Category: College of Health Sciences
Celebrating student accomplishments
May 14, 2024 Written by Colin Heffinger | Photo by Maria Errico
On Friday, May 3, the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology (KAAP) celebrated its annual awards given to the team at a ceremony in the HSC Atrium. Faculty, staff, students, and their families attended in support of student accomplishments made throughout the school year.
Each year, KAAP students are recognized for their contributions to the department with a variety of awards, some consisting of scholarships to cover future schooling expenses. Awards range from spotlighting the highest GPA to specialized awards like the Slobodan Jaric Travel Award, given to a graduate student with a research focus in motor control and/or biomechanics. Many students are nominated for awards by KAAP faculty directly.
For 2024, KAAP introduced the Panel of Distinguished Seniors awards, which recognizes three graduating students with academic excellence, demonstration of leadership in the department, community service, and evidence of positive working relationship with faculty and future contributions to the field. Additionally, the KAAP faculty submitted graduate and undergraduate nominations to the American Kinesiology Association (AKA). Both Michele D’Agata, doctoral student, and Mackenzie Rattigan, undergraduate student, were awarded national AKA awards.
Brittany Overstreet, Associate Professor and KAAP Awards Committee Chair, presented some of the undergraduate awards at the ceremony as well as contributed to the event planning. She emphasized the impact of administration staff in bringing the event together.
“It’s an amazing way to wrap up the semester,” said Overstreet. “We aim to recognize how hard everyone has worked this year across sophomores to seniors leaving. It’s the perfect opportunity to bring the department together and reflect on our collective accomplishments.”
KAAP Department awards and nominated students are listed below:
Award Program Name
Robert A. Layton, Jr. Honor Award – Sophomore Undergraduate Ryan Hoefer
Robert A. Layton, Jr. Honor Award – Junior Undergraduate Abby Skiena
Robert A. Layton, Jr. Honor Award – Senior Undergraduate Saunders Penn
KAAP Outstanding Senior Award Undergraduate Mackenzie Rattigan
KAAP Highest GPA Award Undergraduate Kayla Eichelberger
Panel of Distinguished Seniors Undergraduate Owen Bubczyk
Panel of Distinguished Seniors Undergraduate Lily Zieg
Panel of Distinguished Seniors Undergraduate Julia Hadad
Exercise Science Outstanding Master's Award Graduate Sabita Rokka
Exercise Science Outstanding Doctoral Award Graduate Michele D'Agata
Clinical Exercise Physiology Master's Award Graduate Ryan Panzavecchia
Slobodan Jaric Travel Award Graduate Julien Mihy
Julie Moyer Knowles Athletic Training Award Athletic Training Kaley Burgess
Lee J. Hyncik Trainer Achievement Award Athletic Training Samuel McGuckin
Lee J. Hyncik Trainer Achievement Award Athletic Training Jennifer Witt
Paris Delligatti Memorial Scholarship Award Athletic Training Samantha Steinberg
Paris Delligatti Memorial Scholarship Award Athletic Training Sanja Todoric
Joan Couch Athletic Training Award Athletic Training Patricia Giuriceo
Keith Handling Athletic Training Award Athletic Training Kaley Burgess
