Greater Allegheny welcomes new recreation, park and tourism management faculty

Woman standing by Greater Allegheny Lion Shrine

Assistant Teaching Professor of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management Kudzayi Maumbe poses by Greater Allegheny's Lion Shrine.

Credit: Rachel Rowe

MCKEESPORT, Pa. – Penn State Greater Allegheny welcomed Kudzayi Maumbe to its campus community earlier this fall as assistant teaching professor of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM), one of the newer majors at Greater Allegheny. Students can start and finish the degree at Greater Allegheny or submit a change of campus from another Penn State location to finish years three and four at the Greater Allegheny campus.

RPTM combines a broad educational foundation with specific courses designed to accommodate career interests in recreation, park, and tourism management. Students gain the theoretical, managerial, technical, and experiential skills they need to become the next generation of leaders in the field. Given Greater Allegheny’s location in Allegheny County, students will be able to take full advantage of the outdoor spaces and public parks in the Pittsburgh region. 

Maumbe brings extensive knowledge and experience in the RPTM field and is excited to work with Greater Allegheny students and the campus community. “I’m looking forward to meeting new challenges, working with the students, and getting to know the community,” said Maumbe. “Recreation, park, and tourism management is mostly community based. It is the community that uses those resources, and I am looking forward to getting engaged in the community and seeing how we, as an institution within the community, can work to improve quality of life, study the area, and determine where students can be of assistance.”

"I am looking forward to getting engaged in the community."

—Kudzayi Maumbe , assistant teaching professor of recreation, park and tourism management

According to Maumbe, the program includes experiences with areas such as recreation, event planning and management, and travel.

“The program at Greater Allegheny has two specializations, commercial recreation and tourism management and community recreation management, which is why I’m very excited,” said Maumbe. She also expressed enthusiasm to collaborate with Penn State Abington, another location at which students can complete the RPTM program. University Park and World Campus also offer the degree.

RPTM students can prepare for a variety of career fields including supervisory and administrative positions with park systems, environmental centers, commercial recreation and tourism agencies, private volunteer agencies, schools and colleges, and other commercial, nonprofit, and public organizations that provide recreation and leisure services.

Maumbe described the type of student who would consider this path. “There is no limitation,” she said. “The good thing about this program is that it is diverse, and the sky is the limit. For someone who is interested in the outdoors this is your program. For someone who is more interested in management this is your program.”

To learn more about the Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management degree program at Greater Allegheny, please visit https://greaterallegheny.psu.edu/rptm or call 412-675-9010. 

Penn State Greater Allegheny's mission is to inspire students to be greater by offering transformative educational experiences. The campus is a catalyst for individual and social change, committed to improving the community and the world.

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