Dr. Joyce Curtis, professor emerita of exercise science and health at Abilene Christian University, has been awarded the 2009 Pathfinder Award by the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She will receive the award during the annual convention in Corpus Christi, Dec. 5.
"We are very proud that Dr. Curtis is being honored with this award," said Dr. Joe Bell, associate professor and chair of the Department of Exercise Science and Health at ACU. "Dr. Curtis is the type of person you want to be in charge of the details. She was meticulous and always did things right the first time. She was dedicated to her profession and to the university."
Curtis began her teaching career at ACU in 1959 as an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Health. She left ACU briefly to pursue a doctoral degree from Indiana University, and returned to ACU in 1971 to serve as the director of the Women's Physical Education Activities Program.
During her tenure at ACU, Curtis was instrumental in developing the women's athletics program. She was the first coach for women's volleyball, badminton, basketball and tennis. Curtis was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. She retired from Abilene Christian in 2004.
The Pathfinder Award recognizes woman who demonstrate continuous dedication to the advocacy, recruitment and enhancement of girls and women in sports and sport leadership in Texas.
As a recipient of the Pathfinder Award, Curtis will qualify for the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport National Pathfinder Award. The national award honors HPERD members that exhibit leadership and service to the profession in girls and women’s sport.
The Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance is a Texas-based, not-for-profit association composed of more than 4,500 professional and student members serving education from kindergarten through college. TAHPERD was founded in 1923, and is the only association in Texas serving education in health, physical education, recreation and dance.
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