RT Month Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Gena Bell Vargas

Name: Gena Bell Vargas, PhD, CTRS
Degree & graduation year: ECU- B.S. in Recreational Therapy with a minor in Psychology (December 2003); ECU- M.S. in Recreational Therapy Administration (December 2006); Clemson- Ph. D. in Therapeutic Recreation May 2010.

What brought you to ECU?
I’m from Eastern North Carolina. I really wanted to be in healthcare and have an impact on individuals, I thought nursing was the way to make that happen. Turns out, nursing was not for me! I was not thriving in nursing school; I sought advice regarding what my other options were and that was how I discovered and fell in love with Recreational Therapy.

What is your favorite aspect of Recreational Therapy?
That it applies to everyone and meets everyone where they are at. We see their strengths and help them build from where they are to where they can be, by engaging them in things they enjoy and value.

What is a typical day like for you with your current role/employer?
I am the Graduate Program Director for the Recreational Therapy Program at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. That means I personally work with all of our graduate students, from before they are admitted to graduation (and often beyond). Additionally, I teach in our online graduate program and our in-person undergraduate program. I answer a lot of emails! I go to a lot of meetings, and my favorite meetings are when I get to talk one-on-one with my students.

This year, in celebration of ATRA’s upcoming 40^th birthday, the theme for RT Month is “Together We Thrive, Together We Rise!” What initiatives or activities do you think foster a thriving environment within the realm of recreational therapy, and how can individuals contribute to this goal?
Any initiatives that help keep us all centered in our roots, that remind us of the value of recreation and leisure and how it contributes to positive outcomes for all aspects of our functioning. Stay engaged! Keep learning! Connect with other professionals locally and nationally.

Do you have any words of advice for prospective and/or current Recreational Therapy students?
Keep your options open! Explore all areas of practice, you might be surprised by what you end up feeling very passionate about and very competent in.

Anything else you’d like to share about yourself or your passion for Recreational Therapy?
Being an RT has contributed to all areas of my life. I wouldn’t have the relationships I have, I wouldn’t be the parent I am, if I wasn’t a Recreational Therapist. So very thankful for the faculty at ECU that showed me all that was possible in our field and encouraged me to pursue further degrees – David Loy, Richard Williams, Thom Skalko, Susan McGee, Carmen Russoniello, and so many RCLS faculty that were not RT (Cheryl Stevens and Nelson Cooper to name a few).