University of Michigan School of Kinesiology

10/21/2026

How can schools get kids out of their seats and moving in the classroom? New research from the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology aims to find out.

Rebecca Hasson, Victor L. Katch Collegiate Professor of Kinesiology, has received a National Cancer Institute R01 grant to study strategies for improving classroom physical activity interventions in Michigan elementary schools. The research will explore scalable ways to increase children’s daily physical activity, an important factor in preventing cancer and other chronic diseases.

Congratulations, Rebecca, on this important work advancing children’s health!

10/19/2026

All smiles thinking about Parent & Family Weekend fast approaching 😁

Join us this Friday during Parent & Family Weekend to meet Dean John Cairney and student affairs staff, connect with other families, and explore resources available to your student. Learn more about pre-health advising, sport management career advising, global engagement and campus counseling resources, plus take home a special gift for you and your student.

📅 Friday, Oct. 23
⏰ 3-5 p.m.
📍 School of Kinesiology Building (SKB) 2600

RSVP to bring your people to Kines: https://myumi.ch/WD9m7

10/14/2026

Asking Kines Wolverines what their best kept secret is in the SKB!

10/12/2026

Meet the 2026 Kinesiology Alumni Achievement Award recipients!

🏅 Early Career Achievement - Brian Diefenbach (MVS '17)
Diefenbach went from sports research at the Nike Sports Research Lab and Henry Ford Health to joining the Detroit Tigers as a biomechanist in 2022. He now serves as director of performance science, helping maximize players’ on-field performance.

🏅 Early Career Achievement - Megan Takahashi (SM '18)
Takahashi leads commercial and branded content campaigns for global brands like BMW, Disney, and Paramount+ at The Vault NYC. She also mentors emerging creatives and advises Wolverines pursuing careers in sports, entertainment, and advertising.

🏅 Career Achievement - Haley Geffen (SM '99)
A six-time Emmy Award-winning director, Geffen has spent more than 20 years bringing ambitious stories to life through film, commercial, and documentary work. She went on to direct campaigns for Nike, Under Armour, and the Olympic Games. She released her debut feature documentary, Safe Room, in 2026.

🏅 Lifetime Achievement - Elmo Morales (PE '68)
Morales has spent his career making movement accessible to all, from teaching physical education in Ann Arbor Public Schools to founding the Dexter Ann Arbor Run. He also created Elmo's T-Shirts & Gifts, a beloved local retail store where students, alumni, and visitors have connected for nearly 50 years.

10/09/2026

Your assignment? Come by the SKB next Friday, Oct. 16! 🎒. Join us at our homecoming event next Friday for a little school spirit and a lot of exclusive SKB-themed swag.

Last call to RSVP is TODAY: https://myumi.ch/X8XmZ

📅 Friday, Oct. 16
⏰ 5:30–8:30 p.m.
📍 School of Kinesiology Building

What's in store? Personalize a backpack with iron-on patches, make your own Block M keychain, grab stickers, a lunchbox, and more.

10/07/2026

Congratulations to Dean John Cairney on his induction as a New Fellow to the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK)!

Cairney was recognized for his distinguished and sustained contributions to kinesiology through scholarship and professional service. As one of 15 scholars inducted this year, he joins a group of researchers and leaders advancing the study and application of human movement and physical activity.

He was welcomed into the alongside Leah Robinson, professor of movement science and a Fellow, who introduced the 2026 Fellows during the ceremony.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Cairney to the Academy,” said Dr. Howard N. Zelaznik, FNAK #337, President of the National Academy of Kinesiology. “His leadership and scholarship exemplify the qualities we seek in Fellows—advancing knowledge, mentoring the next generation, and strengthening the future of kinesiology.”

10/06/2026

Oh, the places Kines could take Wolverines in 2027 ✈️🧳🌍

From exploring anatomy in Renaissance Italy to going behind the scenes of sport in London, U-M Kinesiology study abroad programs give students the chance to take what they’re learning beyond Ann Arbor and experience it firsthand around the world.

Travel dates for seven upcoming programs, from Dublin and London to South Africa, South Korea and Japan, Sardinia, Santiago and beyond are below. Applications are open, with deadlines beginning Oct. 9:

Art and Anatomy in Renaissance Italy in Rome and Florence, Italy
📍 Rome + Florence
📅 May 11-June 4, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Oct. 9, 2026

Sport Across the Pond: The Influence of Sport on Culture, Community, and Commerce in Dublin, Ireland & London, England
📍 Dublin + London
📅 Jan. 1-11, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Oct. 11

Global and Developmental Perspectives of Child Health and Movement in Early Childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa
📍 Johannesburg, South Africa
📅 July 20-Aug. 11, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Oct. 31, 2026

Sport Across Cultures, Management, Globalization, and Innovation in South Korea and Japan
📍 South Korea + Japan
📅 May 9-24, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Oct. 31, 2026

Longevity—A Blue Zone Biocultural Field Course in Sardinia, Italy
📍 Sardinia, Italy
📅 Oct. 15–24, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Nov. 29, 2026

Interprofessional Perspectives on Adapted & Inclusive Sport in Santiago, Chile
📍 Santiago, Chile
📅 Oct. 15–22, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Dec. 1, 2026

Sport, Strategy, and Society: An Exploration of Sport in the United Kingdom
📍 United Kingdom
📅 July 1–16, 2027
⏱️ Apply by Dec. 1, 2026

10/02/2026

Your assignment this U-M Homecoming? Come back to Kines 🎒

Alumni, family and friends, students, and faculty and staff are invited to join us Friday, Oct. 16, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. for an evening inside the SKB, with plenty to see, try and take home. RSVP: https://myumi.ch/X8XmZ

Here's what's in store:

- A behind-the-scenes look at one of our most in-demand classes with faculty member Mike Lorenc’s sports betting demonstration. 🎰

- Trips around the world through two GoGlobal stations featuring experiences from our study abroad programs, including visits to the Olympic and Paralympic villages earlier this year. 🌍

- Exercise Snacks with faculty member Rebecca Hasson and her InPACT program, drawing on her work with the University of Michigan’s ED Talks initiative and the year of Life-Changing Education. 💪

Come reconnect with Kines, meet new Dean John Cairney, and get a look at what’s happening across the SKB. We’ll see you there!

09/29/2026

A night at Comerica Park with the Kines community ⚾️. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Kines Happy Hour before U-M Night on Friday! It was great to have alumni, students, families, and friends come together before the Detroit Tigers game.

A portion of U-M Night ticket sales benefited the Bernard “Pat” Maloy Scholarship. We were honored to have Nora Maloy, Pat's wife, join Dean John Cairney and Noel Cimmino, Kinesiology Alumni Society Board co-chair, to receive the scholarship check.

Wolverines Trooper

09/23/2026

A strong university experience starts with opportunity. We’re proud to be part of a university recognized as the No. 3 public institution in the country for undergraduate education and the best public university value in the state of Michigan by U.S. News and World Report.

The University of Michigan was named the best public university value in the state of Michigan and the No. 3 public institution in the country for undergraduate education in the latest U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges Rankings! myumi.ch/VDgGj