May 23, 2025 | Ethan Simmons As a graduate student, Liza Berdychevsky didn’t expect much fanfare when she first visited a Leisure Research Symposium as a “future scholar,” on behalf of The Academy of Leisure Sciences (TALS). In 2008, she was completing her master’s program and searching for a university to complete her doctorate. Yet […]
Month: October 2024
Chez Veterans Center again plays host to Warrior-Scholar Project
Oct. 23, 2024 | Ethan Simmons The Warrior-Scholar Project partners with American colleges and universities to host brief, intensive, no-cost college prep experiences for both enlisted Veterans and service members transitioning into civilian life For Chez Veterans Center director of operations Andy Bender, the function of the Warrior-Scholar Project is straightforward: Offer military Veterans a […]
Illini athletes win big at Paris Paralympics
Oct. 23, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo By VINCE LARA-CINISOMO If this really was Steve Serio’s final Paralympic Games appearance, he went out in style. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alum had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Team USA won its record third straight Paralympic Games gold medal, holding off Great Britain 73-69 […]
Decoding the mysteries of misophonia
Oct. 21, 2024 | Ethan Simmons By ETHAN SIMMONS Food-slurping, knuckle-cracking, pen-tapping, nose-sniffling. All these noises can trigger strong emotional responses for people living with misophonia, or sensitivity to specific, often human-generated sounds. Misophonia is a newly recognized hearing condition—the term was first coined in 2001—and its exact mechanics, and boundaries, remain mysterious. To investigate […]
Study explores effects of racial discrimination on Black parents and children
Oct. 22, 2024 | Marianne Stein Black Americans experience racial discrimination on a regular basis, and it is a cause of chronic and pervasive stress. It is known to contribute to elevated risk for poor mental health outcomes, but most research has focused on individuals. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at the interpersonal effects […]
Message from the HK Department Head
Oct. 22, 2024 | Kim Graber, Shahid and Ann Carlson Khan Professor Hello, members of the Health and Kinesiology family, As we welcome the fall semester, I am thrilled to share the latest edition of our newsletter. This issue marks the first edition of the Health and Kinesiology newsletter, reflecting our department’s official name change […]
RST internship: Jonathan Oliveira
Oct. 22, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo This summer, RST Illinois Ph.D. candidate Jonathan R. Oliveira had the opportunity to serve as a stadium competition analyst for Copa América at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. In his role, Jonathan was responsible for implementing and monitoring operations activities directly related to matches, press conferences, and stadium familiarization of all the national soccer teams […]
Beebe hopes to make MLB his future home
Oct. 21, 2024 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo For someone who wants to work in baseball in the future, Nate Beebe had a dream internship this summer. Beebe, now a senior in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, spent his summer interning at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Beebe was one […]
Will the 2024 Olympic Games become the playing field for social justice protests?
Oct. 21, 2024 | Sharita Forrest RST Assistant Professor Yannick Kluch studies sport as a platform for promoting social justice. Kluch has worked with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, USA Diving and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. He spoke with research editor Sharita Forrest about the history of Olympic athletes’ social justice protests and governing organizations’ efforts to […]
Message from the RST Department Head
Oct. 22, 2024 | Carla Santos Greetings, Friends and Alumni of the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, Welcome to the fall 2024 edition of the RST newsletter. I am pleased to share highlights of the latest research from our faculty, remarkable student achievements, and the continued involvement of our distinguished alumni. We are proud […]