Professor Emeritus Receives Prestigious Award

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Dr. Robert S. Christenson, professor emeritus of health education in the OSU College of Education, Health and Aviation, is the recipient of the 2018 Honor Award, the most prestigious award presented by the Oklahoma Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (OAHPRED). The award recognizes excellence in teaching; outstanding administrative achievement; contribution to research and professional publications; leadership in state, district and national professional associations; and meritorious service within the profession.

Christenson earned his Bachelor of Arts from Queens College of the City University of New York and his Master of Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Following graduation, he worked at Teachers College at Columbia University in New York City. Christenson completed his doctorate in leadership and educational administration at Brigham Young University. He retired from OSU in 2014, after serving more than 45 years in education and impacting students at every level of education.

In addition to teaching, Christenson was state president of two HPERD associations; council chair for the Association for Research, Administration and Professional Council Societies; council chair for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE); committee chair for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA); and vice president of physical education for the Eastern District Association of the American Alliance for HPERD. Christenson is a nationally recognized researcher, scholar, journal editor, speaker and presenter.

Two of Christenson’s most distinct honors include being named Teacher of the Year by the Eastern District Association of the American Alliance for HPERD in 1984 and receiving the Channing Mann Physical Education Administrator of the Year Award by NASPE in 1994.

“Bob is clearly a most deserving recipient of this honor as a result of his dedication and achievements, including serving and teaching at Oklahoma State University,” said Dr. Robert Davis, former colleague of Christenson and professor emeritus in the College of Education, Health and Aviation.