Group of students gathered around with faculty and staff for awards ceremony speech
KAAP faculty, staff, students, and their families gathered around to celebrate awards received by students for their contributions throughout the year.

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


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