The college’s renowned Adapted Physical Activity Program continues to be a national stand-out, receiving consistent funding for the past 25 years. It’s the only program in the United States to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education to train future leaders in adapted physical activity for both master’s and PhD students. The program attracts students from across the country who want to be leaders in helping individuals with disabilities.
Thanks to Kinesiology faculty JK Yun, Megan MacDonald and Sam Logan, the program recently received another $1.2 million grant to fund five PhD students over the next five years. In addition to the doctoral grant, a master’s grant is currently funding 30 students. Both grants are highly competitive in nature.
This new grant will start funding the first student in the fall. JK says that having this type of funding will recruit highly qualified students and train effective leaders in adapted physical activity. It will address a critical shortage area in working with individuals with disabilities.
“The purpose of this training grant is to reduce critical shortages in people who want to work with people with disabilities,” JK says. “The great thing about this particular grant is we want to train future physical education teachers in ways to increase health and well-being in children with disabilities.”
He says that when you look at physical education, there are many people suggesting physical activity as one of the main components in improving public health practice. With inactivity being the second leading cause of death in the United States, there is a great need for increasing the number of professionals in the field.
Students in the Adapted Physical Activity Program have numerous opportunities to work directly with individuals with adapted physical activity needs through programs such as IMPACT, IMPACT for Life, GoBabyGo and MS Exercise Program.