TSU's David Anspaugh receives the Health Educator of the Year award from AAHE's Katherine Wilbur this month

Tri-State University athletic director Dr. David Anspaugh received the Health Educator of the Year award during the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Dance convention in Baltimore, Md. April 4-8. Katherine Wilbur, president of the American Association for Health Education (AAHE), presented the award during a luncheon.

The AAHE represents one of the top two professional organizations in health education, and the award requires a nomination from peers, paperwork providing the nominee’s background, a writing sample, and professional activities, and a record of years of service to the AAHE and other national and regional organizations. A peer evaluation process puts the resume before the scrutiny of 10 health education professionals.

One award is presented yearly to colleges and universities, usually to a large university with a prominent health education program, Anspaugh said. Only five to 15 nominations are made nationally.

A health education professional with whom Anspaugh attended graduate school at the University of Tennessee made the nomination, Anspaugh said.

“It’s nice from a career perspective to be recognized by your peers (and have it noted) that you’ve made contributions in your career endeavors,” Anspaugh said of the award.