Who Are We?

The mission of the College of Health and Human Performance is to improve the health, well-being, and the quality of life of people and the communities in which they live. 

• Our 100 college faculty and 1000 students, supported by about 20 staff members, work to improve people’s lives by discovering and sharing new knowledge about personal and environmental health, physical and recreational activity, and illness and injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. 
• We prepare professionals at the undergraduate (bachelors) and graduate (masters and doctoral) level in three broad areas:  Exercise and Sport Science, Health Education and Promotion, and Recreation and Leisure.  We offer many degree options within these broad areas.
• Supported by wonderful staff, our college faculty contribute to many aspects of health promotion and disease prevention in our region, state, and beyond by conducting research, teaching students, and providing service.  Our faculty and students work collaboratively with people of all ages and levels of ability to empower them to realize their optional potential.
• We are successful in obtaining grant funding for our research, publishing our research findings in national and international journals, and presenting our work at major conferences.
• We conduct a broad range of research.  Our internationally acclaimed Human Performance Laboratory conducts biomedical studies at the cellular level to understand how cells use energy under various metabolic states.  Our findings from such research increase our understanding of diabetes and obesity and how exercise impacts on such health problems.  Our faculty also conduct psychosocial and behavioral research using both quantitative methods such as surveys and qualitative methods such as interviews.  We study a wide range of topics including stress, burnout, pregnancy, exercise and its impact on cancer, wellness, sport management, tourism in Eastern North Carolina, maternal and child health, and many others.
• We have talented faculty whose teaching excellence is continually recognized by the University and beyond.  In 2006-2007 one of our faculty was named the top teacher at East Carolina University.
• We provide service to the campus and larger community and region as well as service within our professional organizations.

We are particularly committed to Eastern North Carolina region as we empower our students, faculty, and others to…

• Educate youth and adults about healthful living, including physical activity, recreation, and personal and environmental health.  We teach our courses on campus and on-line in order to engage people near and far in pursuing the outstanding educational programs that we offer.
• Improve quality of life through physical activity, health education, recreation, and environmental health measures.
• Manage environmental and recreational services and facilities and sport teams and organizations.
• Provide recreational therapy and adaptive physical activity strategies for those living with disabilities.
• Prevent athletic injuries and treat and rehabilitate those who become injured.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy living environment.
• Improve the future through our research in the areas of exercise and sport science, health education and promotion, and recreation and leisure.

We in the College of Health and Human Performance are proud of who we are and what we do.  We look forward to receiving and selecting artistic renderings that capture the essence of our College.  Best wishes to all who participate in this important contest.  Please take advantage of the insights into the various aspects of our college that are offered on this website.