Kinesiology

From Research to Reps: EdD Student Heads to AIESEP and Launches Powerlifting Club 

Posted on March 26, 2026

EdD in KIN student Taisha Hernandez Zambrana is celebrating two exciting milestones in scholarship and leadership this year: acceptance into the prestigious AIESEP PhD Summer School Program and the successful launch of a growing high school Powerlifting Club in Florida. 

Taisha will attend AIESEP’s PhD Summer School Program, which will be hosted in June 2026 in Taipei, Taiwan. AIESEP is widely recognized as a leading international organization in physical education, physical activity, and sport pedagogy research. This opportunity is also sponsored by the Spectrum Institute of Teaching and Learning, making it an especially meaningful step in her academic and professional journey. 

Reflecting on the opportunity, Taisha shared her gratitude for the many people who have supported her along the way, including her EdD in KIN professors, 2024 cohort, family, friends, and colleagues. She gave special recognition to her mentor and advisor, Dr. Michael Hemphill, whose encouragement to apply and ongoing mentorship have played an important role in shaping her scholarly development and research interests. 

In addition to this international academic achievement, Taisha has also made an impact in her school community by starting a Powerlifting Club at Bell Creek Academy in Riverview, Florida, where she teaches. What began with just five students has quickly grown to 18 students regularly attending training days in only three months. 

Even more exciting, eight students from the club will compete in their first-ever USA Powerlifting meet, the Tampa Bay Open in Tampa, Florida. The club’s rapid growth and competitive debut reflect both the students’ enthusiasm and Taisha’s leadership in creating new opportunities for youth sport participation. The program may also be the first organized high school powerlifting club in the state of Florida. 

These accomplishments highlight the powerful connection between scholarship, mentorship, and community impact. Through both her academic work and her efforts as an educator, Taisha is creating meaningful opportunities for learning, leadership, and sport participation at both the local and international levels. 

We are super proud of Taisha and look forward to hearing more about the AIESEP Summer Program and her club.  

Visit our EdD in KIN website to learn more about the program at UNCG. 

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Kinesiology Graduate Student Appreciation

Posted on March 26, 2026

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Our School Trains the Teams Behind the Sports Teams

Posted on March 24, 2026

UNCG Students helping athlete

Career fields in sports and health sciences are growing to serve athletes of all ages, from children on recreational teams to collegiate and professional athletes. Building those workforces in our state is the mission of UNCG’s School of Health and Human Sciences (HHS). 

Excerpt from “UNCG Trains the Team Behind the Teams”
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Kinesiology alumna focuses research on female athletes

Posted on March 18, 2026

Kinesiology alumna focuses research on female athletes

There’s so much we don’t know about women athletes. It’s my lifelong pursuit to understand and educate women about their physiology.

Samantha Goldenstein, U.S. Army Reserve veteran and Kinesiology alumna
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UNCG Kinesiology Adventures in Hong Kong: ISSP Conference and Study Abroad

Posted on March 17, 2026

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Dr. Gill delivering keynote speech

Several faculty in the Kinesiology department had a busy December! The 16th World Congress for Sport Psychology took place in Hong Kong, China. The Congress celebrated the International Society of Sport Psychology’s 60th anniversary with the theme of Global Past, Present, and Future of Science and Practice in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology from December 8 –12, 2025. Fittingly, Dr. Diane Gill gave one of the keynote addresses focused on gender inclusion and was titled “Where are the women in SEP?” (pictured left). In her keynote address, she reflected on the progress of the place of women in Sport and Exercise Psychology. She hoped listeners from around the world would takeaway that while the field, organizations, and professions of SEP have come a long way with including women, more work on women-specific issues and on populations other than competitive athletes (e.g., musicians, actors, dancers, military) is needed. 

Student, faculty, and alumni from UNCG at dinner in Hong Kong

Reflecting on his experience at the conference, Dr. Alan Chu echoed a similar feeling about the Conference. He felt the theme was visible through the sessions with an emphasis on expanding “mental health screening and prevention for elite athletes, especially in the Eastern world.” After attending Dr. Gill’s keynote, Dr. Chu felt the message was clear – progress has been made, but more changes are needed. Dr. Donna Duffy said she was impressed with the “breadth and global research of sport and exercise psychology.” Additionally, our faculty appreciated the cultural influence that the conference organizers blended through shared traditional meals and a visit to the highest point in Hong Kong known as “The Peak.” The far-reaching impact of UNCG was on full display as current UNCG Kinesiology faculty (Chu, Gill, Duffy, and Ang Chen) attended and presented, alongside one current ASP student. In typical UNCG fashion, our faculty, alumni, and students met up for dinner to catch up (pictured right). 

Group of study abroad students outside a CityU Hong Kong building

UNCG’s Kinesiology adventures in Hong Kong continued with a study abroad experience that was led by Dr. Chu and Dr. Duffy. The Working with Diverse Populations in Sport and Performance Psychology course took place in Hong Kong from December 13 – 24, 2025. This was the first time the course was offered in this format, with 11 students attending from five institutions (Adams State University, University of Denver, UNCG, Springfield College, and West Virginia University). The purpose of the course was to learn about sport, performance, and culture in diverse settings in Hong Kong. The group visited the Hong Kong Sports Institute and Hong Kong China Paralympic and Olympic Committee, where they spoke with leading professionals in the field in Hong Kong. Dr. Chu hoped that students would show and build cultural humility, be open to global perspectives, and make connections with students, professionals, and the community. Dr. Duffy was excited for graduate students to have the same study abroad opportunities that are more common in undergraduate coursework. Graduate students benefited from broadening their professional networks and enhancing cultural competence by “reigniting motivation, deepening engagement with content, and creating space for reflection that’s hard to achieve in day-to-day routines. (group pictured above)”  

Students had to adapt to the different time zone and the pace of the culture in Hong Kong. While doing so, they had the opportunity to engage in teaching and consulting opportunities with diverse populations, as well as for students at City University of Hong Kong. Students had many meaningful experiences, but what most students enjoyed were conversations outside the classroom about what was seen and heard in class, at locations, and in the environment around them. It was evident that the students were seeking to apply and implement newly gained knowledge to make an immediate impact on clients and their work. 

December was fulfilling time for these faculty, students and demonstrated the hard work that extends beyond the classroom and into abroad networks.  

Learn more about the EdD in KIN program and the Kinesiology department.  

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UNCG Welcomes Dr. Tracie Canada for Kinesiology Colloquium

Posted on March 13, 2026

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On February 20th, 2026, The UNCG Department of Kinesiology welcomed Dr. Tracie Canada for a thought-provoking colloquium centred on her book, Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football. A cultural anthropologist, ethnographer and assistant professor at Duke University, Dr Canada shared insights from her ethnographic research inside a Division I college football program, offering students and faculty a closer look at the lived experiences of Black college football players and the cultural structures that shape their daily lives. 

Dr. Berg introducing Dr. Canada to UNCG Kinesiology students.
Dr. Berg introducing Dr. Canada to UNCG Kinesiology students.

Dr. Canada discussed the origins of the book and the immersive fieldwork that informed it. Spending extensive time embedded within a major college football program, she observed team meetings, practices, travel, and the everyday interactions that define athletes’ experiences beyond the public spectacle of the sport. Through this work, Dr. Canada examined how race, identity, and institutional expectations intersect within college football, highlighting how athletes navigate pressures from coaches, universities, and the broader culture of big-time sport.  

Throughout the presentation, Dr. Canada emphasized the importance of examining the “everyday” moments in sport. Those small interactions, routines, and conversations that often go unnoticed but shape athletes’ identities and experiences. By focusing on these moments, her research provides a deeper understanding of how systems of race and power operate within collegiate athletics. 

During the discussion, students asked Dr. Canada a range of thoughtful questions about her research and its broader implications. Some questions focused on athletic identity, particularly whether athletes might feel culturally disconnected from football’s reputation as the “great American sport,” and how players navigate their identities within a system that carries strong national symbolism. Other students asked how the themes explored in her book might look different if the research were conducted at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), prompting conversation about how institutional culture, history, and community context could shape athletes’ experiences in ways that differ from predominantly white institutions. 

The session concluded with continued informal conversations as students and faculty reflected on the intersections of sport, culture, and identity highlighted in Dr. Canada’s work. The event provided an engaging opportunity for the Kinesiology community to explore how qualitative research can deepen understanding of athletes’ lived experiences and inspire meaningful dialogue about the future of sport. 

Want to learn more about Dr. Canada’s work, visit her webpage. 

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Celebrating our 2025 Graduates

Posted on February 17, 2026

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Doctor of Education graduates and faculty following 2025 commencement

Join us to congratulate our 2025 EdD in KIN graduates. We celebrated with our students at the May and December Hooding ceremonies. As full-time professionals, they successfully balanced their careers and personal responsibilities to reach this milestone. Their perseverance and commitment to advancing the field culminated with their dissertations. We are proud to celebrate their achievements earned through hard work, resilience, and a strong commitment to make a meaningful impact in their communities and the profession. 

Our 2025 EdD in KIN Graduates include Christy Bennett, Tracy Bonoffski, Bill Burniston, Kate Foley, Cathy Gold, Ashley Corkins, Trevor Hall, Drew Kramer, Chris Rash, Melanie Rose, Lucas Salles-Cunha, and Jill Spohn. Additionally, two of our graduate assistants earned their master’s degrees: Eryn Murray, MS in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and Cooper Neeble, MS in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Physiology. We are so proud of our recent graduates and look forward to their future success. 

Visit the EdD in KIN website for more information about the program. 

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David Wilkenfeld Promoted to Associate Professor of Athletic Training 

Posted on February 11, 2026

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David Wilkenfeld, an EdD in KIN alum, was promoted to Associate Professor of Athletic Training and received tenure at Moravian University prior to this academic year. David’s contributions to his institution are noteworthy and include his service roles on the Executive Board of the IRB  and the Campus Climate Education Team, as well as being an “inclusive hiring expert” on faculty and staff search committees and the lab coordinator for the Flicker Virtual Anatomy & Dissection Lab. He also serves as the President-Elect of the Performing Arts Athletics Trainers’ Society and the Corporate Relations Chair for the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers’ Society. Additionally, David successfully led the MSAT Program through reaccreditation as Program Director and helped stabilize program enrollment numbers, diversify admissions pathways, and maintain stellar program outcomes. 

David credits the online nature of the EdD in KIN program for helping him leverage the online learning environment to foster community and engage students critically in the MSAT and Doctor of Athletic Training programs at Moravian University. David says the curriculum in the EdD in KIN program provided him with pedagogical and andragogical tools and a spark for continuous learning and professional development as an educator.  

Visit the EdD in KIN website to learn how the program can help you advance your career. 

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KOREY KLEINHANS EARNS SHAPE AMERICA MIDWEST DISTRICT ADAPTED PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR  

Posted on February 09, 2026

Featured Image for KOREY KLEINHANS EARNS SHAPE AMERICA MIDWEST DISTRICT ADAPTED PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER OF THE YEAR  
Korey Kleinhans

One of our current EdD in KIN students, Korey Kleinhans, was awarded the SHAPE America Midwest Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year for his commitment to making lifelong physical activity meaningful and accessible for every student. 

Korey, an adapted and general physical education specialist at Oshkosh West High School, says his program is built on intentional inclusion. “Our goal is to promote physical activity through meaningful, lifelong activities,” he shared. “We are committed to intentionally including students with disabilities across all courses and ensuring equitable access and opportunities for every student.” His day-to-day teaching reflects kinesiology principles in action, using equipment and task modifications to differentiate instruction and help students of all abilities participate confidently and successfully. 

When asked what led colleagues to nominate him, Korey points to the programs he has helped build and sustain; especially his leadership in expanding the Wisconsin Adapted Sports League from five teams to 18 teams statewide. The league provides an opportunity for high school students with disabilities to compete in sports such as soccer, floor hockey, and whiffle ball, while also building teamwork, belonging, and school pride. He credits strong professional relationships and collaboration across schools and districts, and remains involved in efforts to support parents, coaches, and administrators to strengthen adapted sport programming. 

Korey and his family

He also connects his work to his graduate studies – sharing that UNCG’s EdD in KIN coursework has helped him sharpen how he thinks about advocacy and the broader profession. Looking ahead, Kleinhans sees the award as both recognition and momentum, and he expressed gratitude to the mentors, colleagues, and his family who have supported him throughout the journey.  

We congratulate Korey for being the SHAPE America Midwest award recipient and wish him good luck as he competes to become the SHAPE America’s National Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year.  We also want to congratulate Mandy Davis, another UNCG graduate, who was named the Southern District Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year. National awardees will be named in March.  

Visit the EdD in KIN website for more information about the program. 

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Kinesiology Colloquium Welcomes Dr. Tracie Canada This February

Posted on February 04, 2026

The Department of Kinesiology at UNC Greensboro is pleased to welcome Dr. Tracie Canada (Duke University) for this month’s Graduate Student Colloquium on Friday, February 20.

Drawing from her recent book, Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football, Dr. Canada presents ethnographic research about how Black college football players navigate the exploitative systems that structure their everyday lives, and who helps them do it.

Dr. Tracie Canada will join us on Friday, February 20, with a reception from 12:30–1:30 PM in the Coleman 2nd Floor Atrium, followed by the colloquium from 2:00–3:00 PM in Bryan Building 122.

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