ESU To Present Distinguished Professor Award To Caroline Kuchinski, Ph.D. and S. Elaine Rogers, D.Ed. September 2, 2014

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East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) will present its annual Distinguished Professor Awards for 2014 to Caroline Kuchinski, Ph.D., professor of physical education, and S. Elaine Rogers, D. Ed., professor of recreation services management, during an all-university meeting on September 2, 2014 at 2:00 p.m., in the Abeloff Center for the Performing Arts. The award is the university’s highest faculty honor. It recognizes the excellence of superb faculty members and their outstanding contributions to the academic life of ESU in the areas of teaching, scholarship, creative endeavor, and service to the university or community.

Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., university president, and Nancy VanArsdale, Ph.D., professor of English, will present the awards. Dr. VanArsdale is also president of the ESU Chapter of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF). Thirty-three professors have previously received the Distinguished Professor honors since the award was established in 2000. Nominations for the award are reviewed by the Distinguished Professor Awards Committee, comprised of six faculty members and two administrators.

Caroline Kuchinski, Ph.D., professor of physical education, earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education and her master’s degree in health education from ESU, and her doctorate in human development: instructional leadership from Marywood University, Scranton, Pa.

Currently, Dr. Kuchinski is a professor in the physical education teacher education department and remains committed to coordinating ESU’s graduate program in health and physical education and the undergraduate professional development school (PDS) program for physical education.

From 1992 to 1996, Dr. Kuchinski served the university as an instructor in the department of movement activities and lifetime fitness, director of intramurals, aquatics, and recreation, and two years as department chair for movement activities and lifetime fitness. Prior to her position at ESU, she taught health and physical education collectively at Tamaqua and Stroudsburg Area School Districts for 11 years.

Dr. Kuchinski has taught over 10 undergraduate courses and six graduate level courses for the physical education department. The courses have a common template that requires students to use critical thinking skills to research and analyze best practices in physical education.

Dr. Kuchinski has presented at the state, district, national and international levels on subjects such as the spectrum of teaching styles, interview strategies, curriculum mapping and assessment. She has also authored several publications related to curriculum development and assessment.

At the regional and state levels, Dr. Kuchinski is an active member and leader for both the Eastern District Association (EDA) of the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (PSAHPERD). At the EDA level, she has served as Council for Services Representative for Pennsylvania. For PSAHPERD she has been as an executive board member for more than 20 years. She has held positions with PSAHPERD such as vice president of the Physical Education Division, Eastern District Association Council for Services Liaison for Pennsylvania, adviser of the Future Professionals Division, president of the Monroe-Pike Counties Association, and is currently chair of the Professional Preparation and Certification Division. Dr. Kuchinski’s devotion to the field of health and physical education has earned her various honors including the EDA for AAHPERD Profession Honor award for Physical Education in 2010, PSAHPERD Professional Honor Award in 2004, the Ethel Encke service award in 2010, the Outstanding Teacher of the Year at the University Level in 2011 and the 2012 Cottrell Leadership Award.

On the national level, Dr. Kuchinski works with the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) as an accreditation reviewer for both initial and advanced programs. Dr. Kuchinski is an active member of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, specifically as an author and reviewer for the Standard-Align System Physical Education document and the new Teacher Effectiveness Evaluation System. She has been a lead instructor of five one-week summer Governor’s Institutes for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, Dr. Kuchinski has worked as a consultant for several Pennsylvania school districts to design K-12 physical education standards-based curriculum. At the community level, Dr. Kuchinski has involved families and children with the ESU Aqua Tot Learn to Swim Program for 22 years.

S. Elaine Rogers, D.Ed., chair and professor of recreation services management, has been a faculty member at ESU since 1978. She earned her bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College, her Master of Science in education from Northern Illinois University, her doctor of education from the University of Oregon and another Master of Science from East Stroudsburg University.

Upon her arrival on campus 36 years ago, Dr. Rogers helped develop the initial curriculum for what was then the recreation and leisure services department. She has had the privilege of teaching every graduate from the program, which amounts to more than 900 students. She spent 23 years as the department chair, and from 1978-91 served as the property coordinator for Stony Acres, a 119-acre outdoor recreation area and wildlife sanctuary owned by ESU’s students. During her time at ESU, Dr. Rogers has taught 15 different courses and supervised three fieldwork courses and more than two dozen service learning projects. In addition, she has served as the department’s coordinator for the university’s outdoor recreation and park management career specialty area since 1978.

Dr. Rogers has been a member of many committees, both at ESU and in the local community. She is currently a board member for the Monroe County Open Space Advisory Board of the Monroe County Planning Commission and is a life member in the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center. At ESU, she has served on search and screen committees, the curriculum committee, facilities committees, promotions committees and the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee.

Service to the National Park Service by Dr. Rogers is extensive. She was selected by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) to participate in a grant-funded park watcher and legislative conference in Washington, D.C. and was chosen to work on the National Park System Plan. Dr. Rogers’ consulting work extends from schools and youth camps to municipalities and private community associations. Her dedication to professional associations includes being a founding and life member of the National Association for Interpretation for which she served on two national conference planning committees.

The published works of Dr. Rogers have appeared in national and state professional journals and newsletters on topics of professionalism, recreation areas and facilities, and environmental education. She received a national writing award for an article that appeared in Camping Magazine.

Dr. Rogers’ honors include having won the 2014 Rose Schoch Award from the Kettle Creek Environmental Fund and the superintendent’s award of appreciation for service on the Citizens Advisory Commission, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and National Park Service. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 100 Park and Recreation Leaders in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society and the secretary for Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

For more information about the annual Distinguished Professor Awards, contact the APSCUF office at ESU at 570-422-3278 or visit http://quantumnew.esu.edu/insider/distinguished-professors/.