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George Hermann, a former teacher, coach, professor, graduate coordinator and department chair at Western Illinois University, has established a graduate scholarship in kinesiology for WIU sport management majors.
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Hermann Graduate Scholarship in Sport Management

February 4, 2014

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MACOMB, IL -- George Hermann, a former teacher, coach, professor, graduate coordinator and department chair at Western Illinois University, has established a graduate scholarship in kinesiology for WIU sport management majors.

The George Hermann Graduate Scholarship in Sport Management will be awarded annually to a full-time sport management major with a grade point average of 3.0 or above and demonstrated financial need. The $50,000 endowment will initially support a $2,000 scholarship award per year.

"It's fun for me to share," said Hermann. "I enjoying giving some of my resources away and seeing someone benefit from them."

Hermann came to Western in 1967 to teach physical education in what was then the College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER). During his 20-year tenure at WIU, he served as assistant/associate/full professor, graduate coordinator for men's physical education, graduate coordinator for College of HPER and associate chair and chair of the men's physical education department.

At WIU, Hermann was instrumental in developing the sport management program in 1972. Today, Western's program is one of the oldest and most established in the United States.

"The early years were difficult because an internship was required and back then internships were not common. We had to limit the number of students in the program to the number of available internships," he said.

In addition to developing the sport management program, another lasting legacy of Hermann's professional career is the annual Senior Olympics held on the WIU-Macomb campus. Hermann founded the Western Illinois Senior Olympics in the Fall 1980 and organized the first regional games in Spring 1981. He served as the state coordinator for the Illinois Regional Senior Olympics for 23 years. Hermann has participated in the Western Illinois Senior Olympics, where he has set -- and held -- two records, and held records in the Illinois State Senior Olympics for many years. In 1982, Hermann was a group leader of the Delegation of U.S. Educators to the International Olympic Academy in Ancient Olympia, Greece.

"This was one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my professional life," he said.

Hermann went on sabbatical in 1985 to research youth sport programs in the United States and in East and West Germany. In 1988, he taught a graduate course in sport management for the United States Sports Academy in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"Dr. Hermann has contributed many things to Western," said Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Brad Bainter. "This generous scholarship will help the program he helped create, and forever associate Dr. Hermann with the success of the sport management graduates. We so appreciate all he has done for Western."

Posted By: Julie Murphy, WIU Foundation (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
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