Alicia Johnson, current Socio-Cultural Studies doctoral student, received the Student Diversity Award at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) annual conference this month in Indianapolis. AASP is an international professional organization that promotes the development of science and ethical practice in the field of sport psychology.
The Student Diversity Award recognizes the achievements of students involved in research, service or applied experiences that focus on issues of diversity, including, but not limited to race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, social class, or disability.
Johnson’s research focuses on girls and women’s experiences in sport, including the sexualized media representation of female athletes, body image of female athletes in aesthetic sports, and access to sport participation for females around the globe. In the classroom she employs a social justice framework to increase students’ cultural competence. Additionally, Johnson has conducted applied sport psychology workshops for female athletes from Uganda, Pakistan, and Iraq, among other countries.
She earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology with a concentration in athletic counseling in 2012 from Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. She earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2010.
The Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) promotes ethical practice, science, and advocacy in the field of sport and exercise psychology. Since 1986, AASP has been an international, multidisciplinary, professional organization that offers certification to qualified professionals in the field of sport and exercise psychology. With more than 2,300 members in 57 countries, AASP is a worldwide leader, sharing research and resources with the public via its website, www.appliedsportpsych.org.