Cameron Fagan, a senior in the physical education program at the University of Arkansas, was recently awarded the Newman McGee Jr. Scholarship at the SHAPE Arkansas conference in Conway.

Newman McGee is a professor emeritus from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, and was a former president of the Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education and Dance (now SHAPE Arkansas). 

Fagan, from Little Rock, is studying to be a health and physical education teacher and will graduate in May.

Janet Forbess, one of Fagan's instructors in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation at the U of A, was among several who nominated him for the scholarship. She cited Fagan's maturity, sense of responsibility, and passion about a career in physical education. She said he works hard to design lesson plans that address state and national standards, are developmentally appropriate and are creative.

"In each lesson I have seen him teach, students are motivated to participate by his enthusiasm. Students not only have fun, they learn new skills and concepts," she wrote in her recommendation.

Fagan is the undergraduate ambassador for HHPR. In this role, he regularly meets with the department head, Matthew Ganio, and physical education program faculty. He also has set "office hours" to meet with students to hear concerns and answer questions. 

"This is an important position, and it has given him unique insight into the program and higher education," Forbess noted. "I can picture him one day being in a position of department head."

U of A kinesiology professor Cathy Lirgg also recommended Fagan for the scholarship. She noted his one-on-one work with an autistic student. "His compassion and creativity working with this boy has been exceptional and he truly gets excited about the gains that this student has made," she wrote.

Fagan will be completing his student internship this spring. He'll teach in a local K-12 school five days a week, while also taking online courses.