Faculty and Staff Profile

Alexandra Skrocki

Educational Background

Clemson University Ph.D. Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management

2021 Texas A&M University M.S. Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences

2019 Texas A&M University B.S. Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences

Courses Taught

YDP 3000 - Youth Development in Society, 3 Credits

Profile

Alexandra (Alex) Skrocki is a doctoral candidate within the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management. In addition to her studies, she serves as a research assistant for the Alliance for Camp Health under Dr. Barry Garst. She received her B.S. and M.S. from the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University as well as a certificate in Public Management from the Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Research Interests

Realizing the gap between effective youth programming and execution, her research interests are centered around positive youth development programs and effective evaluation of youth service organizations. During her graduate studies, Alex has focused on the value of out-of-school time programs through the development of academic success and motivation, youth sparks, and thriving; creation of impactful and engaging experiences; and supporting the mental, emotional, and social health needs of youth within summer camp settings. As a whole, Alex’s main directive is to craft actionable and effective research driven practices and policies that foster safe environments and support the positive development of youth.

Research Publications

Dubin, A., Skrocki, A., Garst, B. A., & Gaslin, T. (2025). A scoping review of camp health care: Trends, gaps, and future directions. Children’s Health Care, 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2025.2577098

Fasolino, T., Parry, B., Skrocki, A., Withycombe, J., Garst, B. A., Gillard, A., Gagnon, R., & Hollandsworth, R. (2025). A rapid review exploring residential camps for children with chronic or serious illness as a palliative care intervention for caregivers. Journal of Palliative Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/10966218251377082

Garst, B., Skrocki, A., & Gaberson, K. (2025). Research evidence utilization barriers among camp health care providers and administrators. Children's Health Care, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2025.2505061

Ellis, G., Jiang, J., Freeman, P., Locke, D., Skrocki, A., Janes, K. (2025). A Labeled Magnitude Scale for Evaluating Recreation Experiences. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 43(3). https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2025-12313

Skrocki, A., Ellis. G. E., Ettekal, A., & Locke, D. (2025). Sparks and developmental outcomes in out-of-school time programs: Empirical evidence and theory development. Journal of Youth Development, 20(1), 9. https://open.clemson.edu/jyd/vol20/iss1/9

Garst, B. A., Skrocki, A., Owens, M. H., Gaslin, T., Schultz, B. E., Hashikawa, A. N., Gaberson, K, B., Ambrose, M., & DeHudy, A. A. (2024). Evaluating the mental, emotional, and social health status of youth and staff in a national summer camp cohort. Children's Health Care, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/02739615.2024.2410198

Skrocki, A., Ellis, G., Ettekal, A., & Locke, D. (2024). Youth sparks via 4-H: Relations with program quality, dosage, and involvement. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 12(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1349

Garst, B., Skrocki, A., Gaslin, T., Schultz, B., Hashikawa, A., Bunke, C., Gaberson, K., & DeHudy, A. (2024). Assessing camp provider needs related to the mental, emotional, and social health needs of youth and staff: Implications for parent communication, human resources, and transition of care. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 42(2), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.18666/JPRA-2024-12182

Ellis, G., Skrocki, A., Goebel, D., Janes, K., Locke, D., Catalan, E., & Zanolini, W. (2024). Youth development travel programs: Facilitating engagement, deep experience, and “sparks” through self-relevance and stories. Journal of Leisure Research, 54(5), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2023.2295856

Skrocki, A., Locke, D., Ellis, G., & Williams, M. (2023). Academic performance of Texas 4-H alumni. Journal of Human Sciences and Extension, 11(2), 14. https://doi.org/10.55533/2325-5226.1383

Honors and Awards

Marge Scanlin Research Award, American Camp Association, 2026
Marsha A. Ward Fellowship, Clemson University, 2025

Links