Our People
Founder & Director, Corliss Outley, Ph.D.
Professor
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Clemson University
Associate Director, Harrison Pinckney, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Clemson University
Assistant Director of Community Collaboration, Tavaghn Monts
Tavaghn works with Clemson University’s Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management Department and is the Executive Director of Momentum Bike Clubs. A native of Jacksonville Florida, Tavaghn earned his bachelor’s degree in Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management from Clemson University. He loves serving at Momentum because the students empower him to be the best version of himself every day.
Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation, Ryan Gagnon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Clemson University
Researcher, Yi Ju Wu, Ph.D.
Dr. Wu's research focuses on promoting adolescents’ positive mental health and social connectedness through recreational experiences and the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in child and youth development. Working specifically with Asian American youth populations, she focuses on the relationship between participation in cultural immersion camps, leisure behaviors and mental health outcomes among Taiwan adolescents. .
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Brennan Miller, Ph.D.
Brennan's research interests include social psychology, race/ethnicity, and neurosociology. His research focuses on the interplay between unconscious and cognitive processes that reproduce racial inequality within group and team interactions. I use an interdisciplinary approach which includes experimental design, quantitative methods, physiological measurements, and qualitative interviews. I also conduct research on race/ethnicity and education, such as how racial identity, mentorship, and school climate impact participation in STEM and other science activities. I joined the Race, Ethnicity, Youth, and Social Equity (REYSE) Collaboratory with the goal to conduct valuable research that helps improve the lives of racially and ethnically marginalized youth.
Graduate Researcher, Maira Patino
Maira Patino is a second year PhD student at Clemson University with the Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management Department. Her research interest is on youth development programs that are oriented towards minorities in underdeveloped communities. She is also interested in the benefits of outdoor recreation, specifically within the Latin x youth immigration populations given her own experiences immigrating to the United States. She considers herself a positive social advocate for youth and embeds herself in any community she is part of.
Graduate Researcher, Alayna Schmidt
Alayna Schmidt (she/they) is a Ph.D. student in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management and a Research Assistant with R.E.Y.S.E. Collaboratory. She sees her work as an environmental educator—and all work related to education and/or the environment—as inherently political. Their research interests are informed by critical and poststructural perspectives entangled in the interconnections of leisure, social justice, youth development, and the environment. She is particularly interested in engaged research that interrogates power and privilege and uses theories and methodologies that challenge hegemonic white patriarchal idea(l)s of what counts as knowledge in academia.
Graduate Researcher, Katie Thurson
Katie Thurson (she/her) is a Ph.D. student at Clemson University, studying data science & diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in youth programs. She spends her summers at Camp Zeke, as an Assistant Director, and serves on a number of committees as a camp and DEI consultant.
Community of Scholars
- Yewande Austin, Founder, Global Institute for Diversity and Change
- Jamila Blake, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
- Ariana Brazier, Director, Atlanta Parent Like A Boss, Inc.
- AishiaBrown, Ph.D., University of Louisville
- Nathanial Bryan, Miami University
- Sean Dogan, Pastor, Long Branch Baptist Church
- Myra Gayle Gabriel, Ph.D., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Carla Goar, Ph.D., Kent State
- Daphne C. Harris, University of North Texas
- DaveLouis, Ph.D., Texas Tech University
- Brandy Kelly Pryor, Ph.D., Humana Foundation
- LisakoMcKyer, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
- Tom Mueller, Ph.D., California University of Pennsylvania
- Jovanni Reyes, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Ed Tarleton, Ph.D.,HELP Consulting, Inc.
- David Taylor, Director, Momentum Bike Clubs
- Dan Theriault, Ph.D., Appalachian State University
- Yi Ju Wu, Program Evaluation Consultant, Houston, TX
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Become a REYSE Scholar
Benefits
- REYSE provides a supportive scholarly environment where Scholars have access to a network of faculty members, graduate students and YD Professionals who share experiences, act as mentors, and collaborate on research and programming related to race and ethnicity, youth development and social justice.
- REYSE organizes colloquia, conferences, coffee hours, and other related activities, which foster interdisciplinary contacts, connections, and community; and improve research & programming opportunities.
- REYSE facilitates and amplifies Scholar research, courses, programming & training on its website, on social media, and in the larger campus and local community.
- REYSE provides information and workshops about funding and training opportunities and has its own small grants program and training curriculum.
- REYSE provides opportunities for training of students through undergraduate internship support
Commitments
Commitments are based on appropriateness:
- Attend 2-3 REYSE activities a year, including speaker series, conferences, trainings, workshops, or chat hours.
- Write a blog post or research brief for REYSE at least once a year.
- Provide information about publications, awards, and fellowships once a year for the annual report.
- Affiliate your submitted research proposals with the Collaboratory
- Serve on committees, co-organize events, participate in the annual research symposium, or serve as a mentor for the undergraduate research program.
- Acknowledge REYSE in conference papers and published work that was supported by funding from REYSE or received feedback from REYSE staff.
Application Criteria
The following criteria assist in determining participation in the REYSE program:
- Aspects of each member’s research should demonstrate a clear and continuing connection to the mission of the REYSE.
- Each member is expected to participate in or contribute to REYSE-wide initiatives to the best of his or her ability.
- Each member will submit an updated CV to the REYSE annually.
- Members wishing to obtain PRTM Graduate Faculty status as part of their affiliation will follow procedures in the PRTM Bylaws.
Individuals interested in applying for membership in the Center should submit a resume/curriculum vitae and a brief statement of interest that communicates:
- How aspects of the individual’s work connects to the mission of the REYSE Collaboratory.
- The individual’s commitment to participation in Collaboratory-related initiatives to the best of his or her ability (see the list of commitments above and describe how you plan to participate in the community).
- Existing/planned projects relevant to the mission of the REYSE.
- Existing/planned extramural funding for projects relevant to the mission of the REYSE.
- Applications for membership will be reviewed by the REYSE Director.
Please use the online application form to submit your application to become a REYSE Collaboratory Scholar. The Director will review the materials sent by the prospective scholar and distribute the materials for review. Scholars are appointed for three-year terms and membership may be renewed.
Apply
Graduate Students
We are not currently seeking to fill any full-time positions. We are assessing our capacity to train Masters and Doctoral scholars for the 2021-22 academic year. If you would like to be contacted in the future regarding our graduate student assistantship positions, please email a resume/CV and cover letter to reyse@clemson.edu. In your cover letter, please include the following:
- Professional goals in 2-4 years
- Relevant skills
- Skills you would like to develop
- Interest in 2-3 current REYSE projects
Undergraduate Students
We are currently seeking to fill a full-time work-study position. Please visit the Clemson University Student Employment website for work-study opportunities.
If you would like to be contacted in the future regarding our undergraduate scholar positions, please email a resume and cover letter to reyse@clemson.edu. In your cover letter, please include the following:
- Professional goals in 2-4 years
- Relevant skills
- Skills you would like to develop
- Interest in 2-3 current REYSE projects
Students with Federal Work Study awards are encouraged to apply.
