Cindy L. Hartman, Assistant Professor, Recreation Management and Policy

Cindy Hartman

Associate Professor
Phone: (603) 862-3795
Office: Recreation Management & Policy, Hewitt Hall Rm 108, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
Cindy L. Hartman, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy at the University of New Hampshire. Her research explores the relationship between identity development and free-time experiences—including organized recreation programming, informal learning, and leisure pursuits—across key developmental transitions during late adolescence, emerging adulthood, and young adulthood. Dr. Hartman investigates how young people plan for their futures and pursue lives of meaning through educational, career, family, and recreational pursuits, while navigating societal and cultural expectations about identity and life pathways.
 
Recenlty, her research has focused on recreation as an informal learning environment, with a particular emphasis on how recreational contexts support identity-relevant, intrinsically motivated learning experiences that foster STEM engagement, postsecondary planning, and career exploration—especially for rural youth. This aligns with federal and state priorities and emphasizes designing with and for rural youth to broaden educational and career pathways and foster community flourishing. She has received funding from federal agencies and foundations, and her scholarship has been published in leading recreation, adolescent development, and learning science journals.
 
Dr. Hartman has also been recognized for her contributions to teaching, curriculum development, and inclusive pedagogy. Actively engaged in professional organizations and interdisciplinary collaborations, she works to enhance the role of recreation in youth development, rural education, career readiness, and access to learning opportunities.



Courses Taught

  • RMP 661: Leadership in Recreation
  • RMP 668: Youth Culture and Programs
  • RMP 700H: Senior Honors Project
  • RMP 724/824: Research and Evaluation
  • RMP 800: Concepts Recreation & Leisure
  • RMP 970: Teaching Practicum
  • RMP 980: Independent Study

Education

  • Ph.D., Clemson University
  • M.S., ParksRecreationLeisureFaciMgmt, Clemson University
  • B.S., Texas A & M University

Research Interests

  • Career Education & Planning
  • Identity
  • Recreational & Leisure Activities
  • Wellness
  • Youth Development/Leadership
  • Human Development
  • Narrative
  • Rural Studies

Selected Publications

  • Seaman, J., Coppens, A. D., Hartman, C. L., Bastoni, A., Moscouver, K., LaChaine, C., & Gronneberg, J. (2024). Outdoor recreation shows promise as an equitable context for youth informal STEM learning in amenity-rich rural areas. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 48, 100815. doi:10.1016/j.jort.2024.100815

  • Hartman, C. L., Seaman, J., Coppens, A. D., Sharp, E. H., Jusseaume, S., & Donovan, M. (2024). Master Narratives surrounding Rural Emerging Adult Migration: Resources for Postsecondary Decision-making in Rural Communities. Journal of Adolescent Research. doi:10.1177/07435584241295766

  • Hartman, C. L., Anderson, D. M., & Barcelona, R. J. (2022). College-attending emerging adults' free time perception profiles: Relationships with well-being and identity development. JOURNAL OF LEISURE RESEARCH, 53(4), 512-531. doi:10.1080/00222216.2021.1999780

  • Hartman, C. L., & Bonica, M. J. (2019). A transdisciplinary, longitudinal investigation of early careerists? leisure during the school-to-work transition. JOURNAL OF LEISURE RESEARCH, 50(5), 438-460. doi:10.1080/00222216.2019.1594467

  • Gillard, A., Hartman, C. L., & Craig, P. J. (2019). Fostering Adolescent Identity Exploration across the Three Phases of a Camp Program. JOURNAL OF PARK AND RECREATION ADMINISTRATION, 37(3), 34-52. doi:10.18666/JPRA-2019-8905

  • Hartman, C. L., Evans, K. E., & Anderson, D. M. (2017). Promoting Adaptive Coping Skills and Subjective Well-Being through Credit-Based Leisure Education Courses. JOURNAL OF STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, 54(3), 303-315. doi:10.1080/19496591.2017.1331852

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