A digital special section of | Subscribe


Carrie Fullerton

Carrie Fullerton

Executive director | Bloomingdale Park District | Class of 1993

There was a time in Carrie Fullerton's life when three hours' shuteye was all she needed a night.

That time, however, most definitely is not now.

"At 49 years old, it is hard for me to fathom that at that time in my life I could happily work in my Huff Hall office until 3 a.m., then wake up at 6 a.m. the same day refreshed and ready to go again," says the executive director of the Bloomingdale Park District.

Huff was where Fullerton ('93), as a graduate teaching and research assistant in the Department of Recreation Sport and Tourism, spent hours upon hours "working with students on their 300 level papers, analyzing data on special event participation, eating Papa John’s pizza, drinking Diet Coke and of course, writing my own thesis.  

“At the time, I had a computer on my desk with very preliminary word processing software, and it was hard for me to believe that one day most people would own such an amazing tool, and use it to manage everyday life.

“The time I spent learning and growing in the RST Department has helped to shape my entire professional career. It’s not just the concepts I learned, but also the network I created that still are a very important part of my professional and personal life today.”