NEWS

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Aslynn Halvorson, assistant professor of exercise science, has been named Newberry College’s 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award winner by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. She was recognized April 5 at an awards dinner in Columbia.

Halvorson joined the Newberry College faculty in 2019, teaching a variety of courses in exercise physiology, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning, among others. She is also the program coordinator for exercise science, co-advisor for the Society of Sport Professions, and serves on the SafetyNET task force in association with the Brain Injury Association of South Carolina.

“Aslynn is one of our best and brightest, focusing hard on building an exercise science program that now has about 120 majors, and is on the front line of active learning and engaging pedagogy,” said Dr. Sid Parrish, vice president for academic affairs. “She is also one of the faculty who contributed heavily to the peer-led professional development in online learning.”

Halvorson is a doctoral candidate in kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she is investigating the concussion recovery experiences of female collegiate athletes. She also holds master’s and bachelor's degrees from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Her other academic interests include return-to-learn policies and experiences during concussion recovery, and strength acquisition and weightlifting in youth athletes.

In addition to her academic interests, Halvorson serves as a liaison and Highland games heavy athlete for the Southeastern Highland Athletics and Games Association. She also volunteers her time with track and field and Scottish heritage events across the United States.

South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities is a consortium of 21 private, nonprofit institutions, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Columbia. For more information, visit scicu.org.