The College of Education and Human Performance and the Department of Health and Kinesiology are very proud of Dr. Christopher Hearon. In early July, Hearon, the chair of the health and kinesiology department at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, was notified that he was the winner of the Jerry R. Thomas Distinguished Leadership Award from the American Kinesiology Association (AKA).
“I was absolutely not expecting this. To be honest with you I was at a loss for words, and anyone who knows me knows it takes a lot for me to be at a loss for words. So, clearly I was taken aback a little bit and was certainly not expecting it,” Hearon said.
The Jerry R. Thomas Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes individuals with exceptional administrative and leadership performances. The award is given out to an individual in each academic level such as the doctoral, master’s, undergraduate, and associate degree levels.
The award is based on various criteria including how the recipient has built innovative curricula to strengthen the program, established partnerships and outreach programs, and achieved success with obtaining new or renovated facilities for research and teaching.
Hearon has been the chair at TAMUK for 13 years, but before he arrived at Javelina Nation he was chair of the kinesiology department at Northeastern Illinois University. He was nominated by fellow professors including Dr. David Cutton, associate professor and coordinator of the sport and leisure studies program. Cutton has been working with Hearon for a few years and greatly respects his chair and colleague.
“I feel that Dr. Hearon is very deserving of this national award; and I was very gratified to have my judgment, point of view, and insight confirmed by the American Kinesiology Association,” Cutton said.
But TAMUK has been on AKA’s radar before. Two students from the health and kinesiology department have won the National Scholar Award from AKA two years in a row. The first, Samantha Cantu, won the award in 2015 followed by Joel Pena in 2016.
“It gives me a great honor to know how hard Dr. Hearon has worked throughout his tenure as department chair. The Department of Health and Kinesiology has been given numerous awards through the last couple of years. And the hard work he has put into his work is paying off. Very few administrators around the nation can actually say that they have received this award,” Dr. Alberto Ruiz, dean of the College of Education and Human Performance, said.
Hearon looks forward to receiving this career achievement award at the 2019 AKA workshop Jan. 24 to 26 in Phoenix, Ariz. He is truly humbled by the honor.
“An award like this reflects every bit as much on the exceptional faculty that I’ve had the opportunity to lead over the last almost 20 years at two different schools,” Hearon said.