Embracing the Experience Economy: A Case Study of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Abstract Those of us who serve the discipline of parks, recreation, tourism and related professions have long struggled with visibility and viability on university campuses. This struggle is magnified by the absence of an adequate umbrella term and the variability in the names of our academic programs and the colleges in which we reside. For some, the general labels of “parks, recreation, and tourism” that have long served as the basis of the discipline no longer adequately represent the specialty areas that are encompassed within our programs. The recent embrace of the experience economy concept, coupled with shifting industry trends, provides a unique opportunity for our academic discipline to position ourselves as change agents. As students emerge as professionals into positions like director of experience design, employee events specialist, participant development manager, employee event and experience specialist, and thought leadership-events and experiences, our duty as educators is to ensure their preparation as industry innovators with firm foundations in the history, philosophy, and key competencies of the field. This case study of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo examines the strategic planning process ultimately leading to a department name change from Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration to Experience Industry Management and explores the implications of that shift.