Northwestern State School of Kinesiology

09/02/2026

Sport Administration Graduate students Janiel Moore and Maria Lora Meza were awarded scholarships by The Natchitoches chapter of Les Soeurs. Congratulations to these two outstanding students!

09/02/2026

Natchitoches Parish Residents 60 years & older —THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!
NSU School of Kinesiology invites you to be part of the "Healthy Eating, Active Living" initiative, where you will learn about nutrition and partake in physical activities FREE OF CHARGE, funded by The Rapides Foundation!
Promoting Healthier Years and Stronger Communities.
READY TO JOIN? SIGN UP NOW!
👉 Scan the QR code to get started or contact us directly to sign up!
Click link here as well👉 https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=k4I8vyc8D0uLgX2tx9nepoV4mvXl33BJttWISmLYjNxUMzlTSzJHTzYyMlJVUUpCR0tBRk9NV01UTy4u&route=shorturl

09/01/2026

The School of Kinesiology at Northwestern State University has been awarded a $182,009 Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) Program grant from The Rapides Foundation to implement a comprehensive community initiative designed to expand access to nutrition education and physical activities for older adults in Natchitoches Parish and surrounding communities.

The grant, to be implemented over the next three years, will support the development and implementation of an evidence-based nutrition and physical activity program focused on helping older adults live healthier and more active lives.

“Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve through education, research and community engagement,” said Dr. Tara Tietjen-Smith, director of the School of Kinesiology and grant project director. “We are incredibly grateful to The Rapides Foundation for investing in this important initiative. This grant will allow us to provide meaningful programs that promote healthy eating and active living to give older adults better opportunities.”

Tietjen-Smith said the HEAL grant will be utilized to increase access to healthy foods, nutrition information and opportunities to participate in physical activities. The grant proposal includes student-led nutrition classes, grocery shopping trips, cooking classes, strength and mobility classes, screenings and health assessments. Engaging students will give them practical experience for future careers, she said.

“NSU has an excellent working relationship with the city of Natchitoches and partners on several endeavors,” Tietjen-Smith said. “The city has been working toward a master plan to increase bicycle and pedestrian avenues. Many individuals use the campus to walk for exercise, but walking paths need to be extended, repaired and improved for the safety of older adults.”

By combining regular physical activity with hands-on nutrition education, the initiative seeks to empower older adults with the tools they need to make lasting lifestyle changes, Tietjen-Smith said.

For more information about the program contact the Northwestern State University School of Kinesiology at nsu.la/kinesiology.

08/28/2026

Yesterday we celebrated the official launch of our rebranded NSU School of Kinesiology! Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated this exciting milestone with us! We enjoyed this memorable day with our amazing students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.

Thank you Natchitoches Area Chamber of Commerce for your partnership! And thanks to BOM Bank for sponsoring and supporting this event!!

We especially want to thank our School of Kinesiology Advisory Council members who spent the day visiting with students and sharing their career experiences and advice with them. We couldn’t have done this without all of you and your unwavering support.

Here’s to continuing to build a bright future for this program and our amazing students here at NSU!

08/27/2026

08/17/2026

Following our ribbon cutting on August 27, we are hosting our second annual Advisory Council Panel! This year’s panel is made up of distinguished alumni & friends of NSU who are employed in a variety of kinesiology fields. The panel session will take place from 1-1:45PM with a meet & greet to follow. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all welcome to attend!

08/10/2026

We’re just one week away from the start of the Fall semester! Here are some back-to-school tips from our faculty members Northwestern State University

08/07/2026

NSU School of Kinesiology gets $182,009 grant from The Rapides Foundation to promote healthy aging

08/07/2026

We are so thankful to The Rapides Foundation for this grant! Great things to come!

NATCHITOCHES – The School of Kinesiology at Northwestern State University has been awarded a $182,009 Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) Program grant from The Rapides Foundation to implement a comprehensive community initiative designed to expand access to nutrition education and physical activ...

08/04/2026

Congratulations to NSU School of Kinesiology Alum and Advisory Board Member Tommy McClelland on his new position as Athletic Director at Purdue University!

Former NSU two-sport athlete Tommy McClelland, who has two Northwestern degrees, may be named the new AD at Purdue later this week. By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports Northwestern State alumnus Tommy …