Corbin Honored as NAKHE Fellow
Posted on June 20, 2016
Alumni Named as NAKHE Fellows
Four alumni of the University of New Mexico have been honored as Fellows by the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE). These distinguished graduates earned doctoral degrees from Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences (HESS), a department within the College of Education.
“These four HESS alumni established themselves as outstanding professionals and went on to become true leaders in fitness, physical education, health, and sport, both nationally and internationally,” says Dr. Todd Seidler, chair of Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences. “Their success has enhanced the reputation of UNM as one of the top PE graduate programs in the country and is a point of pride for former and current students and faculty.”
Corbin Honored as NAKHE Fellow
Dr. Charles B. Corbin
Charles “Chuck” B. Corbin is an alumnus of the University of New Mexico’s College of Education and an internationally-recognized leader and author within the health and fitness movement. He was recently honored by the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE). He was named to the 2016 Class of NAKHE Fellows for his professional achievements and his long-time service to the organization.
Earning his Ph.D. in 1965, Corbin was the second graduate at UNM to receive a doctorate in Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences. Dr. Armond Seidler was his Ph.D. mentor and a major influence on his studies. Corbin also earned his B. S. degree from UNM in 1960 and met his wife of 53 years, Cathie (Milligan), while they both were at UNM.
Corbin attended Estancia High School in central New Mexico, where he played “all the sports” but especially loved baseball. He would later go on to be a member of the baseball team at UNM.
As a high school student, Corbin was interested in a career as a physical education teacher and coach. His career path was heavily influenced, however, by a national physical fitness movement championed by President Eisenhower who established the President's Council on Youth Fitness (now called the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition). The President’s Council was a “big deal,” Corbin remembers. President Kennedy carried on the fitness emphasis during the 1960s when Corbin was doing his doctoral studies. Kennedy’s Peace Corp emphasized fitness, and Corbin did all of the fitness testing for the initial Peace Corp Training Center at UNM. His initial interest in coaching evolved into a passion for studying and promoting fitness and physical activity for all.
Having played a variety of sports over the years, Corbin believes in staying fit and active throughout life. He played full court basketball, tennis and slow pitch softball well into his 60s. Today, he stays active by walking, working on muscle fitness through daily exercise, playing golf, and following a healthy lifestyle. “I practice what I preach,” he says.
Corbin is Professor Emeritus in the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University. A prolific author of more than 200 published journal articles and more than 100 books on physical fitness, health and wellness promotion, and youth physical activity, he is also a well-known speaker who has addressed organizations around the world. His books Fitness for Life, Concepts of Physical Fitness, and Concepts of Fitness and Wellness earned Texty Awards from the Textbook and Academic Authors Association and are the most widely adopted high school and college texts in the area of fitness and wellness.
Recently, the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition announced Corbin as one of its five winners of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. Corbin received the NAKHE Distinguished Scholar Award in 1995. He is a past President and Emeritus Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology, a Fellow in the North American Society for HPERD Professionals, an ACSM Fellow, and a life member and Honor Fellow of SHAPE America. He is a member of the SHAPE America Hall of Fame. Other awards include the Healthy American Fitness Leaders Award and the Distinguished Service Award, both President’s Council Awards. Corbin was one of 10 Centennial Scholars recognized at the 100th anniversary of UNM in 1989 and gave the Commencement Address for the College of Education in 2015.
About the Department of Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences
The Department of Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences (HESS) within the College of Education at the University of New Mexico offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to prepare professionals who will positively impact the health and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults. The department offers curricula in athletic training, exercise science, community health education, physical education, and sport administration. Undergraduate programs prepare students to be highly qualified teachers and community leaders in health and fitness professions and physical education. The graduate program offers advanced degrees that prepare students for positions in higher education; scientific research; and community, public, and worksite leadership, particularly regarding health, fitness, or sports.
