College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois

09/06/2026

Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at Illinois doctoral student Malaika Bigirindavyi received an NCAA Graduate Student Research Grant for her project, “Reimagining Belonging and Community Building for Black Women Student-Athletes at NCAA Division III Predominantly White Institutions.”

The NCAA Graduate Student Research Grant Program aims to stimulate research on college sports by providing financial support to graduate students in the social and behavioral sciences: https://buff.ly/HYov7tN

Her project draws from semi-structured interviews and Sista Circles—an innovative methodology rooted in community building and empowerment—to explore the experiences of Black women student-athletes, while also creating a space for community building in an institutional setting that often creates barriers to belonging for Black women student-athletes.

Congratulations, Malaika!

09/05/2026

Wishing you a restful Labor Day weekend. 🚴‍♀️

09/03/2026

RJ Fitzpatrick's junior year was full of accomplishments: collegiate Player of the Year honors in wheelchair basketball, a 4.0 in the classroom, and a third-place tournament finish with his fellow Illini.

Fitzpatrick, a senior in recreation, sport and tourism, did all of this while losing his chief supporter: his father, Peter, who died in March after a two-year battle with brain cancer.

A new year brings new reflections and a new level of maturity for Fitzpatrick, a fierce competitor on the court with a kind, fun-loving presence in his daily life. And this year, he knows for sure: he’s not going it alone.

“The support from the whole wheelchair basketball program has just been huge,” he said. “Knowing I always have them in my corner, that just has made the whole thing a little bit easier, you know?

Read his story at the link in the comments.

Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at Illinois
Illinois Wheelchair Basketball

09/02/2026

Why join the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois?

Hear it from some of our graduates. 🎓

We prepare our students to improve health and well-being across the lifespan.

Build a better world with us ➡️ https://buff.ly/MCG5Itk

09/02/2026

Interested in improving health and well-being across the lifespan? Consider the College of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois, with our three academic departments and two service units.

Application window is now open! ▶ ahs.illinois.edu/apply

08/31/2026

What's your best memory from week one of the semester?

Let us know in the comments!

08/29/2026

After roughly two-and-a-half decades working and learning at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Jean Driscoll is racing toward her next challenge: retirement from the U. of I.

Soon, she’ll be fundraising for the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, but colleagues can rest assured that she will be working until the end of her appointment at Illinois on Aug. 31.

What radiates from Driscoll on the last days of her U. of I. appointment is an appreciation for her place in history, a full respect for the layers of accessibility on this campus that were fought for by trailblazers before her, on the Illinois campus and beyond.

“I try to live in this space of gratitude and try to remember that there are people, my predecessors both professionally and personally, who have laid a foundation so that I can be where I am,” she said.

Read the full story in the comments, and wish Jean all the best in her next journey.

08/27/2026

New research led by Ph.D. student Hank Huang and Assistant Professor Diego Hernandez-Saavedra of our own Department of Health and Kinesiology at Illinois.

"These findings reveal the liver as a central hub of exercise memory and highlight retraining as a powerful strategy to sustain protection against MASLD and cardiometabolic disease, even after lapses in activity."

Story: https://www.ahs.illinois.edu/study-suggests-the-liver-remembers-exercise/

For millions who’ve stepped away from exercise, getting back into a routine can feel like starting from scratch. But researchers have discovered that your body may remember more than you think. 🏃🏿

A first-of-its-kind study, led by health and kinesiology Assistant Professor Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, shows the liver retains a molecular “memory” of past workouts, helping the body respond more effectively when exercise resumes.

The finding could lead to new ways of understanding — and potentially improving — metabolic health and conditions, such as fatty liver disease. It also offers an encouraging message for anyone getting back into a routine.

“Start again, and don’t be discouraged by the gap,” Hernandez-Saavedra said. “The biology suggests that your previous exercise history is not gone; it’s simply dormant.”

08/26/2026

After 35 years, Professor Steve Petruzzello is leaving the University of Illinois and the College of Applied Health Sciences the same way he built his career: putting people first.

“When I came here,” said Petruzzello—who came to what was then known as the Department of Kinesiology in 1991—“I knew I’d set up a lab, get my research started and begin teaching. I don’t think I could have ever predicted the twists and turns it would take over 35 years.”

Petruzzello, known to students as “Dr. P.” and to most others as “Steve P.,” never had a rigid vision of where his career was headed. Looking back, he believes that may have been one of his greatest strengths.

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?”

Read his farewell story in the comments.

08/25/2026

Reminder: Apply to be Assistant Director of Academic Programs for our Department of Health and Kinesiology at Illinois!

Applications are due by August 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. CST: https://illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/17622?c=illinois&fbclid=IwY2xjawT6waVwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVk0NjdHeWg3alZOM3BSZXFzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeq-IOrreJBUg2z21iVwE59aIABnrka3gdOK3i412vNFka8R8gM_SnLJJLu8g_aem_8BWH1V-kZ72vOi2yRjyb_w

Now hiring: Assistant Director of Academic Programs at the Department of Health and Kinesiology. 📙

The assistant director plays a key leadership role in supporting HK’s academic operations and program coordination. This is an excellent opportunity for a collaborative and strategic leader who enjoys working in a dynamic, student-centered environment.

Details:
🤝 Looking for at least 3 years of experience in education: academic operations, program administration, and/or educational initiatives.
💰️ Salary range is $65,000 to $75,000
📝 Apply by August 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. central time.

For full job description or to apply, visit the job posting: https://buff.ly/a8D3Wbh

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