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Emme Paget graduated from Weber State in 2018 with her associate's degree. At the time, she felt that was all the education she needed and began working at her city gym. However, when she took a new position working with children, Paget realized she didn't want to miss out on her passion because she lacked a bachelor's degree. 

"I realized that I should get a degree because, if for some reason I have to leave my job, I won't have the option to go somewhere else. A lot of people are looking for degrees at this point," Paget said. 

That's when she decided to return to Weber State to pursue her degree in outdoor & community recreation education (OCRE), with an emphasis in community recreation administration. She returned in fall 2020 and said she enjoyed the flexibility online classes provided her while working full time. She also loved the small program size and felt professors cared about her and wanted her to succeed. Their passion for the program, she said, helped her develop a love for it as well. 

Associate dean and recreation professor Cass Morgan also ensured that Emme felt like she belonged. She recalls, "Cass always made sure to include me in the conversation and allowed me to share my experiences in community rec. It made me feel like I was important and I was meant to be there."

Her one regret is not meeting with an advisor sooner. Due to the program size, some classes were only available in spring or fall. She felt that missing certain classes early in her degree delayed her progress. However, after meeting with her advisor, Brittni Strickland, she had a clear path forward. 

Paget credits her early OCRE classes with helping her develop teamwork and leadership skills. Her favorite class was Administration and Management of Community and Outdoor Programs. In this class, she learned about teamwork, identifying leaders, understanding management styles, and what she could learn from her manager’s approach. She also took Community Recreation and Parks Planning, one of her most challenging courses, but also one of the most valuable.

"At first, I thought this had nothing to do with my job," she said. "But in reality, if I ever want to become a parks and recreation director, I have to know how to create proposals, make plans and get stakeholders invested in me and what I want to do so my programs and plans can happen." 

When asked why she thinks people should join the program, Paget pointed to the faculty and staff's investment in students as a major reason. Due to the small nature of the program, students form close relationships with their peers and professors, which she found incredibly beneficial. "The professors know you, and I love feeling like I'm important. I think everyone wants that. Knowing that they know who I am, what I'm working towards, and want me to be successful, that's the best part."

Visit the Outdoor & Community Recreation Education website or contact Brittni Strickland (brittnistrickland@weber.edu) to learn more.