Yet another academic year is winding down in the School of Kinesiology, and it has been a busy time! We are grateful that many activities on campus have returned to at least a “near normal.” We have now been housed in Pleasant Hall for almost two years while Huey P. Long Field House has been undergoing a complete renovation. We are hopeful that our office and laboratory space will be ready for occupancy in October 2022 and are looking forward to returning to our home that will now be a top-notch facility for our faculty and students. At the first opportunity, we will invite our friends and alumni to visit the building and see our new facilities first hand! Among these exciting changes to our facilities, we also have some faculty transitions this year.

Dr. Wanda Hargroder is retiring in August after more than 32 years of service to LSU. Over the years, she has held positions in other units at LSU. In 2001, she joined the faculty of the School of Kinesiology and for more than two decades she has been an integral part of the school. She taught many classes over the course of her career. She taught KIN 2540 Introducing Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities as a service-learning course and both LSU students and school-aged students with disabilities had very positive experiences. She is best known, however, for teaching KIN 2500 Human Anatomy, a very important course in the Kinesiology curriculum and one that is also important for students across campus in other majors who are preparing to apply to graduate programs in the medical field. She spearheaded efforts to develop the human cadaver laboratory courses and that has provided an incredible educational opportunity for LSU students. She also generously gave her time to meet with countless students to provide guidance and advice about preparing for graduate study in allied health fields. Her contributions to the School of Kinesiology and the LSU community are remarkable, and we all hope she enjoys her retirement!

Dr. Ray Castle has also announced his retirement. He has served as the Director of the Athletic Training Education program for the past 20 years. He led the curricular efforts to develop the first degree program as an athletic training concentration within the BS in Kinesiology and the transition to the BS in Athletic Training. Most recently, he led the program development and approval for the MS in Athletic Training that welcomed its first cohort in June of 2021. Throughout his 20 years at the helm of the athletic training education program, he has been successful in ensuring that our programs adhere to the accreditation standards while providing high-quality educational experiences for aspiring athletic training students. He has also been an active participant in recruiting events not only for athletic training education, but also for all programs in the School of Kinesiology. We will miss his contributions and wish the best for him and his family as they transition to a new chapter. 

Dr. Meghan Jackson will also be leaving us at the end of the summer. She has accepted a faculty position in the St. Louis area to be closer to family. Meghan is a certified athletic trainer who came to LSU as a doctoral student in 2012. She began as a graduate assistant in the athletic training education program, and was called upon to serve as the interim assistant program director and later as an instructor while she earned her Ph.D. in 2017. She became an assistant professor of professional practice in Kinesiology that year. She has taught numerous different courses in the Kinesiology curriculum with a very high level of expertise. Many students have benefited from her instruction in human anatomy, the human cadaver laboratory, and biomechanics. Meghan has been a “jack of all trades,” stepping in to teach several courses when sudden faculty departures created a void. She has not only been an outstanding instructor but a wonderful colleague. She is always willing to do whatever is needed to make the school run smoothly and her contributions and positive disposition will be sorely missed. We wish the best for the Jackson family (husband Dan and sons Walker and Henry) and are happy they will be close to family as the boys grow up.

We have been engaged in several faculty searches to fill openings left by these departures. We have hired three new faculty and are continuing to interview for other positions. In the fall newsletter, we will have several new faces to introduce as the school continues to grow and flourish. We wish Wanda, Ray and Meghan all the best in their next endeavors, and hope all our readers have a wonderful summer!

Melinda Solmon, Ph.D., FNAK
Director and Roy Paul Daniels Professor
School of Kinesiology