Celebrate SHAPE America Award Winners
in Health and Physical Education

 

Congratulations to the following 2026 SHAPE America award recipients and lecturers, who will be recognized at the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo in Kansas City. Our professions benefit daily from the hard work, dedication and vision of all of these individuals.

 

View the District Teachers of the Year.

View the list of Past Award Winners.

Luther Halsey Gulick Award

The Luther Halsey Gulick Award is the highest honor SHAPE America bestows in recognition of long and distinguished service to one or more of the professions.

Phillip Ward Headshot
Thomas Templin American Kinesiology Association Purdue University University of Michigan

Barbara A. Cooley Health Education Master’s Scholarship

  • Danielle Lawrence, Northwest Missouri State University

Bill Kane Health Education Undergraduate Scholarship

  • McKenna Cone, Buena Vista University (IA)

C.H. McCloy Research Lecture

  • Lecturer: Pamela Hodges Kulinna, Arizona State University

Claudine Sherrill Adapted Physical Education Distinguished Lecture & Awards

  • Lecturers:  Mike Messerole, University of Nebraska- Omaha

CSPAP Keynote Lecture

  • Lecturer: Collin Webster, Texas A&M University

CSPAP SIG Innovative Paper Award

Evaluating the impact of an after-school program on overhand throwing and perceived motor competence among students from low socio-economic backgrounds in the U.S. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

  • Omar Albaloul, Arizona State University & Kuwait University
  • Kahyun Nam, University of Minnesota
  • Pamela Hodges Kulinna, Arizona State University
  • Conner Acri, Arizona State University

Curriculum & Instruction Scholar Lecture

  • Lecturer: Chad Killian, University of New Hampshire
  • Lecturer: Olivia Arangio, University of New Hampshire (graduate student)

Curriculum & Instruction Honor Award

  • Sara Flory, University of South Florida

Dr. Doris R. Corbett Johnson Leaders for Our Future Award

University

  • Victoria Shiver, University of New Mexico

Non-University

  • Taylor Olson, Cherokee Heights Middle School (WI)

Leroy T. Walker Young Professional Award

  • Stacy Imagbe, Morehouse College (GA)

Helen Heitmann Young Scholar Award

  • Xiaolu Liu, Georgia State University

Joy of Effort Award

  • Amy Wiley, Prince George’s County Public Schools (MD)
  • Drew Burris, Ridge View Elementary (MO)

Julian U. Stein Lifetime Achievement Award

  • JK Yun, University of New Hampshire

Lolas E. Halverson Scholar Lecture

  • Lecturer: David Anderson, San Francisco State (CA)

Measurement & Evaluation JoAnne Safrit Lecture

  • Lecturer: Gregory J. Welk, Iowa State University

M&E Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Gregory J. Welk, Iowa State University

M&E Honor Award

  • Haichun Sun, University of South Florida
  • Xihe Zhu, Old Dominion University

M&E Graduate Student Award

  • Ji Hye Yang, Old Dominion University (VA)

MPEES Reviewer of the Year

  • Yong Gao, Boise State University (ID)

North American Society of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance Fellows

  • Erin Centeio, University of Hawai’i
  • Nancy Getchell, University of Delaware
  • Melanie Lynch, Cambridge College (MA)
  • Srecko Mavrek, CUNY- Hostos Community College (NY)
  • John Strong, SUNY- Niagara County Community College (NY)

Presidential Citations

  • Jenny Linker, North Dakota State University
  • Leah Wheeling, Simle Middle School (ND)
  • Chris Mahoney, University of Jamestown (ND)

Raymond A. Weiss Lecture

  • Lecturer: Tao Zhang, University of North Texas

Research Council Distinguished Service Award

  • Paul M. Wright, Northern Illinois University

Research Fellows

  • Ben Kern, University of Wyoming
  • Shannon Mulhearn, Lander University (SC)
  • Nick Myers, Michigan State University
  • Jose Santiago, Sam Houston State University (TX)
  • Kelly Simonton, University of Wyoming
  • Xiaoxia Zhang, West Virginia University

RQES Lecture

  • Lecturer: Tristan Wallhead, University of Wyoming

Ruth Abernathy Presidential Scholarships

Undergraduate

  • Kasey Hammill, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
  • Adriana Eugenio, Adelphi University (NY)
  • Dante Rapp, Kent State University (OH)

Graduate

  • Bryanna Mieles, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
  • Yahan Liang, Old Dominion University (VA)

SHAPE America Daryl Siedentop Scholar Lecture

  • Lecturer: Peter Hastie, Auburn University (AL)

Thom McKenzie Research Grant 2025

  • Cora Firkin, Lincoln University (PA)
  • Taemin Ha, City University of New York-Queens College
  • Dimetrius Brandon, University of Tennessee
  • Ji-Hye Yang, Old Dominion University