Ronald S. Feingold of Adelphi University Receives Highest Honor at National Educators Conference

Ronald S. Feingold, Ph.D.

Ronald S. Feingold, Ph.D., professor emeritus at Adelphi University, New York, will be inducted into the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance’s (AAHPERD) Hall of Fame for his impressive contributions to the physical education profession as an educator and scholar, AAHPERD officials announced today.  He has championed quality physical education for over 40 years and feels strongly that physical education is an important part of teaching today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders to be healthy productive citizens. AAHPERD will bestow the honor at the organization’s Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, April 4, at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel, during the 129th annual AAHPERD Convention & Expo.

Joining Feingold as 2014 Hall of Fame inductees will be Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee.  That evening AAHPERD will also honor its National Physical Education Teachers of the Year for Elementary, Middle and High School and its National Teachers of the Year for Adapted Physical Education, Dance and Health at the banquet, which is sponsored by Human Kinetics, an employee-owned company committed to serving the physical activity field.

AAHPERD’s Hall of Fame awards are given to honor outstanding individuals who 1) make significant contributions to maintaining sport, physical education and physical activity as an integral part of the total education program; 2) further the image of sport and healthy physical activity for all; 3) accentuate the integral relationships of sport, motor development  and physical activity to the total educational process; 4) encourage involvement in meaningful competitive sport or physical activity programs by influential educators and citizens in all walks of life; and 5) symbolize the educational and developmental potentials of physical education and sport.

Past NASPE Hall of Fame inductees include golfer Annika Sorenstam, University of Tennessee Women’s Basketball Coach Pat Summitt, tennis greats Billie Jean King and the late Arthur Ashe, NFL Hall of Famers Nick Buoniconti and Anthony Munoz, and Olympians Wilma Rudolph, Rulon Gardner, Dan Jansen, Rafer Johnson, Nancy Hogshead, Carl Lewis, Shannon Miller, Edwin Moses, Dot Richardson, Peter Vidmar and Tony DiCicco.

A professor emeritus, Dr. Feingold has shown tremendous dedication to Adelphi University as a faculty member, department chair and dean. While at the University for more than 40 years, he set new standards, forged new partnerships, and created new opportunities.  The Adelphi Ruth S. Ammon School of Education has prepared students for their role as educators-sharing their passion for teaching and molding future generations.

Dr. Feingold chaired the Department of Exercise Science, Health Studies, Physical Education, and Sport Management for more than 30 years (1974 to 2004 and 2009 to 2013), and served as interim dean in 2004 before he served as dean of the Ruth S. Ammon School of Education from 2005 to 2009.

A physical education expert, he has spearheaded leading national and international professional organizations and was a lead writer for the New York State Education Department’s standards in health and physical education. He helped establish a World Summit on Physical Education for children, held in Berlin in 1999, and was on the organizing committee for the Pre-Olympic Congress in Greece, and served as president of Association Internationale, Ecoles Supierueres Education Physique (AIESEP) from 1998 to 2006.

At the national level, he was a principal investigator assessing the effectiveness of Physical Best, a national fitness education curriculum, and spearheaded a national recognition program connecting schools to the community. He is a past president of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD); the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (NYS-HPERD); the Eastern District Association for AAHPERD (EDA-AHPERD); the National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education (NAPEHE), and has been recognized by each for his scholarship and outstanding service. Previously a member of the Long Island Board of the American Heart Association for 25 years and former chair, he has twice received the highest honors from the American Heart Association. He is also a co-founder of the North American Society for Leadership in Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Dr. Feingold has given over 70 presentations in 25 countries and has six monographs and more than 30 publications to his name. A longstanding member of the New York Academy of Science, he is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Education, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in the East, and Leaders in Education. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico, an M.Ed. from the University of Arizona, and a B.S. from the University of Illinois.

About the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)
The vision of AAHPERD is “Healthy People – Physically Educated and Physically Active!” Headquartered in Reston, VA, 25 miles west of Washington, DC, AAHPERD is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, physical activity, and school health—all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. Founded in 1885, its mission is to advance professional practice and promote research related to health and physical education, physical activity, dance and sport by providing its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. For more information, visit www.aahperd.org.

About The Ruth S. Ammon School of Education
The Ruth S. Ammon School of Education is committed to providing the highest quality of academic and clinical education that promotes career advancement characterized by integrity and respect for diverse individuals. The School’s innovative curriculum combines liberal arts and sciences with professional training and community service to provide a firm foundation for teachers and professionals in related fields. The curriculum is built upon the core values of scholarship, reflective practice, social justice, inclusive community, wellness, and creativity and the arts. Students gain invaluable experience through partnerships with local schools and programs at Adelphi’s Alice Brown Early Learning Center, the Literacy Center, and the Hy Weinberg Center for Communication Disorders. Find out more about us at education.adelphi.edu.