FOR RELEASE: Thursday, June 22, 2006
Recent Doctoral Graduate Wins Award as Brightest Star on Horizon
Tina M. Penhollow
Tina M. Penhollow received her doctorate in health science from the University of Arkansas on May 13. Less than a week later, Penhollow received a letter from the American Association for Health Education informing her that she was the winner of the association's prestigious Horizon Award for 2007.
Penhollow burst onto the horizon in 2004 with a study that was published in the Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality concerning how exercise affects sexual self-esteem and self-perception. She published four additional articles and presented 20 papers at national and international meetings during her time as a doctoral student at the university. The initial study's findings made their way into the popular press, appearing in a host of publications including Redbook, Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, the London Times and on ABCNews.com.
Penhollow reported that college students who exercise frequently and see themselves as physically fit are more likely to rate themselves higher with regard to sexual performance and sexual desirability than those who exercise less and don't rate themselves as fit. She described the findings as support that exercise goes beyond its traditional role as a protective health factor and enhances individuals' sexual self-esteem.
A Doctoral Academy Fellow in the health science program in the College of Education and Health Professions, Penhollow was nominated for the Horizon Award by Michael Young, University professor of health science. He cited her research as well as her writing and presentation of papers at national and international conferences. Her winning the award did not surprise Young.
"She is the best and brightest star on the horizon," Young said. "She has gotten more visibility as someone just coming out of a program as some people do in a career."
Her research on sexual self-esteem among college students filled a gap in the body of knowledge on sexuality, Young said. He worked with Penhollow on the research paper that resulted from the study.
In his letter of nomination, Young said it would be difficult to find anyone better qualified for the award than Penhollow.
"Tina Penhollow is the best researcher of all the graduate students with whom I have worked in the 26 years that I have been at the University of Arkansas," Young wrote. "At some point in the future, I fully expect to see her give the AAHE Scholar Lecture."
Penhollow will start work this fall as an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University in Davie, Fla. She will teach an undergraduate course in health promotion and a graduate course in needs assessment and program planning. Half of her time will be devoted to research. She plans to publish articles from her dissertation, additional articles from several other research projects in which she was involved while at the University of Arkansas and initiate new projects dealing with various aspects of sexuality.
Penhollow's dissertation continued her research into sexuality issues, this time focusing on older adults, specifically residents of one of the largest retirement communities in the nation.
Through a mail survey, she examined how sexual health affected quality of life among the aging population. In his nomination letter, Young wrote that the work would make a valuable contribution to professional literature on the subject of sexuality and has the potential to positively influence the quality of life for older adults.
One aspect of the study was a follow-up of her initial study on exercise and sexuality. Penhollow found that study participants in The Villages community of Lady Lake, Fla., who reported above average physical fitness were significantly more likely to place themselves in top categories of both sexual desirability and sexual performance.
The findings demonstrate the importance of continuing to investigate the effects of aging variables to optimize living for older adults, Penhollow summarized.
Penhollow will receive the Horizon Award at a luncheon on March 16, 2007, at the national convention of the American Association for Health Education/American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in Baltimore.
"The award means a lot to me," Penhollow said from Florida. "To be recognized as one of the upcoming scholars in the field is great. When I first got the letter, I thought it was just saying I was nominated. I had to read the letter twice."
###
Contact:
Heidi Stambuck, director of communications
College of Education and Health Professions
(479) 575-3138, stambuck@uark.edu