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Department News: 

• SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PARK and RECREATION ASSOCIATION 2006/2007 Undergraduate/Graduate Student Scholarship Recipients.  Each recipient receives $1000.

  Ashley N. Donaldson, from Marion, Illinois, is an undergraduate student majoring in leisure management services with the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Ashley currently has a 3.13 overall and a perfect 4.0 grade point average in her major. Ms Donaldson is the current President of the SIUC Student Recreation Society. While working at the SIUC Student Recreation Center she was recognized as the “Best Handball Official”, the “Best Soccer Official”, and as the “Intramural Supervisor of the year for 2005”. It could be suggested that Ashley began her career path in recreation as a fifteen year old volunteer at summer youth camps. Although other career paths have been considered and pursued, Ashley says that while attending a Campus Recreation (IIRSA) Conference, “…I found a passion that I had not experienced and I became ecstatic about making leisure services my majorand career. Finally, (I) found something that I was excited about doing for the rest of my life.”  

  Lei Guo, from Beijing, China, currently residing in Carbondale, Illinois, is a graduate student majoring in therapeutic recreation with the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Lei currently has a perfect overall 4.0 grade point average. Having completed an undergraduate program in Sports Management at Beijing University of Physical Education, Lei came to America and completed a Masters Program in Recreational Sport Administration and a Doctoral Program in Leisure Behavior at Indiana University. Lei’, not having fulfilled his goal of pursuing a graduate program in Therapeutic Recreation, is now serving as a therapeutic recreation graduate assistant at SIUC. He is the most recent recipient of the department’s O’Brien Scholarship Award for Excellence in Graduate Study in Recreation. Lei shared , “I came from a country where there are no so many parks and green spaces…I started to realize how important the park and recreation are for the people…I know that I have a mission to introduce this to my country and advocate for the movement of park and recreation in my country.” (added 11/14/06)

   
• FREDERICK DOUGLASS INSTITUTE AT SRU BRINGS SIU DOCTORAL STUDENT TO CAMPUS CLASSROOM-- SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Shanel Winfield, a doctoral student from Southern Illinois University, has plans to teach at a university and is taking advantage of a Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Fredrick Douglass Institute summer program for minorities at Slippery Rock University to sharpen her classroom skills.
       Winfield is working with Dr. Michael Cleary, professor of health and safety, as part of his “Human Sexuality” summer class. “She has been an asset since day one,” says Cleary, pointing out that she draws out student questions and has built a strong rapport with the 21 students enrolled in the class. “She is very accessible to the students,” he adds.
       Dr. Christophas Walker, director of SRU’s Fredrick Douglass Institute, says the program is open to graduate students entering their final year of their terminal degree studies. “This is the first time we have offered the opportunity here at SRU,” he explains, adding the project was made possible by SRU’s Provost Dr. William Williams and cooperation from Dr. Jace Condravy, president of the Association of Pennsylvania State, College and University Faculty. 
      “The purpose of the summer scholars program is to attract graduate students from historically underrepresented and underserved populations. Selected scholars will teach and/or co-teach one course during a five-week summer session. The scholars program is designed to give these graduate students teaching experience and to explore employment opportunities within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which is committed to cultural diversity. This is in keeping with the spirit of Douglass’ life of public service and the university’s mission to be a source of encouragement to the African American, Native American, Hispanic American and Asian American communities,” Walker says.
        Winfield, who is undertaking doctoral studies health education at SIU, previously taught classes at the University of Iowa while earning her master’s degree, and teaches “Consumer Health” and “Health Foundations” as part of her doctoral work. Her undergraduate degree was awarded by Southern University at New Orleans, but she adds the SRU experience is not part of her formal degree program. “It is an opportunity to teach and gain experience above that required for my doctorate.” She says she hopes to integrate her teaching interests with the use of technology – e-mail, the Internet – to deliver health information to those who traditionally have less access to the healthcare system.
       She learned of the program through the Chronicle of Higher Education and her department chair Dr. David Birch, a 1970 SRU graduate and former football player. (added 8/24/06)

Alumni News: 

• Ph.D. (2000) Health Education—Dr. Dixie Dennis has been named Interim Dean of the College of Professional Programs and Social Sciences at Austin Peay State University.  (added 2/13/08)

• M.S. (1985)  Health Education—Alan J. Sofalvi, PhD, FASHA was recipient of the American School Health Association 2006 National Distinguished Service Award. (added 11/14/06)
• Ph.D. (1966) Health Education--Dr. Peter C. Doran (the third Ph.D. graduate of our program) recently received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Maine at Farmington.  (added 6/13/06)
• Ph.D. (1991) Health Education—Dr. Willie Hey, who is currently a Professor of Health Education within the Department of Health, Physical Education & Recreation at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, was recently recognized as the Health Education Professional of the Year for Colleges/Universities by the American association of Health Education (AAHE).  Dr. Hey received the Award in April at the AAHPERD National Conference in Salt Lake City.  This national award is presented annually to recognize an individual who have made substantial contributions as a practitioner to professional practice of Health Education at the College/University level. (added 6/6/06)