COLLEGE STATION — Dr. Peter A. Witt, head of the recreation, park and tourism sciences department at Texas A&M University, has received both the Fellow Award and the President’s Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society.
Witt is the first society member to win both major awards in the same year, according to society records, and only the second to win both awards. The awards were given during the society’s annual institute and trade show in Waco.
Winners of the Fellow Award, the most prestigious of the society’s annual awards, are selected each year by the society’s members, who currently number 1,400. The recipient is selected based on outstanding service to the field for a minimum of 10 years and contributions to promotion and advancement of the society.
The President’s Award is given at the discretion of the society’s president for outstanding contributions in the preceding year. Witt shared the award with Ralph Rayburn of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Doug Evans of the Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department. All took part in an effort to help initiate a statewide review of natural, cultural and historic resources, which resulted in the report Texas Outdoors: A Vision for the Future.
Witt led the study portion of that project. He also was the first to serve in the society’s new academic director position, said Tony Cisneros, the society’s president and director of Corpus Christi’s Parks and Recreation Department.
“His plate as substantially full, and for him to take on an additional duty like that was beyond the call of duty,” said Cisneros, formerly director of the Bryan Parks and Recreation Department. “He led the team on a tremendous effort for the Texas Outdoors report, met on time and on budget. As a leader, he was able to commit the team toward that total effort.”
Dr. Carson Watt, Texas A&M recreation, park and tourism sciences professor, was the first to win both awards. He received the President’s Award in 1982 and the Fellow Award in 1983.
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