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Dr. Tracy Mainieri

Recreation and Park Administration Program Director
Sch Kinesiology & Recreation
Office
Student Fitness Center & McCormick - SFC 158
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Research

Biography

Tracy Mainieri is an Associate Professor in the Recreation and Park Administration program and the Graduate Sequence Coordinator for the Recreation Administration and Applied Community and Economic Development Master's sequences in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from Furman University and both her M.S. and PhD in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University. Tracy joined the Redbird faculty in Fall 2013. Since then she has taught in both the undergraduate RPA program and the graduate Recreation Administration Master’s program, teaching primarily leadership, management, and trends courses. Tracy’s professional background and research is in summer camp so she strives to bring what she’s learned at camp about fun, facilitation, and experiential learning into the classroom. She hopes that when students think about the learning experiences they had in her courses, they found those experiences to be collaborative, challenging, active, safe, and engaging. Beyond her assigned course load, Tracy also enjoys seeing students become excited about their own work in independent studies and supervised research projects. Tracy is honored to have been the recipient of the 2016 Innovation in Teaching Award from The Academy of Leisure Sciences, a 2016 ISU Teaching Initiative Award, the 2016-2017 CAST Outstanding Teacher Award (Pre-Tenure Category), and a 2015 Impact Award. Tracy's research interests focus on summer camp and youth programming evaluation and the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Current Courses

400.043Independent Study In Kinesiology & Recreation

175.001Leisure's Role On Individuals And Society

498.040Professional Practice Parks And Recreation

287.043Independent Study

400.043Independent Study In Kinesiology & Recreation

498.043Professional Practice Parks And Recreation

171.001Recreation Leadership

171.002Recreation Leadership

Teaching Interests & Areas

My core belief about teaching is that learning is a reciprocal agreement among the teacher, the student, and the class group. Learning is not a one-way process of information transmission between each student and the teacher; rather, learning must be an interactive, mutual process that involves individual students, their classmates, and the teacher.

Research Interests & Areas

Summer camp, program evaluation, implementation evaluation, scholarship of teaching and learning

Ph D Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Clemson University
Clemson, SC

MS Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Clemson University
Clemson, SC

BA Anthropology

Furman University
Greenville, SC

MVP Professor

Illinois State University Volleyball
2021

Alumni Award - Academic

Clemson University Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Department
2021

RISE to the COVID Challenge Recognition

Provost's Office, Illinois State University
2020

2020 McLean County 20 Under 40

The Pantagraph & McLean County Chamber of Commerce
2020

2020 Impact Award

Illinois State University
2020

University Teaching Initiative Award

Illinois State University
2017

CAST Outstanding Teacher - Pre-Tenure Category

CAST Illinois State University
2016

2016 Innovation in Teaching Award

The Academy of Leisure Sciences
2016

Honorary Member

Rho Phi Lambda, Illinois State University
2015

2015 Impact Award

Illinois State University
2015

Book, Chapter

Mainieri, T. Chapter 18. The Nature and Future of Recreation and Leisure as a Profession. Introduction to Recreation and Leisure (2025)
Mainieri, T. Crafting the Path Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic in Leisure Higher Education. Leisure Matters: Exploring Leisure in a Changing World. Sagamore Venture (2024)
Anderson, D., & Mainieri, T. Chapter 18. The Nature of Recreation and Leisure as a Profession. Tyler Tapps & Mary Sara Wells (EDs), Introduction to Recreation and Leisure (2018)

Journal Article

Mainieri, T., Schmalz, D., & Anderson, D. Embarking on a rhetorical exploration: Accommodating science (or not) in leisure research. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education (2019)
Mainieri, T., & Anderson, D. “It wasn’t just another week at camp”: Evaluating the Teens Leading and Connecting structured camp curriculum. Camping Magazine 88.2 (2015): 18-23.
Mainieri, T., & Anderson, D. Let your research flag fly! How to magnify your camp story with research. Camping Magazine 88.4 (2015): 12-17.
Mainieri, T., & Anderson, D. “There was more out there than our street”: Exploring summer camp as a context to foster civic engagement and social capital after camp. Research in Outdoor Education 13.2015 (2015): 38-58.
Baldwin, E., Mainieri, T., & Brookover, R. The EDGE of Learning: Clemson University’s Parks Recreation, and Tourism Management Immersion Semester. Schole 28.1 (2013): 63-76.

Textbook, Revised

Hurd, A., Anderson, D., & Mainieri, T. Kraus' Recreation & Leisure in Modern Society. Jones & Bartlett Learning (2021)

Presentations

Helping NTT Faculty Thrive at Illinois State. 2024 Teaching & Learning Symposium, Thriving at Illinois State University. ISU Center for Integrated Professional Development. (2024)
Leading from your values. Leadership McLean County 2021 Mid-Year Retreat. McLean County Chamber of Commerce. (2021)
Contemporary perspective on a lifetime of teaching observations. The Academy of Leisure Sciences Conference on Research and Teaching. The Academy of Leisure Science. (2019)
Exploring the impact of a group discussion exam on student learning. 2019 Teaching Professor Conference. Magna Publications. (2019)
2016-2017 Assessment Initiative Awards: Examining the Meanings Students Create. 2018 Teaching & Learning Symposium. Illinois State University Center for Teaching and Learning Technology. (2018)
Exploring the Experience of Women in Sport Leadership and Management. University Research Symposium. Illinois State University. (2018)
Lessons Learned Incorporating Student Strengths Assessment into an Undergraduate Course. 2018 Teaching & Learning Symposium. Illinois State University Center for Teaching and Learning Technology. (2018)
An Easy Tool to See What's on Your Counselor's Minds. Mid States Camp Conference. American Camp Association. (2017)
Diversity & Identity in Campus Recreation. Illinois Intramural Recreational Sport Association State Workshop. (2017)
Diversity Competence. Central Illinois Recreation Council for Leisure Experience Fall Connection. Central Illinois Recreation Council for Leisure Experience. (2017)

Grants & Contracts

CAST DEBI Grant. College of Applied Science and Technology. Illinois State University. (2022)
Dr. Phebe M. Scott Endowment Fund for the Professional Development of Women. CAST Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2022)
Dr. Phebe M. Scott Endowment Fund for the Professional Development of Women. CAST Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2019)
SoTL Travel Grant Award. Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology, Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2019)
2018-2019 Assessment Initiative Award. University Assessment Services. Illinois State University. (2018)