SAN ANGELO, TX -- Angelo State University announced Wednesday it has received a $1 million grant from the Lubbock-based Randolph Foundation for Higher Education Inc. This grant will be used to fund a new endowment to support the ASU Department of Kinesiology and ASU Handball Club.
The endowment is to be used to cultivate and promote the sport of handball at ASU through the Department of Kinesiology. The Handball Club will also be able to utilize endowment funds for equipment, travel, hosting tournaments, and participation at off-campus tournaments.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Randolph Foundation for Higher Education,” said Jamie Akin, ASU vice president for development and alumni relations. “This transformational gift will enhance the opportunities for the Handball Club, creating a greater student experience on campus. I have a feeling that handball is about to become one of the most popular activities at Angelo State.”
The new endowment will be named the “Dr. Warren Simpson Excellence Fund for Handball” in honor of ASU faculty member Dr. Warren Simpson, a professor of kinesiology who started and is still the faculty sponsor and coach for the Handball Club.
“We are privileged to fund the Dr. Warren Simpson Excellence Fund for Handball,” said Nick Randolph, president of the Randolph Foundation for Higher Education Inc. “This endowment will allow students to study and participate in the game of handball, a lifelong sport, generating a competitive spirit and better overall health. What a great opportunity to help students in this way to accomplish their educational goals."
Doug Randolph, CFO of the foundation, added, “The Randolph Foundation is proud to support ASU and this new handball endowment. Dr. Warren ‘Spider’ Simpson has been a driving force for the ASU Handball Program. This endowment will honor Dr. Simpson’s support of, and dedication to, the game of handball.”
Simpson, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been the director of ASU’s Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program in coaching, sport, recreation and fitness administration (CSRF) since 2008.
He also serves as the advisor for the Graduate Student Professional Development Club and a sports psychology consultant for the ASU Athletics Department.
Furthermore Simpson is the founder and executive editor for two industry journals, Applied Research in Coaching and Athletics Annual and Applied Recreational Research and Programming Annual. Both publications regularly publish research articles submitted by students in the CSRF program.
The Department of Kinesiology is a component of ASU’s Archer College of Health and Human Services. It offers bachelor’s degree programs in kinesiology, exercises science, and exercise science with a specialization in athletic training. The department also offers master’s degrees in athletic training and coaching, sport, recreation, and fitness administration.
The Handball Club is a registered student organization that is part of ASU’s Club Sports program. Its members represent ASU at various competitions and events as part of the U.S. Handball Association.
The ASU Handball Club won overall national championships in its division in 2012 and 2013, and the women’s team was the national runner-up in 2017.
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