Distinguished Faculty Award 2008

Karen Uhlendorf

Karen Uhlendorf

Professor of Environmental & Health Sciences ,
At JSC since 1990

Karen J. Uhlendorf, professor of environmental and health sciences, has been at JSC since 1990. She received her Ed.D. in physical education, curriculum and instruction with special emphasis in Outdoor Adventure Education, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; her M.S.Ed. in Outdoor Teacher Education from Northern Illinois University; and her B.S.Ed. in Physical Education from State University of New York, College at Cortland.

Her students praise the excellent education and personal attention she has given them and her decade of leadership in the outdoor education major. Her teaching responsibilities have included outdoor education and teacher preparation in physical education (23 different courses, plus student teacher and intern supervision); outdoor education and physical education activities program coordinator; outdoor education internship coordinator; and ropes course facilitator coordinator. She designed the new outdoor education major, made major revisions of physical education teacher licensure program to meet new state standards, and created 14 new courses. In her academic advising, she has worked with up to 51 students per semester!

She has served on many college committees, including Faculty Council (chair, vice chair) and four other Faculty Assembly committees; several Faculty Search Committees, Policy 101 reviews for both Health Sciences and Outdoor Education majors; JSC Women's Council; Departmental and Faculty/Staff Scholarship Committees; Johnson State College Strategic Planning Committee on Professional Development; Vermont State Colleges Strategic Planning Committee (Admissions and Enrollment focus group); State Department of Education Praxis II Selection Committee; and Physical Education Majors Club advisor, to name a few.

Her professional involvement includes serving as a Vermont Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance board member and on the Association for Experiential Education, 2007 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Co-Regional Conference Committee. Professor Uhlendorf spent her sabbatical in Australia and New Zealand a few years ago and is eager to return. She particularly enjoys canoeing, kayaking, camping, photography, and bird watching.