Lundberg Named Recreation Management Chair

PROVO, Utah – Jul 31, 2015 – The Marriott School of Management recently appointed Neil Lundberg as the chair of the Brigham Young University Department of Recreation Management, succeeding Patti Freeman. Lundberg will begin his term August 1.

“We deeply appreciate the many contributions of Patti over the past nine years as she led the recreation management department through a period of transformative change,” says Lee Perry, Marriott School dean. “Neil is an outstanding scholar, teacher and leader who will make a real difference in the department and the Marriott School. We are excited to work closely with him in the coming years.”

Lundberg has been teaching at BYU for nearly 10 years as a professor of therapeutic recreation specializing in facilitation techniques that use recreation to serve and help people with disabilities or illnesses. Prior to teaching at BYU Lundberg worked for the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, servicing individuals with disabilities.

“My hope is to lift the caliber of our students, improve their job prospects and build enthusiasm around the program,” Lundberg says. “There’s more we can do to elevate our position by maximizing our strengths and contributions.”

After serving as department chair for nine years, Freeman will return to teaching full-time as a professor of recreation management. Under her leadership the department moved from the College of Health and Human Performance to the Marriott School six years ago. She oversaw many changes in the department, such as standardized credit hours and core classes, limited enrollment and substantial curriculum changes.

“Patti has been instrumental in moving the department forward,” Lundberg says. “I hope to continue moving us in that direction.”

The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems and public management. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.