May 21, 2023 | Anna Flanagan
RST Professor Laura Payne was chosen by the College of Applied Health Sciences to carry the gonfalon, or college banner, at the AHS Convocation in May. The honor of carrying the gonfalon is typically awarded to senior faculty or staff who have had a significant impact on AHS students.
“I am honored to carry the gonfalon for the AHS Convocation because it is a symbol of the mission and values of the college that we embrace and work toward through our teaching, research and service,” Payne said.
Payne joined RST in 2001 as an assistant professor and as an Extension Specialist in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. She is the current director of the Office of Recreation and Park Resources. Payne’s research has examined the relationship between leisure style and health of older adults with chronic conditions and the role of local parks and recreation agencies in health promotion and health behavior change. She has directed several statewide outreach and research programs such as the Illinois Rural Recreation Development Project, Illinois Senior Wellness Initiative, Take Charge of Your Health: Live Well be Well, and the Illinois Health Care Reform Initiative.
Payne considers it a privilege to work with communities across the state to enhance individual and community health through education, research, and public engagement that makes life better for people where they live, work, and play.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to expose undergraduate and graduate students to the meaningful work we do through ORPR and the Leisure, Health and Wellness Lab,” she said. “I hope that I have demonstrated the value of publicly engaged research and outreach to both students and colleagues, and that they will honor the legacies of Al Sapora, Charles K. Brightbill, Joe Bannon, Bob Espeseth, James Brademas, Robin Hall and many more as they pursue their careers.”
Payne was inducted as a Fellow in The Academy of Leisure Sciences in 2019 and received the organization’s Presidents Award in 2020.
Share on social
