SPH-B is thrilled to announce that long-time faculty member Jared Allsop, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health & Wellness Design, was recently elected as a Fellow of the prestigious National Academy of Recreational Therapists (NART). Dr. Allsop was nominated by none other than NART President David Loy, Ph.D., professor of Recreation Sciences at the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University (ECU).
Dr. Allsop is a proud graduate of our school's doctoral program in leisure behavior, which he credits for setting him on the path to leadership in the field of recreational therapy through the lens of public health.
"[The Fellowship] is indeed a great honor and speaks to the outstanding quality of the doctoral education offered at IUSPHB," shares Dr. Allsop. "As I move forward, I am excited to use the resources of NART to help advocate for the profession in Indiana to promote increased educational outcomes, the production of evidence-based practice interventions, and increased need for licensure in our state."
NART was created in 2011 to advance the profession of recreational therapy through education, research, scholarly activity, and advocacy.
"It is gratifying to see Jared recognized for his career-long contribution to the profession of recreation therapy," says Department of Health & Wellness Design Chair Richard Holden, Ph.D. "This national honor complements our esteem for Jared in our department, where he plays an indispensable role as an educator, teammate, and leader."
In addition to this honor, Dr. Allsop was named a member of the historic IU Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching (FACET) in March 2023. Established in 1989, FACET highlights colleagues who have made significant contributions to IU students' career paths, and who can further enhance the university's teaching and learning missions while supporting faculty development. Dr. Allsop is also a three-time recipient of the IU Trustees Teaching Award, joining other distinguished colleagues in our school Alyssa Lederer, Ph.D., Kevin Slates, Brian Forist, Ph.D., and Jackie Kingma in 2024.
Dr. Allsop will be formally named a Fellow at the 2024 American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) National Conference next month in Kansas City, MO.
Dr. Holden adds: "As we expand our department's nationally recognized recreation therapy program, we are proud to have Jared at its center."
For more stories about SPH-B students and faculty making a big difference both locally and worldwide, visit go.iu.edu/48bx.