The School of Kinesiology takes center stage in the Spring/Summer issue of Connect, CEHD's alumni/faculty/staff magazine. Kinesiology director Li Li Ji is featured on the cover, and his key involvement in establishing the U.S.-China American Cultural Center for Sport, a partnership with the U of M China Center, the School of Kinesiology, and the Tianjin University of Sport in Tianjin, China. The grand opening and inauguration ceremony was held March 20 at Tianjin University of Sport and included dignitaries from China and the U.S. as well as the University of Minnesota, School of Kinesiology, and the Tucker Center. Read the full story at this link: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/Connect/2012Spring/Diplomacy.html

Also featured in Connect was Dr. Don Dengel, associate professor in exercise physiology, and his Study Abroad trip to London with 25 students last December to explore the impact of the Olympics on the city of London, the first city to host the games for the third time. Students visited venues from the previous games (1908 and 1948) as well as 2012 venues under construction. Go to http://www.cehd.umn.edu/Connect/2012Spring/Olympics.html to read the full story.

Dr. Mary Jo Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport and professor of sport sociology in the School of Kinesiology, is quoted in GolfWeek.com's article, "Title IX: An empowering transformation." In the article on pro golfer Suzy Whaley and other female athletes, Kane says, "What Title IX has done is create a critical mass of women playing at all levels of competitive sports."

Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D., faculty in the School of Kinesiology and associate director of the Tucker Center, is quoted in a Yahoo.com Shine newsletter article "Are Competitive Sports Safe for Girls?" LaVoi says, "Parents need to be familiar with the risks and benefits of the sports their child is going to participate in. The benefits aren't automatic."

Join Tucker Center associate director Nicole M. LaVoi and others at a showing of "Strong!," a film about Olympic power lifter Cheryl Haworth and her struggles to defend her champion status. This MELSA and TPT Community Cinema screening and discussion is on Monday, May 7, at 7:00pm. The program is hosted by the Rice Street Library, 1011 Rice Street, St. Paul.

Austin Stair Calhoun, Kinesiology Ph.D. candidate in sport sociology, will give a guest lecture on May 3 and an invited talk on May 4 at her alma mater Washington and Lee University. Her talk will be on her dissertation research and is entitled, "Gatekeeping in Online Coaching Biographies: Interrogating the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Narrative." Calhoun's visit is sponsored by the Department of Gender and Women's Studies at Washington and Lee. Calhoun is an Information Technology Specialist/Content Strategist/Web Guru with the School of Kinesiology and a sport media scholar, technology enthusiast and advocate for gender and GLBT issues in sport.