The Department of Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles (MAT) is excited to welcome Dr. Tricia Day to the faculty. Dr. Day comes to UK from Lindsey Wilson College, where she was the Program Coordinator and Associate Professor for Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management.
Dr. Day received her Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). While in school, she completed two summer internships; one with the Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) in Bahrain and the other with Peoria Community Services in Peoria, Arizona.
Dr. Day began her professional career with Cummins Employee Recreation Association at CERAland Park in Columbus, Indiana as the Program and Special Event Coordinator. From there, she moved to the Social Center Manager Position with Munster Parks and Recreation in Munster, Indiana. She achieved a director’s position with Greenfield Parks and Recreation in Greenfield, Tennessee. To continue her academic pursuits, she accepted a position as a Recreation Programmer with McMinnville Parks and Recreation in McMinnville, Tennessee and began graduate school at Middle Tennessee State University. She earned a Master of Science in Health, Physical Education and Recreation with an emphasis in Recreation and Leisure from Middle Tennessee State University.
Following her master’s program, Dr. Day continued her graduate work at North Carolina State University. She taught as a lecturer while earning her doctoral degree. She received her Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management and accepted a position at Lindsey Wilson College to create an undergraduate program in Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management.
Dr. Day is an advocate of service learning and strives to make experiential education part of the curriculum expectations. At her previous position, students in her classes were responsible for multiple campus events and activities such as Homecoming, Employee Appreciation Week, Earth Day, Health and Wellness Week, Etiquette Dinner and L3 Leadership Banquet. Her students also worked on events with Kentucky State Parks, Kentucky Recreation and Park Society Conference, Campus Recreation and Student Activities.
In addition to a full teaching and advising load, she makes time to stay connected professionally with the Kentucky Parks and Recreation Society (KRPS). For KRPS, she chairs the University Relations Committee and serves as the student liaison for the conference committee. She also maintains her Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification.
The School of Human Environmental Science is pleased to welcome Dr. Day to the faculty and look forward to her beginning a new chapter here at the University of Kentucky.