The Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies

Co-op Diaries: Featuring Chloe

From answering emails and leading faculty tours to helping bring recruitment events to life, Chloe's co-op has given her the opportunity to connect with students, build meaningful relationships, and experience the many moving parts behind student engagement.

Swipe through to learn more about her journey! ✨💙

Co-op Diaries: Featuring Madie

Every co-op experience has a story to tell. 💙

This week, we're featuring Madie, a 3B Therapeutic Recreation student completing her co-op as a Community Support Worker at Hutton House.

Swipe through to learn more about her experience, what surprised her most, and the impact this role has had on her. ✨

The Ontario Summer Games are officially underway, and our RLS community is live and active all around campus!

A special shoutout to RLS' Prof Luke Potwarka and PhD candidate Adam Pappas for representing our department and showcasing our Sport and Recreation Management undergraduate program at the Games.

If you’re attending, be sure to stop by our booth to learn more about our programs, say hello, and take a photo with PACHI the porcupine! 💙

Stay active, hydrated and enjoy the Games!☀️🏃‍♂️

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may have wrapped up with Spain taking home the title, but one question remains: who were you rooting for? ⚽️🏆

For many Canadians with connections to more than one country, the answer isn't always so simple.

RLS professor Dr. Luke Potwarka and PhD candidate Cary Foo recently explored this in an article for The Conversation, looking at how multicultural identities can shape which teams Canadians choose to support, especially when Canada faces a country connected to their heritage or cultural identity.

Cary also joined 880 CHED to continue the conversation, discussing identity, belonging and fandom during the World Cup. 🎙️

Read the article:https://theconversation.com/world-cup-identity-crisis-who-to-root-for-when-you-feel-torn-between-your-birth-country-and-your-home-286523

Listen to Cary's interview: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/world-cup-identity-crisis-who-to-root-for-when-you/id1715744288?i=1000775963334

Feature Friday: Meet Dale! 🤗

Dale is a PhD candidate in Recreation and Leisure Studies who spent two months at the University of Galway in Ireland this summer as a Visiting Scholar, supported by the SSHRC Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement.

During her time in Galway, Dale shared her work on Indigenous land-based learning and pedagogy, including leading a workshop that explored how land, ceremony, storytelling, reciprocity, and community can shape teaching and learning. She also connected with researchers from across the university and had conversations that helped bring new perspectives to her own doctoral research.

One connection that stood out was with Dr. Rióna Ní Fhrighil, where conversations about language, culture, identity, and place highlighted parallels between Indigenous language revitalization in Canada and efforts to preserve and renew the Irish language. Dale also worked closely with her host, Dr. Kieran Walsh, whose mentorship helped shape the direction of her research.

And it wasn’t all research! Dale spent time exploring Ireland’s landscapes, history, and communities before wrapping up her time abroad with family trips to Paris and Portugal.

From new research connections to experiencing new places and cultures, Dale’s time abroad brought together many of the things at the heart of her work: relationships, place, community, and learning. 💙

Learning through leisure 🧠

Students in REC 405 – Leisure and Well-Being collaborate on a group project entitled Promoting Well-Being through Leisure, where they design and lead engaging, interactive presentations exploring how recreation and leisure can promote holistic well-being.

From LEGO building to promote autonomy, problem-solving, and collaboration, to brain games, group collages, social Jenga, speed friending, paper plane competitions, and many more, each presentation showcased a unique way that leisure can support different dimensions of well-being.

Through creativity, connection, and hands-on learning, students brought course concepts to life while demonstrating the positive impact recreation and leisure can have on overall well-being. 💙

✨GARLS Spotlight: Meet Matthew!✨

Matthew's advice for students?

"Get involved! Whether it's a club, intramurals, or volunteering for the faculty, I think it's a really great way to be more connected with your peers and make great connections, whether they be personal or academic." 💙

Feature Friday: Meet Sarah! 🤗

Sarah is a RLS MA student who recently completed a nine-week research fellowship at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. Supported by the Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (MSFSS) through SSHRC, the fellowship gave Sarah the opportunity to advance her research skills, develop international collaborations, and gain specialized training in sport safeguarding and governance.

During her time at Victoria University, Sarah joined the Safe and Inclusive Sport Research Group under the supervision of Dr. Mary Woessner. She co-authored research manuscripts, presented research findings to faculty and graduate researchers, completed training in trauma-informed research practices, and collaborated on projects comparing Canadian and Australian approaches to safeguarding in sport.

Looking back on the experience, Sarah says the fellowship strengthened her confidence as a researcher, expanded her international network, and reinforced her commitment to a career in sport safeguarding and governance. She also appreciated the opportunity to learn from leading researchers while experiencing life in Melbourne, including attending an AFL game, a highlight for any sport researcher! 🏉🇦🇺

Students in REC 200 – Play, Creativity and Child Development recently welcomed Melissa Aguto (OT Reg.), who shared insights into her role in Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry and the importance of play in supporting children's development and well-being.

As co-founder of Joy Cycle, Melissa also introduced students to the organization's mission of giving toys a second life while bringing joy to children and families in the community. Following class discussions on play inequities and the impact of poverty on children's opportunities to play, students put their learning into action by donating toys to support Joy Cycle.

Thank you, Melissa, for sharing your expertise and inspiring our students through both your work and your community impact. 💙

Learn more about Joy Cycle: https://joycycle.ca/

✨GARLS Spotlight: Meet Jennifer!✨

We're excited to introduce another member of the GARLS community! 💙

Get to know Jennifer by checking out this week's spotlight.