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Ashleigh Huffman, PhD

huffman

 

Clinical Assistant Professor
HPER 351
865-974-8917
ahuffman@utk.edu

COURSES TAUGHT

KNS 334 Service Learning: Sport & Community Development
RSM 334 Service Learning: Sport & Community Development
RSM 337 Women in Sport: An International Perspective

RESEARCH INTERESTS
The role of sport in:

  • Community development and peace-building
  • Service-learning and community-university partnerships
  • Refugee resettlement and social integration
  • Religious and political contexts that impact gender equality

EDUCATION

PhD The University of Tennessee Kinesiology and Sport Studies (Socio-cultural Foundation)
MS The University of Tennessee Sport Studies (Sport Management)
BS Eastern Kentucky University Physical Education (Exercise Science)

EXPERIENCE
2011–present    The University of Tennessee, Assistant Professor
2005–present    Sport4Peace, Assistant Director
2009–present    National Consortium for Academics and Sport, Leadership Consultant
2008–2010        Thornton Athletics Student Life Center, Educational Coordinator Men’s Football

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
As a professor, I take great pride in cultivating an atmosphere of learning—a place where the expectations are high but achievable, where students are encouraged to contribute and speak freely, where critical thinking skills are applauded, and where standards for assessment are clearly articulated and agreed upon. I seek creative methods of knowledge sharing (e.g. technology, role-play, scenarios, debates) in order to maximize student retention and foster personal connections to the material. Although I love the traditional classroom, my favorite form of teaching is service-learning. What I love about service-learning is the coupling of theory with practice and the opportunities it gives students to apply knowledge in a real-world setting. By allowing students to brainstorm, implement, and evaluate different sport and exercise initiatives in the community, students are exposed to the unpredictability of issues not found in textbooks. Ultimately, service-learning provides students with an opportunity to imagine, to create, to problem-solve, to reflect, and to learn from successes and failures all while striving to promote a better, more inclusive community.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS
Huffman, A. (2011). Arabic and Arab culture across the curriculum. U.S. Department of Education Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program ($2,000). Funded. Fall 2011.

Thompson, D., Hillyer, S.J., Huffman, A. (2010). Service-learning: Sport and community development with Iraqi refugees. The University of Tennessee Academic Outreach and Engagement Council ($1,500). Funded. Fall 2010.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2009). Iraq to America Basketball Project. U.S. Bureau of Educational Affairs, SportsUnited Program (undisclosed amount). Funded. Summer 2009.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2008). Iraq to America Basketball Project. College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Ready for the World ($6,000). Funded. July 2008.

Huffman, A. (2006). Israeli-Palestinian Sport for Life Peace Camp. W.K. McClure Fund for the Study of World Affairs ($3,000). Funded. July 2006.

CURRENT PROJECTS

  • Creating the Center for Sport, Peace, and Society at the University of Tennessee
  • Collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and various other universities in the “Teaming Up for Refugees” Toolkit creation
  • Developing a formal education and physical activity curriculum for young girls in Zimbabwe, Africa

RECENT REFEREED PRESENTATIONS
Huffman, A. (2012). Service-learning: Sport and community development with Iraqi refugees. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Boston, MA. Published abstract.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2011). Using sport to build community: Service-learning with Iraqi refugees. North American Society for the Sociology of Sport. Minneapolis, MN. Published abstract.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2011). Using sport to build community with Iraqi refugees. National Association for Kinesiology and Education in Higher Education, Orlando, FL. Published abstract.

Bell, H. & Huffman, A. (2010). A Proactive Solution: ADVANCE Student-Athlete Orientation. National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics. Salt Lake City, UT. Published abstract.

Huffman, A. (2008). Sport for Life Peace Camp: Exploring sport for females within the Israeli-Palestinian context. Copenhagen Summer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark. Published abstract.

Huffman, A. & DeSensi, J.T. (2008). Sport for Life: A Model for International/Intercultural Infusion. National Association for Kinesiology and Education in Higher Education, Albuquerque, NM. Pub- lished abstract.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2007). Sport for Life Peace Camp–A Weapon of Mass Instruction: Devel- oping Dialogue and Diplomacy for Arab and Israeli Girls Through Sport. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, Baltimore, MD. Published abstract.

Hillyer, S.J. & Huffman, A. (2006). What’s Being Done for Muslim Women in Sport?Women, Gender, and Sport in Africa, Athens, OH. Published abstract.

Huffman, A. & Hillyer, S.J. (2006). Sport for Life: Solidarity Between Arab and Israeli Communities. North American Society for the Sociology of Sport, Vancouver, BC. Published abstract.

WEBSITES OF INTEREST