2023 Update
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health
Celebrating the impact of your generosity
Thank you for expressing your support of our teaching, research and public engagement activities through your charitable gift to the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health. Your donations help us to provide our scholars with state-of-the-art research facilities and other forms of research support. You play a role, therefore, in every exciting discovery that they make regarding aging, physical activity across the lifespan, disability and rehabilitation, nutrition, cognition and many other areas. With your help, our scholars are improving the quality of life for individuals, families, communities and advancing the state of knowledge in their areas of expertise.
The scholarships, fellowships and other awards that are made possible by our donors help us to recruit and retain excellent undergraduate and graduate students. These awards alleviate some of the financial burden of higher education, allowing students to devote more time to their studies and pursue extracurricular interests that build skills related to their professional goals. In short, you help our students follow and achieve their dreams.
We would not be the outstanding department that we are without you, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to our mission.
Kim Graber Professor and Department Head
2023 By the Numbers
Thanks to your support during this past fiscal year, the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health continues to be transformed, resulting in:
$852,776 Dollars Raised
54 Donors
85 Gifts
1,846 Students
494 Degrees granted in 2021-22
2023 Highlights
Your support has helped us continue to elevate the values that make Illinois distinctive: a sense of boundless aspiration, collaboration, and a global perspective.
Pedro Hallal named Alvin M. and Ruth L. Sandall Professor of Kinesiology
Invested as the Alvin M. and Ruth L. Sandall Professor of Kinesiology in March 2023, Dr. Hallal came to the University of Illinois to lead the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Dr. Hallal immediately got to work, submitting a $2 million Investment for Growth proposal which was recently approved. The grant will enable the MPH to be offered online and it will help support the creation of stackable certificates, a new concentration in physical activity and health and a new joint degree with the School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hallal is focused on diversifying and bringing international recognition to the MPH program. “Having students from different countries, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds will contribute to a broader understanding of the public health issues that affect diverse people and communities,” he said. Dr. Hallal is a recent recipient of the David P. Rall Award for Advocacy from the American Public Health Association, and he was named one of the top scholars at Illinois according to h-index, citations, awards and publications. Learn more about Dr. Hallal.
Pamela C. Butler Scholarship Provides Opportunities
Growing up in St. Joseph, IL, there was never any doubt for Pam Butler that she would attend the University of Illinois. As a student at Illinois, Pam recalls fond memories of working at the Intramural Physical Education (IMPE) building where she maintained a healthy social life that occasionally included disco dancing and frequenting Green Street establishments. After obtaining her B.S. and M.S. degrees in kinesiology in 1977 and 1979, Pam worked for more than 40 years in the healthcare industry and eventually landed in New Orleans. Today, Pam is living her best life, incorporating Second Half Strategies LLC—which has a goal to make the second half of life better than the first—running 2,000 miles a year and continuing active participation in the New Orleans Illini Club and the AHS Board of Visitors. Pam established the Pamela C. Butler Scholarship Fund to help students who don’t have the same opportunities that she did. Speaking of the impact that Illinois had on her life, she stated, “I truly believe that I wouldn’t have this career and life had I not come to the University of Illinois.” Nicknamed by Pam as the “PB&J Scholarship” to honor her late husband (Pam Butler and Jimmy), Pam’s goal is to help students pursue their passion and dreams.
Scholarship Recognition Leads to Perseverance
In Spring 2023, 42 students in the KCH department were recognized with more than $60,000 in scholarship awards. Among the recipients was Andrew Askew, who is a Ph.D. student in kinesiology. For the second year in a row, Andrew received the Benjamin H. Massey Memorial Award. Established by the family of Dr. Benjamin Massey, who was a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology from 1969 until 1990, the award recognizes outstanding graduate students. Askew said, “Being selected for the Benjamin H. Massey Memorial Award is an honor. In science, sometimes positive affirmations are hard to come by, and receiving this recognition is a good reminder that hard work and perseverance pay off.” In addition to earning the Massey Award, Askew also received an AHS award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and was a recipient of the T.K. Cureton Physical Fitness Research Award. Learn more about the KCH award winners here.
Continue Your Support
Your continued support ensures the College of Applied Health Sciences remains a place where progress and innovation can flourish. Find your passion and help us dream even bigger!
See PrioritiesSee More Impact
Philanthropy has benefited students, faculty, and staff in many ways. Browse the list below to learn more about how your impact can be felt across campus.