, and positions that are available with Campus Recreation. Secondly, I would think as a RST major what makes you stand out from the crowd. Leadership experiences, unique customer service background, service, etc."



TRENDS
When it came to finding out about the ARC's trends I am sure I could have found some myself by surfing the web, but I took this opportunity to ask a fellow friend and employee of the ARC about the trends she has noticed lately. Dealing with the ARC itself she informed me that the fitness classes are starting to take off. She tells me its 50 dollars a semester and it allows you to enter into any of the classes. The most popular are cycling and palates, or any morning class for that matter. Another thing that’s starting to get more popular is the outdoor recreation. She told me that a lot of people are now utilizing the rock climbing wall and setting up trips to take two-day outdoor wilderness trips or go hiking or camping with large groups of friends. A trend that never changes popularity is the swimming pool, a great way to go relax and enjoy a friends company. She couldn’t really think of any negative trends. When I asked her why campus rec is really booming she informed me that it was because it has something to offer for each and every person. Whether it be wheel chair basketball, or martial arts, or just about anything one can think of. So people are building such big facilities to accommodate for all of this as well.

Interview answers provided by Katie Freeman, ARC employee.

DEFINITION
I also was able to contact Michael Danielson the AD of human resources after he spoke with our RST class and asked him what he believed to be the ARC's definition of leisure to be. He replied by saying the definition is definitely "having relative freedom to pursue different opportunities be they physical, mental, social, spiritual, for personal growth, development, individual." I think this is perfect to what my definition would have been. I would have said the ARC gives students the ability to get away from their busy life styles and studies to take a moment and relax at the pool, or get the workout one wants in, or do anything one can do to find leisure. The main benefit the ARC provides is the ability to go to a place with so much opportunity available. It provides work, a place to exercise, outdoor recreation, and a place to go with your friends and compete in sports.


SYNOPSIS
Through my own experiences at the ARC over the numerous times I have been there I was always very fond of it. I always was able to go and get my mind off of things for a long time whether it was wile I was playing basketball with friends or working out. It was a place for leisure for me. I learned over my two interviews with Katie Freeman and Michael Danielson that they also are very fond of working for the ARC. Katie described a few of the benefits the ARC brings to her "I gain experience working with hundreds of different people, and I get to work on my social skills and face to face contact with customers. It also gives me a great job experience to put on my resume for when I apply to future jobs. By working here I gain many connections with some very prestigious people." To me that about wraps up the pros of being able to work in an environment like such as Campus Recreation, and also you get the benefit of knowing your helping hundreds of people each day. The only con I could think of is the beginning jobs are not all glamour when you first start for maybe all you will be doing is sliding a card through a slot to make sure people are able to walk in, and also the long hours attached. It fits the Campus Recreation leisure service delivery by providing all these great opportunities such as the outdoor recreation, the pool, the intramural sports, and everything else. Also being one of the biggest in the nation I believe ours to fulfill the leisure service delivery better than anyone’s in the nation.
Nathan Minarich minaric1