Trenton Reed
Trenton Reed is a junior majoring in sport management in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism.
What are your general impressions of the RST?
I think the RST degree program is great. Our classes touch on many different subject areas that are not
only relevant to our concentration areas, but also cover very practical issues such as marketing, technology,
and leadership. The RST department has been nothing but good to me. Every day people from the faculty say
hello and are always there to help whenever needed.
What has been your most interesting experience at the University of Illinois?
I have had many very interesting experiences in my time on campus so far. If I had to pick one I would say
living in the dorms freshman year was the most interesting. Living in the dorms is like a brand new world for
many different reasons, being away from home for the first time, living in such a small room, and being
assigned with a complete stranger all made for an interesting, but great experience.
Have you undertaken any research or independent study and if so, on what did it focus?
I am a member of S.T.A.R. (Sport, Tourism, and Recreation Association), and last spring we had the
opportunity to plan a brand new event on campus called the Skyline Plunge for Independent Study credit.
Basically we recruited people to pledge money to the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
to be able to rappel down Illini Tower. It was a great opportunity for us to get real hands-on experience
with event planning and we all learned a great deal from coordinating this event.
What are your post-graduation plans?
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what my post-graduation plans are. Right now I'm trying to figure
things out and determine what type of job I am striving for when I do graduate.
What do you like to do for fun?
I like to do many different things for fun. A few things include hanging out with friends, playing
basketball, exercising at the ARC, playing video games, and listening to music. I'm pretty spontaneous
so it just depends on how I feel.
Why would you recommend the College of Applied Health Sciences and RST to other students?
I would recommend the RST program to other students because the faculty here really wants us to succeed.
They are always willing to go the extra mile for students and that's not often the case in some other degree
programs on campus. I would also recommend it because I think there are a lot of job opportunities that can
come from a RST degree for those who are interested in recreation, sport, or tourism related work.