Candace Roell Endowed Scholarship for Physical Education

Eligible majors

M.A. in physical education (pedagogy concentration).

Criteria

• Preference shall be given to applicants that are employed in the state of Michigan as practicing teachers.
• Preference shall be given to students who hold current membership in either the Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance or the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Award amount

To be determined by the Department of Human Performance and Health Education.

Additional information

Decisions on the award are made during the spring semester. One-third of the award funds are disbursed to the student’s account during the following summer session, one-third are disbursed during the following fall semester, and one-third are disbursed during the following spring semester. The student must have part-time or full-time status during these semesters for the award funds to be disbursed.

About Candace Roell

Candace Roell, who died in November 2001 at the age of 93, was a legendary figure in women's physical education. A native of Grand Rapids, Roell taught in the Kalamazoo Public Schools and at Eastern Michigan and Illinois State universities before joining Western Michigan University in 1956 as an associate professor in the Department of Physical Education for Women. In 1959, she became department chair, serving in that position until 1967, when she returned to teaching full-time.

Roell served as president of the Michigan Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and was honored with that organization's Distinguished Service Award in 1962. She also was an officer in a number of national groups.

Two years after her 1973 retirement, the University named Roell Road, near Lawson Ice Arena and Gabel Natatorium, in her honor. In 1997 she was recognized by the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2000 she was honored during Western Michigan University's observance of National Girls and Women in Sport Day.

To further pay tribute to Candace's outstanding career, family members, colleagues and former students have establish a permanent, endowed scholarship for the benefit of physical education students at WMU.