Teaching Excellence Convocation

1994

The nominees were:

And the winner was: James Dinucci

During his two decades at Stephen F. Austin State University, Dr. James DiNucci has helped raise the scientific concepts of physical education to a degree never before seen here.

The years spent in increasing the stature and academic recognition for health and physical education culminated last spring in his selection as a 1992­93 Regents Professor.

This is the second major recognition on campus of the director of physical education in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science. In 1978, he was recipient of the Distinguished Professor Award from the SFA Alumni Association.

A native of Portland, Oregon, DiNucci holds the bachelor's degree from Lewis and Clark College (a degree that also included teaching fields in biology and English). A graduate fellowship to the University of Illinois followed, where he achieved his master's degree in just one year. High school teaching followed for the next seven years while DiNucci also worked as a logger during the summers, but in 1966 he returned for his doctoral residency to the University of Oregon, gaining his Ph.D. in 1968.

Always active in civic and community roles, DiNucci served terms as president, vice president and secretary of the board of trustees of the Nacogdoches Independent School District during his decade of service with that group. He also is a member of tile Nacogdoches Rotary Club, president and member of the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs in Nacogdoches County, past president of the Nacogdoches County chapter of the American Heart Association and for many years has been active in various adult leadership roles for the Boy Scouts of America.

During his first five years at SFA, DiNucci and Dr. David Shows started the first campus adult fitness program in the state, continuing to emphasize the program until people were made aware that exercise is a lifetime proposition.

DiNucci lives his creed. A trim, erect 167­pounder, DiNucci appears far younger than his 57 years. A dedicated jogging enthusiast, he and ]his wife of 28 years, Karen, are also avid hikers and bikers.

Many of DiNucci's publications have been interdisciplinary in nature, including such studies as coronary risk factors among middle SC]100] boys and girls. And for years, SFA health and physical education majors have been undergoing fitness tests each semester that include a mile run, flexed arm hang, one­minute sit­ups, etc., designed to give students an object lesson in just what physical fitness is.

DiNucci and Shows initiated the tests in 1980, the only university to DiNucci's knowledge utilizing such a device in physical education.