On October 8, faculty, students, and researchers from the Department of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering and Department of Health and Kinesiology gathered at the iHotel for the 2025 Chittenden Symposium: “Lifelong Health by Design – Human-Centered Innovations in Chronic Disease Prevention.” The event united experts across disciplines to explore how engineering precision and health science insight can combine to design systems that foster long-term, equitable health outcomes.
NIH-funded study will develop community resources to support well-being of adults with Down syndrome
Marie Moore Channell and Joey Kane at the National Down Syndrome Society Adult Summit. (Provided)
The transition to adulthood can be a challenging phase for people with Down syndrome, as resources built to support them in their youth and in school begin to dry up.
Marie Moore Channell, associate professor of Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is the lead investigator on a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, which will collect the direct perspectives of young adults with Down syndrome and develop community resources to support their social, mental and physical well-being.
Unlike any previous study on the topic, this one has a steering committee of adults with Down syndrome who’ve helped develop the direction of the study “every step of the way.”
“We realized that the research as a whole is missing that perspective from individuals with Down syndrome themselves,” Channell said. “It’s really a humbling experience as a researcher to take a step back and not say, ‘these are the topics missing in the literature.’ This time, we said, ‘you tell us.’”
Channell and her co-investigators, University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Susan Loveall and Vanderbilt University’s Meghan Burke, have obtained a two-year, $446,096 grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for their study, titled “Developing and implementing community based participatory health research with young adults with Down syndrome.”
The research team will cast a wide net, conducting one-to-one Zoom interviews with adults with Down syndrome across the U.S. to better understand their health concerns, and how to best support them.
The study emerged from a separatesurvey the professors had sent out to caregivers of individuals with Down syndrome, which sought to identify the gaps in support that occur once they reached young adulthood. Adults with Down syndrome tend to live with a caregiver until age 50.
“Families tell us some version of the same thing, over and over: that the supports they were receiving when they were younger and in the schools, are taken away when they’re older,” Channell said.
They decided the topic warranted further investigation. But first, Channell and her team used their networks to form a steering committee with 12 young adults, all of whom have Down syndrome.
One of those steering committee members is Joey Kane, a 30-year-old from Seattle who met Channell at the National Down Syndrome Society Adult Summit a couple years ago. Channell described some of the participatory research she was interested in doing, and Joey was all ears.
“I like to help make a difference,” Kane said. “It’s giving my voice to be heard, and advocating not just for me, but for everyone else who has a disability.”
While the lead researchers have put the study in motion, the steering committee has met with them at least once a week over video calls, sometimes twice to accommodate members living in different time zones.
The health topics they’ve focused on, Channell said, have ranged from securing employment and community living, to improving physical health and self-advocacy skills.
All those priorities resonate with Kane. He lives in an apartment about a mile away from his parents’ house and has two jobs: he serves dinner at the cafeteria in a local nursing home and works the front desk at the Down Syndrome Center of Puget Sound, where he also helps teach in the center’s adult program.
Kane has enjoyed meeting the rest of the committee and learning about their perspectives on health topics. He credited Channell and the other study organizers for making sure everyone is represented.
“What’s really good about Marie and the people doing the study, is they can tell who hasn’t talked yet,” he said. “It makes me happy that everyone’s participating. If everyone participates, we’re going to have a good study.”
We realized that the research as a whole is missing that perspective from individuals with Down syndrome themselves.
Marie Moore Channell
Associate Professor, Speech and Hearing Science
Input from the steering committee has shaped the study in critical ways. For one, at the suggestion of the committee, the community resources will likely be geared for professionals who support individuals with Down syndrome, such as healthcare providers, case managers and job coaches.
The virtual interviews will be one-one-one video calls, rather than online surveys. Participants will be able to see questions ahead of time and bring pictures to illustrate their ideas.
“It is a technique we learned about in looking at the research, and that’s one the [steering committee] gravitated toward. It’s called ‘photovoice,’ and it’s been used in similar kinds of community participatory research methods,” Channell said.
The resources could take several forms, but what Channell knows for sure is she’ll be “working with this group every step of the way.”
“I’ve never done this kind of work before, and it’s been a big learning curve, but really refreshing. Because it feels like we can make an impact a lot faster,” Channell said. “I still highly value the other kinds of research I’ve done, but this is something where it’s built into the project to implement into the community by the end.”
The investigators will put together a “researcher’s toolkit,” compiling the successful practices and challenges of this participatory research. The team is currently hiring some of the steering committee members as co-researchers, who will be trained to help conduct the one-on-one interviews and take part in day-to-day research tasks.
“I’ve learned so much, and I see the value of connecting with the community, building a relationship and working with them before their research study is designed—not imposing your research questions on the community, we’re so used to doing that,” she said.
“It’s really challenging to change that, but I think it’s what we all should be doing more and more of as researchers.”
Editor’s note:
To reach Marie Channell, email channell@illinois.edu Channell runs the Intellectual DisAbilities Communication Lab at Illinois. Visit their website.
Speech and Hearing Science Assistant Professor Mariana Mendes Bahia, Ph.D. and CCC-SLP, is an expert on swallowing physiology, respiratory-swallowing coordination, and therapeutic strategies to alleviate swallowing disorders, called dysphagia. She joined the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in fall of 2024, and leads the Neuro + Swallowing Research Lab.
Mariana Mendes Bahia. (Photo by Ethan Simmons)
How was your first year at the Department of Speech and Hearing Science here at AHS?
Mariana: My first year was a period of growth and adaptation as I became familiar with the university and the Department of SHS. I have been fortunate to receive consistent support from colleagues and departmental staff, which greatly eased this transitional period and helped me navigate new academic and administrative environments.
This year was also dedicated to establishing my laboratory, the Neuro+Swallowing Research Lab, and laying the foundation for my future research program. Setting up the lab allowed me to plan my next steps, define research priorities, and begin shaping a trajectory that aligns with my long-term academic goals, while learning to adapt to the challenges and opportunities of a new institutional setting.
When did you first become interested in studying swallowing physiology and disorders, and why have you stuck with that topic in your research?
My initial interest in swallowing developed during my specialization in speech-language pathology in neurology, when I had the opportunity to conduct swallowing assessments and provide treatment for individuals with swallowing disorders, known as dysphagia, related to neurological diseases.
I was fascinated by the complexity of the swallowing process—something we do countless times a day without even thinking about it. What intrigued me most was how such an automatic act relies on the intricate coordination of more than 30 muscles (and many other structures), several nerves, and brain structures. The interaction among all the swallowing structures, along with the brain and breathing, felt like solving puzzles, and this challenge sparked my curiosity and passion for learning more about the mechanisms behind swallowing and how to best support patients with these difficulties.
As a clinically trained speech-language pathologist, I have observed the devastating impact of swallowing disorders on individuals and their families. This experience has motivated me to integrate my clinical expertise and research background in the investigation of swallowing physiology, particularly the interaction between brain-swallowing and breathing-swallowing, to advance rehabilitation approaches that enhance swallowing ability, improve patient care and enhance the quality of life for individuals with dysphagia and their families.
Bahia in her office at the Speech and Hearing Science building.
You’ve described dysphagia as an “invisible” disorder. For the folks you’ve worked with, how does dysphagia impact their quality of life?
Swallowing is a critical process for life. We need to eat and drink for adequate nutrition and hydration. However, we also eat and drink for pleasure and comfort. Eating is a highly social activity. Therefore, the impacts of swallowing disorders or dysphagia are not restricted to the physical health domain, such as inadequate food or liquid intake, resulting in malnutrition, dehydration, or unintended weight loss.
Individuals with dysphagia face psychological, emotional, and social impacts, including fear of eating, embarrassment, loss of enjoyment when they cannot eat or drink certain foods, and reduced social participation in cultural events or family gatherings where eating is central. The limited ability to share a meal may weaken family and community bonds.
Which therapeutic interventions can work for those living with dysphagia?
Therapeutic interventions for dysphagia aim to improve swallowing safety—preventing food or liquid from entering the airway—and efficiency: ensuring adequate passage of food from the mouth to the stomach. Importantly, interventions are tailored to individual needs and target specific impairments evident in each person. Interventions may include compensatory strategies, such as head adjustments and dietary modifications, to reduce the risk of airway invasion, as well as rehabilitative exercises to strengthen the swallowing muscles, improve the movement of swallowing structures, and enhance the coordination of the swallowing process. Additionally, rehabilitative exercises can be paired with other therapeutic modalities, such as neuromuscular electrical stimulation and brain stimulation.
New research invites Champaign-Urbana families to help track children’s physical activity
Assistant Professor Otavio Leão on WCIA 3 News.
Health and Kinesiology Assistant Professor Otavio Leão appeared on WCIA 3 News segment “Community Spotlight” to explain a new research project recruiting young participants this fall.
Illini Kindergarten Cohort is a study seeking to estimate the physical activity, sleep and screen-time of kindergarten-age children. Families in the Champaign-Urbana area can complete a 20- to 30-minute survey and enroll their kindergartner, who will wear a basic accelerometer for a week. All participants will be awarded a $40 Amazon gift card.
Join activities hosted by Health and Kinesiology faculty and students
Exercise is Medicine Month on Campus kicked off with an in-person yoga event at Freer Hall lawn. (Provided)
Exercise is Medicine on Campus (EIM-OC) is an annual initiative that calls upon colleges and universities to promote physical activity as a core component of health and wellness. More than 200 campuses in the United States have registered for the program.
This month, Health and Kinesiology faculty and students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign—led by this year’s EIM at Illinois committee chair Emerson Sebastião—have planned out several activities to bring campus together in movement. Representatives from the Illinois Counseling Center, Campus Recreation, McKinley Health Center, Carle Illinois College of Medicine and local health organizations joined this year’s committee.
All month, participants can join the online “Move More Challenge” by posting a video or photo of them exercising, and tagging @illinoishealthkin on Instagram.
Coming up:
Free Pilates
A free, introductory pilates class in front of Freer Hall, led by HK Teaching Assistant Professor Alana Harris. Bring your own mat!
When: Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 12 p.m. at Freer Hall lawn
Check your vitals
Get your blood pressure and resting heart rate checked for free by HK students and faculty. Students will provide education on physical activity and exercise guidelines.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 15 from noon to 1 p.m. at Illinois Street Residence Hall Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Student Dining and Residential Programs building (SDRP)
Fall into Fitness 5K | Run, Walk and Roll
Join a 5K race that starts at Freer Hall and loops through campus. Check-in and registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the race starts at 8:30 a.m.
When: Sunday, Oct. 19 at 8:30 a.m. Check-in begins at 7:30 a.m.
Read Chancellor Isbell’s official proclamation for Exercise is Medicine Month on Campus:
Committee Members 2025-2026
Chair: Emerson Sebastião, Ph.D., Health and Kinesiology
Nicholas Burd, Ph.D., Health and Kinesiology
Alana Harris, Ph.D, Health and Kinesiology
Diana Morales (Graduate Student Representative)
Harrison Guo (Undergraduate Student Representative)
Maggie Verklan, the Counseling Center
Alexia Hammonds (Graduate Student Representative)
Brie Whitted, McKinley Health Center
Jared Willard, MD, Christie Clinic
Annie Tigranyan (Carle Illinois College of Medicine Student Representative)
“It’s never too late to begin getting into shape but it does take daily, sometimes painful, perseverance. After all, you can’t expect in a week’s time to make over a body that took years to wreck.” – Thomas K. Cureton, Jr.
T.K. Cureton is known as the ‘father of physical fitness.’ (Photo courtesy of Illinois Archives)
In the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, there is a legacy of one man’s unwavering dedication to physical fitness. That man is Thomas K. Cureton, Jr., better known as T.K. Cureton, but probably best known as the “father of physical fitness.”
Long before exercise guru Jack LaLanne began hosting his syndicated TV fitness program in the 1950s, Cureton established the Physical Fitness Research Laboratory in 1944 at Illinois. Cureton’s research and commitment to physical education and fitness laid the foundation for the fitness movement that is so widely recognized today. From the athletic fields to university classrooms, the impact of his work extends far beyond the realm of physical education.
Born in Florida, Cureton had a diverse academic and professional journey before arriving at the University of Illinois. Growing up in the South, he initially attended Georgia Tech before transferring to Yale University to finish his undergraduate degree. From there, he found himself coaching swimming and directing research at Springfield College in Massachusetts. But it was his arrival in 1941 at the University of Illinois, after being recruited by Dean Seward Staley, that would shape the future of fitness research and practice.
At the time, physical education as an academic discipline was still in its infancy, and there were few established research foundations. Cureton’s appointment marked the beginning of the transition from physical education to a more comprehensive study of physical fitness. He worked to establish research programs, recognizing the importance of physical fitness for overall health long before it became a popular societal trend. This vision, paired with his extensive background in athletics, allowed him to bridge the gap between the two worlds—combining sports with research-driven methodologies to better understand how fitness impacts human health.
But what exactly sparked Cureton’s passion for fitness and wellness? His son Kirk recalled how his father’s interest in athletics and fitness developed early.
“He was a good athlete at Georgia Tech and Yale, participating in varsity athletics, especially swimming,” Kirk Cureton said. “The influence of people like Yale’s swimming coach, Bob Kiphuth, and other experts in biology and hygiene inspired him.”
Through his exposure to these environments, T.K. Cureton was drawn to physical education and ultimately pursued further education in the field, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education, and a Ph.D.degree in educational research, cementing his position as one of the foremost authorities in the field.
Some 20 years after his heroics in the 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens was tested in T.K. Cureton’s lab.
In the early 1930s, as the concept of physical fitness was still gaining traction, T.K. Cureton was one of the first researchers to publish significant works on the subject. One such milestone came in 1935 when the Research Quarterly journal published a supplement titled “Physical Fitness,” which included a series of articles on the components of physical fitness, including those authored by Cureton himself. “He’s often credited as one of the primary contributors to defining the concept of physical fitness,” Kirk Cureton said. “That idea was radical at the time.”
Before figures such as LaLanne, who later became synonymous with the fitness craze of the 1950s and beyond, Cureton was already working tirelessly to raise awareness of fitness as an integral aspect of health. His contributions were not only academic but practical, as he worked on initiatives that showed how physical activity could improve long-term health outcomes, including cardiac rehabilitation—a field that was revolutionary at the time.
Cureton didn’t just focus on academia. He brought his expertise to the public through clinics and talks, often conducting sessions for professionals such as dentists. As Kirk Cureton recalled, “On weekends, he’d often be away doing clinics, and then come home and talk about it.” His commitment to fitness permeated his life to the point where even vacations became opportunities for exercise. “We’d go on family trips, and my dad would just decide to run behind the car while my mom drove,” Kirk said with a laugh. “Of course, as kids, we were embarrassed, but that’s just how he lived it.”
Growing up with a father deeply invested in physical fitness, Kirk Cureton was naturally exposed to these ideas from an early age, though he admits he didn’t fully appreciate them at the time. It’s clear, though, that his father’s dedication left a lasting impression. “He would talk about it all the time,” he said. “He would give us lectures and discussions about fitness, especially when he came home from conferences or testing. We got an earful.”
“We’d go on family trips, and my dad would just decide to run behind the car while my mom drove. Of course, as kids, we were embarrassed, but that’s just how he lived it.”
Kirk Cureton
Son of legendary Illinois researcher T.K. Cureton
It was in Huff Hall, the hub for the University of Illinois’ physical education and health sciences departments, where much of T.K. Cureton’s academic life took place. Though Huff Hall was nominally home to athletic facilities, it also housed classrooms, labs and faculty offices, reflecting the integral role that academia played in physical education. For Kirk Cureton, Huff Hall was a frequent stop. “Growing up, we’d often drive to Huff Hall to pick him up after classes,” he said. “It was a central part of (T.K.’s) work life.”
Even after his retirement, T.K. Cureton’s legacy lived on, particularly through his influence on graduate students. Many of these students, a who’s who of kinesiology, went on to distinguished careers of their own in the discipline, furthering the work of their mentor.
As Kirk said, “His teaching was crucial to graduate students, especially during the summers when he’d teach two classes every year. That was a lot of work, especially considering he was running a large research program at the time.” This hands-on mentorship continued for many years, ensuring that T.K. Cureton’s impact extended far beyond his time at the university.
Though Kirk Cureton was undoubtedly influenced by his father’s work, he did not initially plan to follow in his footsteps. He went on a different path, studying pre-med and spending time in medical school before returning to Illinois to pursue a master’s degree in the field his father helped pioneer. His eventual return to Illinois marked the beginning of his own academic career, one that would honor the legacy his father established.
Today, the impact of T.K. Cureton’s work is still felt, particularly within the College of Applied Health Sciences. His contributions to the understanding of physical fitness, exercise, health, and wellness laid the foundation for future generations of researchers, educators, and practitioners. His work, often ahead of its time, helped to redefine what fitness meant to society and has left an indelible mark on the world of physical education, now Kinesiology. As the University of Illinois celebrates the centennial of Huff Hall, the memory of T.K. Cureton’s vision continues to shape the future of health and fitness research.
For a century, Huff Hall has stood as a cornerstone of Illinois athletics—hosting generations of Fighting Illini athletes and fans—as well as academics, functioning as the home base for the College of Applied Health Sciences. As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of this historic venue, we reflect on its storied past and enduring impact on the University of Illinois community.
Opened in 1925, Huff Hall was originally called ‘New Gymnasium.’
When it opened in 1925 on the University of Illinois’ campus in Urbana-Champaign, New Gymnasium, as it was called at the time, was described as “the greatest gym in the country,” a facility unlike any other, the Yankee Stadium of the college realm. Huff Hall was designed in the Georgian-Revival style by architect Charles A. Platt and University Architect James M. White. Its design harmonizes with other historic campus buildings, including the Armory, Main Library and the Illini Union. When completed in 1925 at a cost of $772,000, it replaced the Military Drill Hall (now Kenney Gym Annex) as the home of Fighting Illini basketball. An eight-foot-deep, 25-yard swimming pool was added in 1927. Following George Huff’s passing in 1936, the gymnasium was officially renamed in his honor.
Huff Hall is a versatile multi-use facility and the proud home of Fighting Illini volleyball, wrestling and men’s and women’s gymnastics. It is famed for its electric atmosphere, which helped foster the term “March Madness” when it hosted the Illinois State High School Association state basketball tournament for decades.
Beyond its role as a competition venue, Huff Hall houses essential athletic facilities, including a training room, weight room, equipment rooms and locker rooms serving the men’s and women’s track and field, volleyball and wrestling teams. Academic offices and classrooms span three floors, while an underground tunnel links Huff Hall to the Armory.
Host to a First Lady, Music Legends and Dance Marathons
In addition to athletics and academics, Huff Hall has been a community good, home to a visit by a sitting first lady and dance marathons. In 1942, during World War II, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Huff to plead with local and state officials to speed up their work to aid in the conflict with Nazi Germany and its allies.
“War goods must be produced in a hurry,” Roosevelt said, according to the Daily Illini on Feb. 6, 1942. “We were not mentally prepared for war … now it is up to each and every one of us at home to build up a greater strength in people.”
Dance marathons at Huff Hall were a popular method to raise money in the 1970s and ’80s.
For more than four decades, Huff was the primary venue on campus for national touring jazz and swing bands, hosting many a concert and dance.
A number of jazz legends played Huff starting with Duke Ellington in 1937 and including Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis and Count Basie, who appeared with his orchestra in October 1966.
In the 1970s and ‘80s, Huff was home to less-historic-but-also-impactful events: dance marathons. Starting in 1973, Huff hosted the Dance-A-Thon, a Friday-through-Sunday dance marathon that would test the endurance and arch support of wiggly Illini.
Organized by the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, the marathon was part of a nationwide collegiate fundraiser for muscular dystrophy research. The grand prize was a trip to Las Vegas, and the participants swayed to music for 52 hours, while sideshow acts such as fire-swallowers entertained the crowd. As the weekend wore on, some contestants even danced with textbooks in hand, studying for their Monday exams.
The last dance at Huff happened in 1989. A generation later, IlliniThon was born. The year-long fundraising endeavor, with St. John’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield as the beneficiary, culminates with a dance marathon in April at the Activities and Recreation Center on campus.
Academics
Academics always has been a vital component in the history of Huff Hall. In 1932, the Board of Trustees established the School of Physical Education with authority to award the degree of Bachelor of Science.In 1957, the board changed the name of the school to the College of Physical Education, which included the Department of Physical Education for Men; Department of Physical Education for Women; Department of Health Service; Department of Recreation, two divisions, a bureau and two clinics. It offered master’s and doctoral degrees.
In 1942, during World War II, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Huff to plead with local and state officials to speed up their work to aid in the conflict with Nazi Germany and its allies. (Courtesy WILL)
In June 1975, the board renamed the College of Physical Education as the College of Applied Life Studies.The College of Applied Life Studies was composed of three academic graduate departments: Health & Safety Education, now Health and Kinesiology, Leisure Studies, now Recreation, Sport and Tourism, and Physical Education, now also part of Health and Kinesiology. Each department had a distinguished history and achieved national prominence.
In 1944 in Huff, Thomas K. Cureton became the director of the Physical Fitness Research Laboratory, one of the first of its kind in the nation. He developed methods to test motor and cardiovascular fitness and aquatic performance and to appraise the human physique. Cureton, who taught at Illinois from 1941 to 1969, is known as the father of physical fitness and played a major role in the development of the fitness movement in America.
Cureton was one of the first authorities in the 20th century to advocate regular exercise and has been credited with helping inspire Americans to take up jogging, a trend that began in the 1960s. What set Cureton apart from other exercise gurus was his large body of research, which established the health benefits of exercise, particularly for the heart.
Other faculty who made their names known in Huff include:
Aurelio E. “Joe” Florio started the first traffic and driver education program safety program for the schools of the state of Illinois.
William H. Creswell, Jr. played an integral part of the national School Health Education Study that involved 1,460 schools and 840,832 students in 38 states from 1961-65. Results of the first stage of this study evidenced the “appalling” lack of knowledge and prevalence of health misconceptions among students at all levels. The second stage involved developing a comprehensive curriculum package using an innovative conceptual approach that still influences school health curricula today.
Howard S. Hoyman developed the “Ecologic Model of Health and Health Education” that served as the forerunner in the field and influences contemporary thought to the present.
Due to the university’s reputation as a prominent contributor to the role of education to address the smoking and health issue, Donald Stone, Thomas O’Rourke and Creswell were invited to contribute chapters to the Adult Education for the 1979 Surgeon General Report on Smoking and Health. This was the first time since the initial 1964 Surgeon General Report on smoking and health were included.
Reflecting the growing and evolving mission of the college and its departments, Huff Gym was renamed Huff Hall in spring 1984. In March 2006, the Urbana-Champaign Senate approved a proposal to rename the college to the College of Applied Health Sciences. This was done to reflect the college’s research, instructional, and outreach programs as well as the structure of the college.
Today, Huff is the nerve center to AHS, housing the dean and administrative offices, as well as faculty office, labs and classrooms.
A Storied Athletic Tradition
Huff Hall is named in honor of George Huff, a pivotal figure in Illinois athletics. Serving as Illinois’ athletic director from 1901 to 1935, Huff guided the Fighting Illini to an era of unparalleled success and played a key role in the construction of Memorial Stadium in 1923. Prior to his tenure as athletic director, he coached Illinois football (1895-1899) and baseball (1896-1919) before managing Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox in 1907 (for all of eight games, in which the team had a record of 2-6).
From 1925 to 1963, Huff Hall was the home of Fighting Illini basketball, witnessing an incredible 339 victories in 418 games (.811), eight Big Ten championships and two NCAA Final Four appearances. Though it was more than twice the size of its predecessor, it quickly became evident that Huff Hall could not accommodate the ever-growing demand for basketball.
For nearly 40 years, the Illini played before raucous, sellout crowds at Huff Hall, making it one of the most formidable venues in college basketball.
Over the years, Huff Hall has hosted numerous prestigious collegiate and high school championships:
Wrestling Championships: NCAA Wrestling Championships (1940, 1947); Big Ten Wrestling Championships (1930, 1933, 1946, 1948, 1958); IHSA State Wrestling Championships (multiple years in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s).
Gymnastics Championships: Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships (1991, 1995, 2003); Big Ten Men’s Gymnastics Championships (1992, 1995, 2004); NCAA Men’s Gymnastics East Regional (1993, 1999).
Volleyball and Basketball Tournaments: Huff Hall has hosted numerous NCAA Volleyball Tournament matches, dating back to 1992, including multiple first and second-round matchups in the 1990s and 2000s. The gymnasium also served as a host site for the 1997 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament first and second rounds.
In the past decade, Huff has undergone large-scale renovations, including the addition of the Khan Annex, which opened in 2011, thanks to a $10 million donation from alumnus Shahid and Ann Carlson Khan. The Khan Annex provided more than 24,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratory, instructional and collaborative space. In 2014 the basketball court was replaced by a more springy volleyball surface to protect the student-athletes’ joints, and in 2018, locker rooms received a full upgrade and a new Taraflex volleyball floor came in August of the 2019 season.
As we mark the 100th anniversary of Huff Hall, we celebrate not just a building, but a legacy—a place where history has been made, champions have competed and the Fighting Illini spirit has thrived from its early days as a basketball powerhouse to its continued role as a premier athletic facility. The academic accomplishments that have occurred in the building, in its laboratories and classrooms, are just as important a part of that legacy. Huff Hall remains a symbol of tradition, excellence and Illini pride.
Editor’s note:
A special thanks to Thomas O’Rourke, Professor Emeritus, Health and Kinesiology, for his contributions to this article.
Honorees embody resilience, leadership, service, and equity
AHS Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, second from left, poses with AHS alumni award winners Jack Groppel, left, Adrienne Albrecht, right, and Brandon Buchanan, far right. (Photo by Craig Pessman).
The College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign once again shined a light on extraordinary alumni at its annual Alumni Awards celebration, held during Homecoming weekend. This year’s honorees—Dr. Jack Groppel, Justice Adrienne Albrecht and Brandon Buchanan—embody the college’s enduring mission of advancing health, equity and human potential.
The ceremony, led by Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, is designed not only to recognize the professional accomplishments of alumni but also to share the personal journeys that shaped their paths. “The individuals who receive these awards never fail to impress and fascinate me,” Hanley-Maxwell said. “As you hear their stories today, I’m sure you’ll find yourself saying, ‘Wow!’ many times, just as I have.”
Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. Jack Groppel
Few careers demonstrate the power of seizing opportunity quite like that of Jack Groppel, recipient of the 2025 AHS Distinguished Alumni Award. An internationally recognized scholar in the science of human performance, Groppel has been a professor, tennis coach, entrepreneur, author, corporate consultant and motivational speaker.
And yet none of that would have happened without the University of Illinois.
“If the leaders in this college hadn’t given me a shot, I’d be counting wolves in Wyoming,” he said.
Growing up in a small southern Illinois town, Groppel was drawn to sports early, teaching himself to play tennis and eventually becoming one of the top junior players in the St. Louis area. Determined to play for the University of Illinois, he convinced men’s tennis coach Dan Olson to give him a chance—a story that foreshadowed a career marked by persistence and boldness.
His academic path was less direct. Pressured to pursue a “practical” major, Groppel earned a degree in wildlife biology. Yet his passion for athletics led him to graduate study in biomechanics at Illinois, where mentor Dr. Charles Dillman helped redirect his career. Groppel later completed a Ph.D. in exercise physiology at Florida State University before returning to Illinois as a professor and head tennis coach.
“How do you go from crying yourself to sleep at 22 to this?,” Gropple said, referencing his unhappy time seeking a career in the wildlife industry. “I have been truly blessed in my life, thanks to my time at the University of Illinois.”
After a decade, Groppel made another daring move: leaving a tenured faculty position to work in Florida at the Saddlebrook Resort. That leap led him to co-found the Human Performance Institute with Dr. Jim Loehr, a venture later acquired by Johnson & Johnson. Groppel became a pioneer in applying the training principles of elite athletes to business leaders, co-authoring the influential book The Corporate Athlete. He went on to brief Congress on worksite wellness, share stages with global icons like Muhammad Ali and Margaret Thatcher, and earn induction into three tennis halls of fame.
Groppel credits the University of Illinois with giving him the scientific foundation and teaching passion that shaped his career.
One of his mentors was Thomas K. Cureton, considered the father of physical fitness. After a semester working with Cureton and others in the precursor to what is now known as the Department of Health and Kinesiology in AHS, Groppel was hooked.
“AHS molded me into a person who can do quality research,” he said. “It all began with leaders in AHS taking a chance on me. It started in that small town and on those small farms where young Jack dared to dream big.”
Harold Scharper Award: Justice Adrienne Albrecht
If Groppel’s story is about breaking down doors, Adrienne Albrecht’s is about perseverance and the power of access. Recipient of the Harold Scharper Award, presented by the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, Albrecht retired in 2024 as a Justice of the Third District Appellate Court of Illinois, capping a distinguished legal career.
Born in Kankakee as the eighth of 10 children, Albrecht was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that severely impaired her vision. In the 1960s, long before disability rights laws provided protections, her mother fought to secure accommodations like front-row seating and access to blackboards. “My mother was extraordinary,” Albrecht said. “She understood what I needed and made sure I got it.”
“If the leaders in this college hadn’t given me a shot, I’d be counting wolves in Wyoming.
Jack Groppel
Distinguished Alumni Award winner
DRES founder Tim Nugent also played a vital role. Several of Albrecht’s siblings, who also had Marfan syndrome, attended Illinois with the support of DRES scholarships.
“I can’t tell you what a profound effect the University of Illinois had on my entire family. Imagine this family of 10 children, thinking they could all go to college and have great careers. The University of Illinois was just so crucial to my family,” she said.
Despite limited assistive technology at the time, Albrecht thrived academically, drawn to international relations before pursuing law. A constitutional history course sparked her passion for legal analysis, while her visual impairment forced her to develop a near-photographic memory—an asset in her legal work.
Over a 30-year career, Albrecht became known for her skill, adaptability and dedication to justice. She was among the first attorneys in Kankakee to integrate personal computers into her practice, eventually teaching technology courses for the Illinois State Bar Association. She served on the circuit court bench before her appointment to the appellate court, where she helped interpret Illinois’ landmark cashless bail statute.
Her proudest moments, however, were deeply personal. “People approach me in the grocery store to thank me, to tell me I made a difference in their lives,” she said. “That means more than anything.”
Dean Hanley-Maxwell said Nugent would be proud to see how Albrecht carried forward his legacy of inclusion and access.
“(Nugent) would join all of us in AHS and DRES in saying that you are richly deserving of this award,” Hanley-Maxwell said.
Young Alumni Award: Brandon Buchanan
Brandon Buchanan was honored with the AHS Young Alumni Award for his leadership in health equity and hospital administration. Buchanan is now associate chief operating officer of Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, but his path began in Champaign with a shift in academic focus.
Originally a journalism major, Buchanan found his calling while volunteering at Smile Healthy, a clinic providing dental care to underserved populations. “Community health took a holistic approach to how society looks at health and well-being,” he said. Inspired, he switched majors and pursued graduate training in health administration.
That decision launched a career devoted to improving access to care. Buchanan managed HIV and STI outreach programs at Ohio State, then spent nearly seven years at Endeavor Health in Chicago. There, he built the health equity impact team from a one-person office into a 30-member department that improved mammogram screening rates, reduced hypertension in Black communities, and expanded community education.
Now in Florida, Buchanan serves on the board of the local YMCA and mentors students pursuing careers in healthcare administration. “I’m proud when I see them flourish and shine,” he said.
Hanley-Maxwell praised Buchanan’s blend of leadership and compassion: “You cannot go wrong when you are committed to improving your community through service, fairness and respect.”
Pedro Hallal has built an international reputation for his research on physical inactivity
Pedro Hallal accepts the King James McCristal Distinguished Scholar Award on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
Like many young researchers, Pedro Hallal thought his first study would be groundbreaking and potentially change the paradigm of the study of physical activity. Ultimately, he said, it didn’t, but now, with the value of experience at hand, he understands that was OK.
“We are trained to think of things that no one has ever studied. But science is much more about consistency of results nowadays, than about brand-new findings,” said Hallal, the Alvin M. and Ruth L. Sandall Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “We do research because of the questions; we don’t start with the answers.”
Thanks to that curiosity and because of the breadth of his research, Hallal on Sept. 24 was awarded the King James McCristal Distinguished Scholar Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the College of Applied Health Sciences. The award honors faculty whose scholarly contributions have significantly advanced their disciplines while elevating the reputation of the university.
For Hallal—whose research has transformed global understanding of physical activity and health—the honor represents both a recognition of past achievements and an encouragement to push forward in addressing one of the world’s most pressing public health challenges: physical inactivity.
“Professor Hallal’s scholarly work has substantially elevated the profile of his department, our college and the university by advancing public health knowledge and global health equity,” said Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences.
A Global Lens on Physical Activity
Hallal, who is also director of AHS’ Master of Public Health program, has built an international reputation for his research on physical inactivity, a phenomenon he argues must be understood in the context of modern life.
“Today, we have fewer people being active,” Hallal said. “Most of them are indoors, looking at a screen. We have to think about what physical activity is today, not decades ago. The notion that physical activity is good for health has been known for centuries. Only since the 1950s and ‘60s have we really been studying it.”
His scholarship began in Brazil, where his master’s thesis—“Physical Inactivity: Prevalence and Associated Variables in Brazilian Adults”—found that 41.1 percent of the surveyed population did not meet recommended activity levels of 150 minutes per week. This early work set the stage for his career-long focus on understanding inactivity as both a personal and societal issue.
Hallal’s impact expanded dramatically with his contributions to a series in The Lancet, one of the most influential medical journals in the world. His research revealed that one-third of adults worldwide—approximately 1.5 billion people—failed to achieve the minimum recommended level of physical activity. Equally concerning, four-fifths of children ages 13 to 15 fell short of the one-hour daily activity guideline. The findings underscored physical inactivity as a global pandemic, drawing international attention to a public health crisis with profound implications for chronic disease and health equity.
Hallal has often said that this work in The Lancet is the “research I am most proud of.”
Redefining Scientific Inquiry
Throughout his career, Hallal has emphasized the importance of scientific rigor and humility.
That philosophy has guided him to produce a body of work that does not merely identify problems but interrogates the systems that perpetuate them. His studies consistently highlight how socioeconomic and geographic inequalities shape access to safe and purposeful physical activity.
“Access to safe, purposeful physical activity must be a societal priority,” Hallal said. By framing physical inactivity not only as an individual choice but also as an issue of structural inequities, he has pushed the field toward broader, more inclusive approaches to solutions.
Access to safe, purposeful physical activity must be a societal priority
Pedro Hallal
Professor of Health and Kinesiology
A Legacy of Impact
The King James McCristal Distinguished Scholar Award cements Hallal’s place among the most influential scholars at Illinois. The recognition highlights not only his academic achievements but also his role in shaping the conversation around health equity worldwide.
From uncovering high rates of inactivity in Brazil to leading global efforts to quantify physical inactivity, Hallal has consistently produced research that informs public policy, inspires further scientific exploration, and elevates the role of physical activity in public health discourse.
Looking Ahead: Challenging Assumptions
As Hallal reflects on the future of his field, he sees opportunities to question prevailing assumptions and generate new lines of inquiry.
He is particularly interested in challenging the idea that “every movement counts.” While small bursts of activity are beneficial, Hallal believes that the global challenge lies in ensuring people have the opportunity for meaningful, sustained physical activity. He also underscores the importance of recognizing how time scarcity and resource inequality reinforce global disparities in health behaviors.
“I think this place, this campus and college, are in a great position to tackle these things,” Hallal said. “We are already one of the country’s leaders in the field, and we are one of the most productive groups in the world on this topic.”
