[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/inglis_alexander.jpg” caption=”Ted Alexander and Sue Inglis display their NASSM awards. Photo credit: Cindy Riach”]At the recent North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) conference in Kansas City, McMaster kinesiology professor Sue Inglis was awarded the prestigious Dr. Earle F. Zeigler Award. The Zeigler Award recognizes individuals for having made significant contributions to the field of sports management as well as to NASSM and is only given to a person once over the course of his or her career.

The award was developed to recognize individuals who embody the qualities demonstrated by Dr. Zeigler, a founder of NASSM, in the areas of student growth and development, leadership, service, scholarship and collegiality. At the 2006 NASSM conference, Inglis presented the Dr. Zeigler address, entitled 'Creative tensions and conversation in the academy', which will be published in The Journal of Sport Management next year.

McMaster kinesiology alumnus, Ted Alexander (B.Kin. '99) received the student research award. Alexander, currently in doctoral studies at the University of British Columbia with Dr. Wendy Frisby, presented his research paper 'Negotiating neo-liberalism and social inclusion in a Canadian recreation department's strategies for low-income youth' at the NASSM president's luncheon.

“It's wonderful that McMaster has been recognized by this society that has over 400 members from universities within North America as well as internationally,” says Inglis. “It is quite an accomplishment that the organization recognized both Ted and I for our work, especially since McMaster does not have an organized sport management program, but offers management theory within our kinesiology program.”

Inglis sees her and Alexander's awards as recognition for McMaster as a place that provides kinesiology students with a strong academic foundation for future work and study opportunities. Inglis says, “I am immensely proud of our undergraduate students who acquire an introduction to management theory and importantly, learning and research skills, that allow them to pursue advanced studies in virtually any graduate program they choose.”

Inglis describes McMaster's kinesiology graduates as accomplished alumni pursuing scholarly work in areas of sport management such as social/causal marketing, leadership and ego development, social class and social identity in recreational programming, fundraising in the nonprofit sector. “We have Mac alumni teaching sport management in three Canadian universities (Mount Royal, Western, and Brock) and our students regularly pursue master's degrees at Windsor. There are also McMaster grads currently in PhD programs at Western and UBC,” says Inglis.

Inglis started her academic career in 1977 at McMaster University. She served as Chair of Women's Athletics from 1978 to 1985 and also coached women's tennis. In 1989 she received her PhD from the Ohio State University. Since that time she has devoted her energies to teaching and research at McMaster University as well as various community leadership initiatives.

Inglis has contributed to the North American Society for Sport Management since 1986. She has held offices of secretary (1989-1992), president-elect (1993-1994), president (1994-1995), and past president (1995-1996). She was also part of the Future Directions Task Force and the Strategic Planning Task Force with the organization. Her service includes contribution to curricular standards on accreditation task force and the NASSM Accreditation Council from 1989 to 1995.

Inglis has previously served on the editorial boards of The Journal of Sport Management, AVANTE, and the Sport Management Library. She continues to be a guest journal referee for the European Sport Management Quarterly, International Journal of Sports Management and Marketing, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Sport Management Review, Journal of Sport Management and AVANTE.

In 2005, Inglis received the organization's Dr. Garth Paton Distinguished Service award. “NASSM has provided me with a forum for meeting colleagues, sharing ideas and developing research programs,” says Inglis. “The richness of NASSM should not be underestimated – it is a critically important society in which graduate students and faculty can engage and in which areas for growth in teaching, service and research can be realized.”

Inglis' current work looks at power dynamics, diversity and leadership in organizational contexts inclusive of intercollegiate athletics and community nonprofit organizations.