Winona State Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation

05/08/2026

Congratulations to our RTTR graduates from the Class of 2026! 🎓

We’re proud of all you’ve accomplished during your time at Winona State and grateful for the energy, leadership, creativity, and care you brought to our program. Best wishes as you begin the next chapter and keep in touch — we can’t wait to see where life takes you next.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Lindsay on this outstanding achievement! 🌟 Your dedication, positivity, and commitment to the RTTR program have made a lasting impact. We’re excited to see where your journey leads next!

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Natalia on this well-deserved recognition! 🎓👏 We’re proud to celebrate your hard work, leadership, and contributions to the RTTR program and beyond.

05/03/2026

RTTR is proud of Izzy Howe! She pitched an awesome no-hitter today. Best of luck at NSIC next week. We are all rooting for you!

WINONA, Minn. – Winona State softball secured a pair of shutout victories over MSU Moorhead on Senior Day, including a no-hitter from Izzy Howe in game one.

04/30/2026

Proud moment! Lindsay—RTTR student at Winona State University—is one of only seven students selected for the 2026 Outstanding Student Leader Award. From leading the RTTR Student Association to her leadership work at Good Earth Village summer camp, and a plethora of other community projects, she’s been making an impact all along the way.

04/28/2026

RTTR 370 (Festival and Special Event Planning) students hosted an orienteering event for the community on April 27 at Prairie Island Park, in collaboration with the Winona Outdoor Collaborative. Throughout the semester, students served as event organizers for their client (WOC), applying event planning concepts learned in the classroom to a real‑world setting.

04/24/2026

We're proud to highlight undergraduate researchers Sophia, Natalia, ellie, and Lindsay, who recently presented their project, "Exploring How Virtual Reality Affects the Client - Recreational Therapist Relationship," at the Research and Creative Achievement Symposium.
Under the mentorship of Drs. Cavanaugh, Yoon, and Aybar-Damali, this team investigated how therapeutic rapport, trust, and communication are impacted based on the use of virtual reality. Their findings suggest that VR holds potential to enhance therapeutic relationship while also presenting important considerations for implementation.
Congratulations to these students for their thoughtful research and engaging presentation - an excellent example of undergraduate scholarship in action! 👏

04/20/2026

Students from RTTR 245 and 468, along with Drs. Aybar-Damali and Cavanaugh, attended the Wisconsin Therapeutic Recreation Association Annual Conference on April 17 in La Crosse, WI.
Throughout the conference, they explored meaningful topics like supporting quality of life, fostering social-emotional growth, promoting self-determination, and amplifying the importance of being seen and heard. It was an inspiring space focused on empowering therapeutic recreation students, faculty, and professionals to better support patients and their families.
A special shoutout to Dr. Cavanaugh and Natalia Miller for their presentation, "Cooking for Quality of Life: Culinary Interventions in Recreation Therapy" - they did an incredible job!

04/20/2026

Dear RTTRers!!

Our college is hosting an exciting webinar happening TONIGHT focused on LinkedIn!
This is a great opportunity to learn from Tesla Mitchel, Digital Content Manager at WSU.

Whether you already have a LinkedIn account or are just getting started, you’ll gain valuable insights - there’s always something new to learn. Come ready to engage and ask questions!
IN-PERSON:
📅 April 20 (Monday)
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Stark Hall, Room 103
ONLINE (Zoom - check your email for the zoom information):
📅 April 20 (Monday)
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM

04/14/2026

We've partnered with WSU RTTR students for an introduction to orienteering event! Join us for a fun, beginner-friendly introduction to this map-and-compass navigation activity on Monday, April 27th. Participants will learn the basics of orienteering and navigate a simple course at their own pace.

We'll meet at the Prairie Island Kiwanis Shelter for instruction and a navigation course. This program is geared toward beginners - so don't hesitate to sign up & try something new! Event is free, but registration is required: www.winonaoutdoorcollaborative.com/events.