Oct. 27, 2025 | Laura Payne RST alumni fondly remember a former department head Dr. Laurence Chalip, former head of the Department of Recreation Sport and Tourism and a Brightbill/Sapora professor, died on Aug. 17, 2025, at the age of 74. Chalip was a global leader and visionary in the field of sport policy and […]
Category: Recreation, Sport, and Tourism
Message from the department head
Oct. 27, 2025 | Carla Santos Dear RST Friends and Alumni, As the fall semester unfolds, I am delighted to share the newest edition of our Recreation, Sport and Tourism newsletter. This issue reflects the breadth of scholarship, creativity and connection that define our department. Among the stories you’ll read are the work of Charis […]
Understanding the trauma coping of Ukrainian refugees
Oct. 21, 2025 | Ethan Simmons ‘This was by far the most difficult and I think impactful work that I have done’ Sitting face-to-face with Ukrainian refugees who had escaped to Poland after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Recreation, Sport and Tourism Professor Monika Stodolska asked a set of questions many of them hadn’t considered. Namely, […]
AHS Alumni Awards celebrate leadership, resilience and service
Sept. 29, 2025 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo Honorees embody resilience, leadership, service, and equity The College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign once again shined a light on extraordinary alumni at its annual Alumni Awards celebration, held during Homecoming weekend. This year’s honorees—Dr. Jack Groppel, Justice Adrienne Albrecht and Brandon Buchanan—embody the […]
As Huff Hall turns 100, alumnus Isaacson looks back on its evolution, and his journey
Aug. 15, 2025 | Adelyn Mui How an RST alum became a Hollywood trainer to the stars Transforming John Travolta. Becoming the first fitness editor for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Marketing customized racketball racks for the Denver Broncos. Presenting the first wearable fitness device, the Polar Heart Rate Monitor. The list goes on. “I dream […]
Announcing our faculty promotions for 2025-26
Aug. 14, 2025 | AHS Staff Seven AHS faculty received promotions for the 2025-26 academic year Seven faculty at the College of Applied Health Sciences received promotions prior to the 2025-26 Academic Year. Here are their new faculty titles. Professor Nicholas Burd, Health and Kinesiology Andiara Schwingel, Health and Kinesiology Associate Professor Susan Aguiñaga, Health […]
Remembering pioneering scholar Jack Kelly
May 22, 2025 | Laura Payne, Mike Raycraft, Kim Shinew and Monika Stodolska Jack Kelly, a professor in the Department of Leisure Studies at Illinois for many years, died on Feb. 10, 2025, at the age of 94. Faculty members of the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism collaborated to write this remembrance of Kelly. […]
Ballot battles: The fight for green space funding in an age of misinformation
May 21, 2025 | Adelyn Mui Green spaces benefit people and the environment in many ways but not all voters see it that way Public green spaces—parks, forests and conservation areas—increase potential for varied recreational opportunities, improved mental and physical health and better environmental sustainability. However, funding these spaces remains a challenge. Department of Recreation, […]
2025 Sapora Symposium: Honoring a century of legacy at Huff Hall
May 22, 2025 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo Themes of visionary leadership and George Huff were briefly overshadowed by Grimace The theme of the 2025 Sapora Symposium was visionary leadership, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Huff Hall and paying tribute to the legacy of George Huff. Only one thing could potentially overshadow that, and it is purple and […]
Immersive learning: RST faculty guide students out of the classroom and into the real world
May 22, 2025 | Jonathan King RST faculty members design and lead innovative educational practicums that immerse students in experiential learning environments By JONATHAN KING Renata Endres is taking her belief in an applied teaching approach on the road—on Route 66, to be precise. “I believe the most effective way to bridge the gap between the […]