HSES students awarded by National Strength & Conditioning Association Foundation

LAWRENCE – The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Foundation has announced three 2017 student award recipients from the Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas. Each award winner was selected by the NSCA Foundation Scholarship Committee after a thorough evaluation process of all applicants.

Since its establishment in 2007, the NSCA Foundation has awarded 120 grants and 440 scholarships, totaling more than $2 million to outstanding individuals within the strength and conditioning community.

“The applicant pool was strong this year, making the process very competitive. Each of these winners should be very proud of their accomplishments. I look forward to seeing them grow within the profession,” said Carissa Gump, NSCA Foundation director.

NSCA’s Graduate Research Grant Award

Luke Olsen, master’s student in exercise science from St. Marys, has been named a recipient of the NSCA’s 2017 Graduate Research Grant – Master’s. This grant program funds graduate research in strength and conditioning at the master’s and doctoral levels.

Olsen was awarded $4,100 for his research focusing on concurrent training's role on mechanotransducing properties of muscle fiber. Olsen completed his bachelor’s degree at Emporia State University.

"Congratulations to Luke for receiving this grant award," said Brian Schilling, NSCA Foundation board president. "His proposed study is in alignment with the mission of the NSCA Foundation, and we are looking forward to the outcomes of the study to educate the industry."

NSCA’s Challenge Scholarship Award

Michael Trevino, doctoral student in exercise physiology from Yorba Linda, California, has been named a recipient of the NSCA’s 2017 Challenge Scholarship. This program awards $1,500 to NSCA members seeking either an undergraduate or graduate degree in a strength and conditioning-related field.

Trevino recently completed his fourth year in the Exercise Physiology Ph.D. program under the mentorship of Trent Herda, assistant professor in the Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences. Trevino completed both his master's and bachelor’s degrees in kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton under the mentorship of Jared Coburn. His research interests include the noninvasive assessment of muscle function with surface electromyography (sEMG), mechanomyography (MMG), sEMG signal decomposition, and ultrasonography.

“Congratulations to Michael for this well-deserved honor," Schilling said. “We are proud to support Michael in his studies to be a future leader of the strength and conditioning industry.”

NSCA’s Minority Scholarship Award

Justin Nicoll, doctoral student in exercise physiology from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, has been named a recipient of the NSCA’s 2017 Minority Scholarship for 2017. This $1,500 scholarship is designed to encourage minorities, ages 17 and older, to enter the field of strength and conditioning. Minority is defined as “ethnic minority,” as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The applicant must be one of four ethnic qualifications: Black, Hispanic, Asian-American, or Native American.

Nicoll recently completed his fourth year under the mentorship of Andrew Fry, associate professor in the Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences. Nicoll completed both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees at the University of Rhode Island, where he also threw hammer for the track and field team. His research interests include seeking to elucidate the role of endocrine and cell signaling responses to resistance exercise that regulate muscle metabolism, hypertrophy and strength adaptation as it relates to sport performance.

"Congratulations to Justin for this well-deserved honor," Schilling said. "He is an outstanding student with an extremely bright future.”

The NSCA Foundation was founded with the aim of supporting the advancement of strength and conditioning practical applications. The NSCA Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to providing funding to NSCA members taking part in educational and research endeavors. More information about the NSCA Foundation can be found online.

The Department of Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences is housed in the KU School of Education. The KU School of Education is located in Lawrence, Kansas, and is a nationally ranked school, preparing educators as leaders.