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Kinesiology

Teamwork! Kinesiology faculty, alumni, and students working (out) and learning together

Posted on September 09, 2023

UNCG KIN in front of One Wellness Center Sign

Dr. Erin Reifsteck shared her experience this summer working with alumna, Dr. Amber Booker (’09 BS, ’22 EdD), owner of One Wellness Center in Greensboro. While completing internships under the mentorship of Dr. Booker, current kinesiology students Jordan Bigelow (MS, expected May 24 grad) and Zho Johnson (BS, expected Dec 23 grad) helped Dr. Reifsteck get back in shape post-baby ????. What an awesome display of mentorship at all levels – this is a clear example of the UNCG KIN family working together to connect students with the local community to learn and grow as we build social capital and human connections. Collaboration, connectedness, and of course, smiles are the keys to success

We love seeing our faculty, alumni and students working together!

If you are interested in earning a degree in kinesiology, visit our KIN dept page – if you are interested more specifically in our Doctor of Education in Kinesiology degree, go to our Ed.D. in KIN page. Use this link if you want to connect with One Wellness Center.

Kinesiology

Ed.D. student Chris Crawford participated in the Paralympics in Rio, Brazil

Posted on November 02, 2016

One of our Ed.D. in Kinesiology students experienced the Paralympics in Rio as as an athletic trainer for the US Swimming team. Chris Crawford, a member of the 2016 cohort, was responsible for the various athletic needs of the of 33 athletes on the US Paralympic Swimming team.

Chris described his most memorable moment of the Games as his participation in the Opening Ceremonies. He recalled the moment he walked through the tunnel into the stadium as incredible. The athletes started to softly chant, “USA, USA”. As the US Paralympic swimming athletes and staff got closer and closer to the stadium, the chant got louder and louder! He said that ‘it was the moment that gave me chills’. He went on to say that “I will never forget that moment”. Chris escorted one of his blind athletes through everything and this experience made that night more special. He was her eyes for the event and shared the very moment with her.

For him, being able to participate in these Games was an incredible experience and one that will last a lifetime. He has been working for the US Paralympic Swimming team for the past 3 years. During that time, he has gotten to know the athletes very well. He described the US Paralympic Swimming as an incredible group of young athletes! He stated that “It was such an incredible honor that I was able to sharing this experience with them after knowing all of the hard work and the ups and downs that they have each been through”.

We look forward to hearing more about his continued dedication and service for the US Paralympic Swimming team in the future.

Kinesiology

Ed.D. in KIN Student Sara Clawson participated in UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Doha, Qatar

Posted on November 02, 2016

Sara Clawson, a current UNCG Ed.D. in KIN student, recently went to Doha, Qatar for the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road Cycling World Championships, as head soigneur for TWENTY16 Ridebiker Women’s Professional Cycling Team. As head soigneur, she took care of the needs of the riders for their peak performance. Her team competed in the Team Time Trial event in which teams of 6 ride the same course at staggered intervals, with the fastest time taking the victory. The Team Time Trial event is a unique form of road bike racing where the finishing time is taken from the 4th rider across the line, requiring a lot of strategy, race tactics, energy, and teamwork.

She recalled that the trip to Doha was not easy. The trip took about 20 hours of total travel time to get there and adjusting to the 7-hour time difference was difficult. The logistical and financial nightmare of transporting the team’s bicycles and equipment halfway across the world, the non-potable tap water all factored into the difficulty of this undertaking. Some other notable differences in competing overseas as compared to last year’s UCI World Championships in Richmond, VA, included lack of spectators. She also mentioned the outrageous heat in Doha. It was 102 degrees on race day and even hotter later on in the week. The organization of the event was not well coordinated and the poor communication between the race officials, police, and volunteers, and the road conditions (perfectly flat, sandy and wind-blown, ubiquitous construction, outrageous number of traffic circles and sharp speed bumps) definitely were not conducive to a perfect race.

Despite some difficulties she faced in Doha, she described Qatar as a place unlike anywhere I’ve been. It was her first time in the real heart of the Middle East and she learned and experienced many socio-cultural environment in Doha. She said that the most memorable moment in Doha was the moment when she walked out on the hotel veranda overlooking the bright morning sun on the Persian Gulf and seeing the most incredible breakfast spread that she has witnessed in her entire life. She mentioned that she loves Middle-Eastern cuisine and exploring other cultures through food is one of her greatest joys in international travel.

She also shared a somewhat frightening episode in Doha. In the opulence of the hotel where she and her team stayed, it was easy to forget they weren’t in the West at times, but having one of the team trucks swept for IEDs in the undercarriage at one point and bomb-sniffing dogs with armed guards being brought through the team area at the race to check bags were stark reminders that they were far from home and, even with Qatar’s relative stability and openness, it’s a volatile part of the world after all.

Lastly, she talked about how the Ed.D. program helped her during the competition in Doha. She said, “the leadership aspect of KIN 762 Program Design in Kinesiology and Related Professions taught by Dr. Pam Brown has made a dramatic impact on how I see the dynamics within a cycling team”. It has also helped her be more aware of how she fits into it. She said, “the Ed.D. has also made her more adaptable and less rattled by failure”. When her truck was forced off the course by a Qatari police officer who didn’t understand her role, her team manager and she had to drive 50 km out into the desert where GPS ceased to work and ended up following buses to an alternate main road back to Doha. What she learned in the Ed.D. course helped her to keep calm and carry on! She expressed her passion to pursue her academic goals and apply that knowledge to leadership, advocacy, and teaching.

Downtown Doha as seen from the beach at the hotel Sara and her team stayed

Kinesiology

Newest Faculty Members Are Getting Settled

Posted on September 27, 2016

After having a little time to get settled in their new roles, we caught with Dr. Erin Reifsteck and Dr. Michael Hemphill to share a little more about themselves. We asked them a few questions about themselves, their experience, and their research interests. Here is what they had to say:

What is your favorite part about working as a faculty in the Ed.D. in KIN online at UNCG? How would you describe your experience so far?

Dr. Reifsteck: My experience so far at UNCG has been very positive. My favorite part has been getting to work with such a collaborative group of faculty and students. I believe that in most things we do in life, we have the potential to be more productive and effective, and ultimately make a bigger impact, when we work together. I especially appreciate that I get to work with supportive colleagues who are committed to our collective goals for this program.

Dr. Hemphill: My favorite part about working in the Ed.D. program so far is the collaboration opportunities among my faculty colleagues and with students in the program. As a new faculty member, I’m very interested in learning more about the interests and experiences of our doctoral students. So far, I’ve observed students present innovative ways to connect scholarship to their practice.

Would you tell us about your current research project or research ideas in the pipeline?

Dr. Reifsteck: Currently, I am serving as PI on a second National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) funded grant focused on our Moving On! program, which helps student-athletes make healthy transitions to life after college sports by promoting lifetime physical activity and healthy eating behaviors. I am currently working on this project with Dr. Lenka Shriver (UNCG faculty in Dept of Nutrition) and Dr. DeAnne Brooks (UNCG Ed.D. alum and now faculty at Salem College). We have developed a student-athlete workbook and facilitator guide for the program, and we are currently building a website that will house educational content and resources.

Dr. Hemphill: For the past 4 years, I’ve developed a research program focused on sport-based youth development in Urban Squash programs, particularly the new program in Charleston, South Carolina. The research includes an examination of pedagogical practices and professional development protocols to enhance opportunities for positive interactions in physical activity settings. Additionally, I’ve written about ways that personal and social skills developed in an Urban Squash program may transfer to the school environment. Going forward, I plan to expand this work to other Urban Squash programs including Charleston, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Over this year, I will expect to develop similar research programs with connections to the local community.

Would you tell us more about yourself (e.g., your hobby, passion, etc.)

Dr. Reifsteck: Since moving to North Carolina 7 years ago, taekwondo has been a big part of my life. In line with the theme of my scholarly work, I am a former collegiate athlete who transitioned into a new form of physical activity after college. I chose taekwondo as my new passion because there were built in opportunities for personal growth and competition. Taekwondo has also helped recreate a lot of the team sport experience that I missed most. For instance, it provides me a structured space for exercise with an instructor (coach) and classmates (teammates) who help motivate me and share in my successes and setbacks. I am now a 3rd degree black belt and Level 4 certified instructor at Taekwondo America in Greensboro.

Dr. Hemphill: I’m originally from Brevard, NC, which is about 30 miles south of Asheville. I enjoy visiting the area as much as possible for family visits and hikes in Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Forest. In lieu of music, I enjoy listening to a wide range of podcasts with topics including sports, storytelling, news, and politics. My favorite exercise is running, I’ve completed 3 half-marathons over the past few years.

Kinesiology

Inaugural AASP HBCU regional conference featuring Ed.D. grads

Posted on August 15, 2016

We are thrilled to share the news about the Inaugural AASP[1] HBCU[2] Southeast Regional Conference at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Our EdD alums, Drs. Rennae Williams Stowe, Rob Owens and Lizzie Lange served as conference organizers. Dr. Diane Gill delivered a keynote entitled, “Culture and Diversity in Sport Psychology – Past, Present, and Future.” She shared an enriching history of culture and diversity in the field of sport and exercise psychology. Another EdD faculty member, Dr. Erin Reifsteck successfully led a workshop with several current UNCG KIN graduate students. Our current Ed.D. student, Katie Wurst was there to enjoy the social networking with other graduate students and faculty. Look for additional updates about the accomplishments of our Ed.D. faculty, alums, and students.

Read Full Article

[1] Association of Applied Sport Psychology

[2] Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Kinesiology

Year three off to a successful start: A Successful Orientation has the 2016 Cohort Ready to Begin Classes

Posted on August 15, 2016

It is hard to believe that we are about to begin our third academic year of the Ed.D. in KIN Online program. In June the new fall 2016 cohort of 21 students joined us on campus for 3 days to get to know each other, meet the faculty, and develop the skills necessary to be successful on their journey through the program. Friendships and collaborations formed and the group left with the knowledge and tools necessary for a successful 4 years.

The orientation addressed important issues such as the use of technology, the challenges of balancing their education along with their current careers and family obligations, best practices and helpful hints, along with how to successfully and adequately navigate online courses. The new cohort was very satisfied with their experiences during the orientation at UNCG and excited about classes this fall. Here are some of the things they had to say:

“It was an invaluable experience! Everyone was so welcoming and nice. I really appreciated the opportunity to meet everyone face to face.”

“This was a once in a lifetime experience in the sense that it was very unique. I’m very happy and proud to have been with this group.”

“It was very beneficial overall and I would do it again. I think it’s necessary to meet the others in the cohort before starting to work with them.”

“I still can’t believe how nice and sincere everyone we came in contact with was. I am so excited to start this program because I know I am well supported.”

“Fabulous experience and every single person that presented to us or interacted with us represented UNCG and the program in a most positive way!! More importantly, I felt welcomed and comfortable and walked away feeling like assistance is available…all I need to do is ask!! Can’t imagine starting the program without the orientation experience.”

“Great experience! Please continue to do this every year! Very helpful and eases anxiety about what is to come in August.”

We are excited to see how the incoming cohort of students accomplish will their academic and professional visions over the next 4 years in the Ed.D. in KIN online program. We would also like to congratulate our current students (both 2014 and 2015 cohort) on their successful journey to date in the online doctoral program. We wish our best for their continued success in the upcoming year.

Applications for the fall 2017 academic year are now being accepted. Our review of applications for admissions will begin mid-January of 2017.

Kinesiology

Incoming Ed.D. student Sara Clawson awarded Hayes Graduate Fellowship

Posted on April 20, 2016

Newly admitted Ed.D. student Sara Clawson received some exciting news in April. She has been awarded a Hayes Graduate Fellowship to help with her cost of attendance. We caught up with Sara recently to learn a little bit more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I am originally from Germany but have lived in North Carolina for nearly 25 years. In high school, I started riding bicycles and discovered quickly that I was good enough to keep up with the fast local riders — but didn’t have the potential to make a career out of it. That passion for sport led me to cycle competitively for the club team at Guilford College and continue to dabble in road racing and triathlon through massage school at the Body Therapy Institute. I started working as a sports massage therapist and became more interested to the behind-the-scenes aspect of sports and competition, which led me to a M.S. in Sports Medicine from UNCG. I continue to ride road and mountain bikes recreationally, as well as a lot of other outdoors activities — running, hiking, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, fly fishing, and rock climbing are just a few! I also love gardening, cooking, and spending time with my fiance, Nick, and our dog Cadence.

Where do you work and what does your job entail?

When it comes to work, I wear a lot of hats. I started my sports massage therapy private practice in 2009 and treat clients of all ages and athletic abilities at Greensboro Sports Performance, a group practice of complementary alternative medical practitioners and exercise science experts. I also teach sports and performance massage continuing education courses for massage and physical therapists at the Body Therapy Institute, and musculoskeletal anatomy at Kneaded Energy School of Massage. When I’m not in the office, I’m out on the road traveling with TWENTY16 RideBiker Pro Cycling, a women’s UCI World Tour professional road cycling team based out of California. I serve as the team’s head soigneur, which is a position specific to cycling teams — it is essentially a combination of massage therapist, trainer, medic, nutritionist, chef, psychotherapist, chauffeur, and generally benevolent caretaker. Race horses have grooms; cyclists have soigneurs. In addition to my work in the sports massage world, I’m also a kinesiology educator — I’m an adjunct instructor of biomechanics at Greensboro College. This may be misguided naive optimism, but I am actually really excited to have a little more free time as I work on my Ed.D.!

Why did you choose the Ed.D. Program at UNCG? What are you looking forward to the most?

My experience working on my MS at UNCG was nothing short of stellar, so when I first started to explore doctoral programs, that was naturally the first place I looked. Finding a program geared toward working professionals, emphasizing advocacy and leadership, and featuring a multidisciplinary approach to kinesiology, all in my home town, with the flexibility to travel, was a perfect fit. Meeting the faculty and seeing what current students and graduates of the Ed.D. program are doing now assured me I had made the right choice.

What does being awarded this fellowship mean to you?

Receiving the Kinesiology Fellowship was an unexpected and greatly appreciated honor. I know that nominations are based upon strong academic performance and glowing letters of recommendation, so to know that I was nominated for my scholarship and for making a good impression upon people whom I consider valued mentors feels like a great accomplishment. From a practical standpoint, this award makes a huge dent in the burden of tuition; with my fiance currently attending nursing school at GTCC and my concurrent enrollment at UNCG, the financial award will make a difference even in our daily lives. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I fully intend to exceed the expectations set before me over the next 4 years at UNCG.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

The US Pro National Championships for road cycling will be in Winston Salem on May 27-30, so if anybody is interested in what a soigneur actually does, this is the perfect opportunity to come see for themselves!

Congrats Sara!! We look forward to having you join us this fall.

Kinesiology

Incoming Ed.D. Student Christine Rockey Awarded Receives Hayes Graduate Fellowship from UNCG

Posted on April 20, 2016

Newly admitted Ed.D. student Christine Rockey just got some great news from the Graduate School at UNCG – she has been awarded the Hayes Graduate Fellowship to aid with her educational expenses. We caught up with Christine to learn a bit more about her.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I am originally from Portland, Oregon and went to Santa Clara University for my undergraduate degree. My degree was in sociology and I worked for three years in the temporary placement industry. I felt like I was missing something so I went back to school after work at a community college. My original plan was to get prerequisites for medical school. I stumbled upon a degree in wellness from the University of Mississippi and decided I would rather make people feel well than treat them when they were sick. At Ole Miss, I met my husband, Don, who is a college professor (he was a grad student then). We have moved several times as he has grown in his career. We lived in Missouri, Texas, West Virginia and now we live in Conway, SC, just 8 miles from Myrtle Beach and toes in the sand. We have three kids who are 12, 10 and 8 and they are really what I do in my spare time. Their activities include travel and rec baseball, flag football, basketball, boxing, cheerleading and gymnastics. My three personal biggest hobbies are teaching group fitness, running and decorating cakes. I have run 66 marathons, 3 ultras, and countless other races. I have been lucky enough to have actually been the female overall winner of 13 marathons. On many weekends, I give back to the sport, either by coaching groups through the Red Cross Rescue Racers or the Grand Strand Running Club or by pacing races.

Where do you work and what does your job entail?

I am currently an instructor in the Honors Program at Coastal Carolina University. I had worked for more than 15 years in exercise science/health departments. About three years ago, there was an opportunity to teach in the honors program and I decided to make the move. In this position, I get to observe more research and I have a little more flexibility with my hours to help coordinate my kids’ schedules, to volunteer a lot more, and to pursue my Ed.D..

Why did you choose the Ed.D. Program at UNCG? What are you looking forward to the most?

I graduated with my MS in 1997 and both my mentor and adviser encouraged me to continue schooling. I loved learning and felt so immersed in the field. It truly is my passion. However, I really wanted to let my husband both finish his degree and then pursue his dreams and I wanted to start a family. We thought this opportunity would come sooner but we ended up at a school where there were no Ph.D. or Ed.D. programs and the closest one was too far to pursue with the family obligations. Every so often, I would do a search to see if a new program that made sense to our family emerged. I happened upon the program at UNCG. It seemed to make perfect sense for my family. Also, my mom was born in NC and my husband went to another school in the UNC system and I had a friend who just went back to UNCG so I knew it had to be a great place to go.

I am really looking forward to learning again and to researching. While I am currently pursuing a long-term study on using positive psychology in college freshmen, I have had few opportunities to research and learn in my true field that pursues my truest passions. I want to be able to interact daily with people who are just as passionate as I am in the field.

What does being awarded this fellowship mean to you?

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for me and my family in pursuing my graduate degree was that me pursuing something just because of a passion would take away from the money we could be saving for our kids to go to college. I was considering petitioning my position at work to provide funding for me to get this degree. Having this fellowship truly takes a big majority of the stress off of my family and my dean. I am not sure I have ever felt either this honored or this blessed in a scholarly pursuit. I truly feel humbled by receiving it.

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

I am so honored to become a part of UNCG and this program. I was excited and proud even before I received the fellowship but now I feel a stronger tie to the university. I am excited to complete the degree and hopefully, be a strong alumni for UNCG and somehow repay the school for this opportunity.

Congrats Christine!! We are excited for you to become part of the program.

Kinesiology

EdD Student Jason Suby Named Director of Assessment at West Point

Posted on March 28, 2016

Jason Suby, a current student in the Doctor of Education in Kinesiology Online program (Ed.D. in KIN Online) at UNCG, has recently been named the Director of Assessment in the Department of Physical Education (DPE) at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY. Jason previously served as the Director of Sports Medicine in DPE since 2011 and is an Assistant Professor in the department, providing course directorship for the road cycling and mountain biking course as well as instructorship of the personal fitness development, SCUBA diving, snowboarding, and alpine skiing courses.Future responsibilities he is looking forward to include: creating and updating the strategic plan, working with course directors to ensure course objectives are meeting the department’s outcome goals, working with the institution to ensure the department goals are meeting institutional goals, updating the department vision/mission, assessing faculty workload, and working with the Director of Instruction on a host of other assessment goals (i.e. teaching improvement, physical performance testing of students, etc.). Mr. Suby feels that the first year of courses in the Ed.D. in KIN online program has readied him for this position and he looks forward to putting to use the knowledge and experiences he’s gained thus far from his commitment to this program. Mr. Suby is currently scheduled to complete his doctorate degree at UNCG in 2019.

Kinesiology

Ed.D. Student David Wilkenfeld Appointed to the High Point University Athletic Training Department Advisory Board

Posted on February 29, 2016

David Wilkenfeld, a member of the 2014 Ed.D. in Kinesiology cohort, was recently appointed to the High Point University Athletic Training Department Advisory Board by the athletic training department faculty. David is a valued member of the sports medicine community and current preceptor for High Point University, and the Board is seeking his input on the new Master of Science in Athletic Training degree program at HPU (which will enroll its first cohort in the summer of 2017). There are 11 members on the board, which meets formally twice a year.

The Advisory Board provides a forum for open dialogue among professionals in the academic and clinical healthcare communities. They will discuss the changing healthcare and academic environments and the preparation of students to function as athletic trainers. The goals of the board are to:

Advise athletic training educators on issues related to curricula design and assessment including didactic and clinical education, inter-professional education and clinical practice, professional practice issues, and ensuring preparation of athletic trainers for a dynamic healthcare environment
Advocate for the Department of Athletic Training in the Piedmont Triad region
Advocate for the employment of athletic trainers in appropriate settings
Collaborate with the Department of Athletic Training in the development of clinical partnerships in area schools, clinics, and healthcare organizations

Congratulations David on your appointment. We look forward to hearing about your new role.

Teamwork! Kinesiology faculty, alumni, and students working (out) and learning together

Trending News

Ed.D. student Chris Crawford participated in the Paralympics in Rio, Brazil

Trending News

Ed.D. in KIN Student Sara Clawson participated in UCI Road Cycling World Championships in Doha, Qatar

Trending News

Newest Faculty Members Are Getting Settled

What is your favorite part about working as a faculty in the Ed.D. in KIN online at UNCG? How would you describe your experience so far?

Would you tell us about your current research project or research ideas in the pipeline?

Would you tell us more about yourself (e.g., your hobby, passion, etc.)

Trending News

Inaugural AASP HBCU regional conference featuring Ed.D. grads

Trending News

Year three off to a successful start: A Successful Orientation has the 2016 Cohort Ready to Begin Classes

Trending News

Incoming Ed.D. student Sara Clawson awarded Hayes Graduate Fellowship

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Where do you work and what does your job entail?

Why did you choose the Ed.D. Program at UNCG? What are you looking forward to the most?

What does being awarded this fellowship mean to you?

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

Trending News

Incoming Ed.D. Student Christine Rockey Awarded Receives Hayes Graduate Fellowship from UNCG

Tell us a little bit about yourself, where are you from, what do you like to do in your spare time?

Where do you work and what does your job entail?

Why did you choose the Ed.D. Program at UNCG? What are you looking forward to the most?

What does being awarded this fellowship mean to you?

Is there anything else you want to tell us?

Trending News

EdD Student Jason Suby Named Director of Assessment at West Point

Trending News

Ed.D. Student David Wilkenfeld Appointed to the High Point University Athletic Training Department Advisory Board

Trending News