This award is the highest honor given by the School of Health and Human Sciences to an outstanding alumnus/a. It recognizes persons who have attained national and/or international stature through their achievements in one or more of these areas:Â teaching, scholarship, service (professional or civic), administration, or leadership (professional or civic), creative endeavors, human relationships and inspiration.
Advancement
ALUMNI AWARDS
Nomination Requirements:
- Submit
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography of the person you are nominating
Additional Requirements:
- Current members of the HHS Alumni Leadership Council and current employees of UNCG are not eligible for an award
- Typically, awards are not made posthumously
- Nominations may be made by anyone except the nominee
- Nominations are accepted on a rolling basis, but each award cycle will close on May 20 (i.e. nominations received after May 20 will be considered for the next year)
An Alumni Awards Ceremony is held to honor these alumni for their important local, regional, national, and international contributions.
HHS AWARDS
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HHS Distinguished Alumni Award
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HHS Lifetime Legacy Award
This award is for an alumnus/a who has served as a pioneer in his/her field of study and who has tirelessly given of his/her treasure through time or talents spanning a number of decades. This honoree may be selected from among the alumni of any of the 9 departments and programs in the school.
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HHS Public Service Award
This award may be given to an individual or group who, in his or her role as a member of the faculty (including emeriti faculty), staff, administration, or as alumni or friends, has made an extraordinary contribution to the mission and advancement of the School of Health and Human Sciences.
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HHS Emerging Leader Alumni Award
The award recognizes exceptional achievements and significant contributions to the recipient’s profession or community/society or university. The recipient exemplifies outstanding professional and personal development either through traditional channels or innovative approaches.
This honoree may be selected from among alumni from any of the eight departments and 2 programs of the School, within 10 years after their graduation.
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HHS Pacesetter Awards
These awards honor outstanding alumni in the School who have attained local, state or regional recognition through their achievements in scholarship, leadership or service, during their career or through civic involvement.
Each Department and Program may select a Pacesetter awardee to honor each year.
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HHS Dean’s Award for Excellence
The HHS Dean’s Award for Excellence will be given at the discretion of the dean to honor alumni, former faculty or staff, or friends of the School for exceptional service, scholarship, or other exemplary contributions to the mission and advancement of HHS and UNCG.
Recipients for the award will be considered annually.Â
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Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. Jerono Rotich ’04 Ph.D., Exercise and Sport Science  Â
Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. Jerono Rotich
Dr. Jerono Rotich is this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is the highest honor given to an alum by the School. It is for a person who has attained national and/or international stature through their achievements in one or more areas of teaching, scholarship, service, administration, leadership, creative endeavors, human relationships, and inspiration.
Dr. Rotich completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science (now ) in 2004. Prior to that she received an M.S.Ed. at the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport, and a B.S.C. degree at Kenyatta University in her native Kenya. While completing her Ph.D. program, Dr. Rotich also worked as Program Coordinator, Immigrant Health Access Project Center at the Center for New North Carolinians, and held adjunct teaching positions at both Greensboro College and Guilford College.
After receiving her doctoral degree at UNCG, Dr. Rotich held a variety of teaching positions at NCA&T in the Department of Human Performance, Leisure and Recreation Studies, which included being department chair. From 2019 to 2022 she was chair and professor at North Carolina Central University for the Department of Kinesiology and Recreation. She is currently Professor of Kinesiology & Associate Dean for Organizational Climate, Inclusion, and Belonging School of 91°µÍř at Indiana University.
Dr. Rotich is a member of numerous organizations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, American 91°µÍř Association, Kenyan Students and Scholars Association (president, 2019-2022), Kappa Delta Pi, and the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE). She also serves on several editorial boards. Most recently she was recognized as the Best Educator in 2024 by her Kenyan students sponsored by Jambo List LLC, an organization that connects African business owners and consumers worldwide.
Dr. Rotich’s academic portfolio spans decades. In addition to numerous articles in professional journals and chapters in books, she has published information for the general public, and has received more than $2 million in external grant applications. Dr. Rotich has been the keynote speaker at dozens of national and international conferences and has presented at professional conferences regularly for years.
The extension of Dr. Rotich’s academic initiatives and outreach programs is beyond outstanding. She has led academic initiatives in institutions both domestic and abroad, including facilitating the establishment of the Kinesiology and Sports Institute at the University of The Gambia, Sere Kunda, Gambia; developing the Global Understandings course with Mahatma Gandhi University, in India; and developing that course with Dalian University, in China.
The overall depth and scope of Dr. Rotich’s professional career is truly amazing. It is no wonder that she was invited to the White House as an invited guest for President Biden’s Welcoming Ceremony for the President of Kenya and his wife.
