Donna Woolard, chair and professor of the Department of Exercise Science at Campbell University, received The North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NCAAHPERD) Honor Award on Nov. 13, 2009.
The Honor Award is the Alliance’s highest honor. Honor Award recipients are recognized as persons of high moral character and personal integrity who by their leadership and industry have made outstanding and note-worthy contributions to the advancement of health education, physical education, recreation, dance, intramurals and/or athletics in the state.
Recognized as an expert in the professional preparation of physical education teachers, Woolard has been personally cited as an outstanding teacher educator by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
She is best known for her PEpraxis.com website and her work in preparing physical education teachers to take the Praxis Physical Education Exams. Since 2001, Woolard has been a consultant for the Praxis Physical Education assessments, serving on Educational Testing Service’s National Advisory Committee and the Praxis Physical Education Standing Committee.
A native of Washington, N.C., Donna joined NCAAHPERD in 1975 as an undergraduate at East Carolina University. While teaching and coaching in Ahoskie, she received her master’s degree from ECU. After earning a doctorate in physical education from Middle Tennessee State University, Woolard started her career in higher education as an assistant professor at Mars Hill College and Elizabeth City State University.
Over the years, Donna has served NCAAHPERD as the Student Major’s Association Advisor, Chair of the Constitution Committee, the Newsletter Editor and Webmaster. In 2000, the Physical Education Association named her College/University Physical Education Teacher of the Year. In 2003, she received the NCAAHPERD Service Award. She has also served as vice president and president of the alliance.