5/25/2009 Exercise Science Student Featured in Kiplinger Magazine
| From left to right Susan Tumbleston, Mayor Loretta Clawson, Dr. Chuck Dumke, and Jodi Cash witness the signing of the Exercise is Medicine Proclamation for the month of May for Boone, North Carolina. |
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has endorsed a national program entitled Exercise is Medicine Month. Dr. Chuck Dumke, representing the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science at Appalachian State University, requested that the Town of Boone declare May as Exercise is Medicine Month, and the proclamation was signed on April 30, 2008. One objective of the program is to encourage citizens to engage in physical activity for the health benefits it brings, and to encourage physicians to "prescribe" exercise to their patients during office visits. Able patients are advised to participate in at least 30 minutes of physical activity and 10 minutes of stretching and light muscle training five days a week. The Governor's Office has been requested to designate May as Exercise is Medicine Month for the State of North Carolina. For more information and to learn more about the program, please visit www.exerciseismedicine.org.
EXERCISE SCIENCE RECIPIENT OF DEAN’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN GRADUATE EDUCATION
By Jodi Hartley
The graduate degree program in Exercise Science in the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science at Appalachian is this year’s recipient of the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Education.
The Dean’s Award recognizes one graduate program at the University for superb performance each academic year. It is selected by a campus-wide committee recommended by the deans.
“Exercise Science was the first to win this award when it was created,” said Dr. Edelma Huntley, dean of the Cratis D. Williams Graduate School. “It is very fitting that the program has won again. It shows sustained excellence, and they join a very small group having won this award twice since it began in 1992-93.”
Programs are judged by regional, national, and international involvement of outstanding graduate faculty in the program; awards won by the program; awards won by students in the program; student presentations at regional and national meetings; publications with graduate students as sole or first authors; successful general recruiting efforts and/or successful recruiting efforts to achieve a diverse student population; external funding for faculty or student research; support from the department or deans for student travel; and outcome information.
The Exercise Science program prepares qualified professionals for employment in athletics programs, exercise/fitness centers, hospital wellness programs, corporate fitness programs, rehabilitation centers, and allied health areas focusing on exercise physiology, biomechanics, physical therapy, medicine, chiropractic medicine and research. The Master of Science program offers three concentrations: research, clinical/cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and strength and conditioning.
The program has seen an impressive number of regional and national presentations by its students. In addition, its faculty has received a record number of externally funded research project dollars, enabling graduate and undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience in applied research. This research has allowed faculty to be more cutting edge in the classroom as well.
"This award reflects the hard work and diligence of the entire Exercise Science faculty,” said Dr. Paul Gaskill, chair of the Department of Health, Leisure and Exercise Science. “Through the additional efforts of graduate program director Dr. Chuck Dumke and Exercise Science program director Dr. Harold O'Bryant, one of the finest Exercise Science graduate degree programs in the country has been developed. Given the number of outstanding graduate programs here at Appalachian State University, it is a true honor to be chosen for this award.”
Graduates of the Exercise Science program have seen great success, attending top-notch institutions for terminal degrees, establishing their own businesses and working in the field.
