Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, professor and associate director of the School of Natural Resources, and director of SNR undergraduate studies, was named a 2026 Fellow of The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS).

Criteria considered in nominating and electing new Fellows are: direct engagement in the leisure sciences professions; demonstrated competence for a period of not less than 10 years, as evidenced by quality as well as quantity of contributions to the scholarly literature of the field; recognized leadership and extensive, significant participation in professional associations and organizations; acknowledged outstanding performance as a teacher, leader, administrator, practitioner or researcher in the field of leisure; and a willingness to further the goals of the Academy and participate actively in its affairs.

TALS brings together people who share a mutual interest in better understanding the roles of leisure in life, including various contexts of recreation, park, tourism, outdoor adventure, health, therapy and sport.

Wilhelm Stanis is pictured in the center of the above photo along with Mary Ann Devine (left), Recreation, Park & Tourism Management, Kent State University; and Ingrid Schneider (right), Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota.