Date of Award
5-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
Committee Chair/Advisor
Matthew Browning (co-chair)
Committee Member
Olivia McAnirlin (co-chair)
Committee Member
David White
Committee Member
Kailan Sindelar
Abstract
This dissertation examines the impacts of climate change on out-of-school time (OST) programs in the U.S., focusing on summer camps. As climate change poses increasing risks to these programs, many OST settings lack the resources or preparedness to address them. This dissertation is structured into three studies, each contributing to an understanding of how climate change affects OST programs and informing strategies for adaptation. The first study explores the portrayal of climate change and related events in the media, analyzing over 14,000 news articles published between 2022 and 2024. Through the identification of three core themes: Crisis & Response, Pop Culture & Public Opinion, and Economic & Financial Issues: this article underscores the need for nuanced, context-specific climate communication within OST settings. Study 2, in collaboration with the American Camp Association (ACA), maps U.S. camps and utilizes data from the 5th National Climate Assessment to assess climate risks across regions. This study highlights how days of extreme heat and precipitation affect different camp locations and provides visualizations to initiate critical conversations on climate preparedness and adaptation, across different climate scenarios. The third and final study presents findings from semi-structured interviews with camp directors from both the West and East coasts. This article delves into how these directors conceptualize the impact of climate change on their programs, examining their approaches to stewardship across three key contexts: program, finances, and environment. Together, these studies offer a comprehensive analysis of climate change impacts on OST programs, providing actionable insights for stakeholders and laying the foundation for future research on climate adaptation within youth development contexts.
Recommended Citation
Thurson, Kathleen, "“It’s What Scares Me to Death in the Industry Right Now:” Contextualizing the Impacts of Climate Change on Out-Of-School Time Programs" (2025). All Dissertations. 3894.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3894
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0003-3448-8107