B.A., Albright College
M.S., Aurora University
Ph.D., University of Florida
Dr. Sydney Sklar, Professor of Recreation Therapy, chairs the Recreation and Sport Management Department and coordinates the Recreation Therapy program. He also manages the USF Challenge Center, an experiential team building and leadership development program.
Prior to teaching at USF, he served as a therapeutic recreation practitioner at Fox Valley Special Recreation Association in Aurora, IL and Shands at Vista Mental Health Center in Gainesville, FL. He came to USF in 2005 from the University of Florida where he completed his Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance with a specialization in Therapeutic Recreation.
Sklar’s research includes outdoor adaptive sports, therapeutic recreation education, youth development, adventure learning, and community development. In a current research project, he works with an outdoor adventure adaptive sports program in Colorado to assess functional outcomes of the program among participants with disabilities.
He has published three chapters in therapeutic recreation textbooks and articles in journals such as the Therapeutic Recreation Journal, Annual in Therapeutic Recreation, and the World Leisure Journal. His career has included service to state and national association boards, and he has presented at local, state, regional, national and international conferences. He currently chairs the Council on Accreditation of Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Related Professions, an organization that ensures accountability and quality among baccalaureate higher education programs in leisure studies.
Dr. Sklar’s approach to teaching is to work in partnership with his students to construct a meaningful and engaging learning experience. He is less about lecture, and leans toward student involvement to engage students in active learning. It’s not uncommon for students in his classes to split into breakout groups, engage in experiential activities, and participate in creative critical thinking exercises. A hallmark of his teaching philosophy is to apply knowledge to practice, and to connect students to professional practice opportunities.
Dr. Sklar teaches courses in the core curriculum and Recreation Therapy concentration. Course titles include:
