March 14, 2007 == MEDIA ADVISORY
SUMMARY: A Calvin College recreation professor has earned one of the top
honors in his field and will receive the award in Baltimore on March 16.
Full story, including links to other resources, see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2006-07/degraaf-award.htm
A Calvin College recreation professor will receive one of the highest honors
in his field later this week.
Dr. Don DeGraaf has been selected as the 2007 winner of the J. B. Nash Scholar
Award, awarded annually by the American Association for Physical Activity and
Recreation and based on professional commitment, leadership, service, research
and publication.
He will be presented with the award on Friday, March 16 at the American
Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation Dance and Sport national
convention which is being held March 13-17 in Baltimore, Maryland.
He also will on Friday deliver the 2007 J.B. Nash Scholar lecture. His talk is
entitled "From Servant Leadership to Social Entrepreneurship: Becoming Hopeful
Travelers."
The award came as a shock to the self-effacing Florida native who said he was
excited, surprised and humbled - all at the same time - especially as he thinks
about the winners of the award in the past.
A 1982 Calvin graduate, who went on to earn his master's in therapeutic
recreation from Indiana University and his Ph.D. in management of leisure
service organizations at the University of Oregon, DeGraaf returned to his alma
mater in 1998 to serve in the health, physical education, recreation, dance and
sport department.
He believes strongly in the power of recreation in society and thinks the
recreation major at Calvin serves an important purpose for the college.
"I believe that recreation has the power to improve people's lives in lots of
different ways," he says. "If you think about something as simple as the
Saturday-morning parks and recreation soccer program here in Grand Rapids, it's
about the kids and the skills they're developing, but it's also about the
parents on the sidelines and the networks created and enhanced. Recreation
programs really can serve as a mechanism to pull a community together."
DeGraaf says it takes a certain kind of person to major or minor in recreation
at Calvin - and eventually to become the people needed to organize those
Saturday-morning soccer games, to run youth camps, to organize programs for
people with disabilities, to set up seniors with rec options and much more.
"For me the (recreation) program at Calvin provides an opportunity for a
certain kind of student," he says. "A people-person for one. And someone who
wants a very hands-on major, with lots of opportunities for engaging with the
community. Those students can shine in this major. And once they graduate they
can find their place in the kingdom and provide a valuable service, while
making a difference in the world."
Contact Don DeGraaf at 616-526-6225
Full story, including links to other resources, see
http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2006-07/degraaf-award.htm
-end-
Received on Wed Mar 14 15:05:58 2007
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