Dr. Keith Hardy
Originally from Tallahassee, Fla., Dr. Keith Hardy joined the Evangel faculty in 2000. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas in 2006 and has been chair of the Kinesiology Department at Evangel since 2007.
Hardy has led Evangel’s United Way Campaign during the past two years and has also participated in the University Alliance Program with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Marine Corps Officer School Educators Workshop at Quantico, Va. Dr. Hardy was the 2009 recipient of the Orville & Jewel Mills Young Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Hardy is also a triathlete, completing two 140.6-mile Ironman competitions. He is married to Dr. Colleen Hardy, who serves as chair of the Department of Education at Evangel. Together they have two daughters.
There may be some misconceptions about what your department offers. It's more than just coaching and teaching today. What kind of careers can students train for in the Kinesiology Department?
Now that we offer more majors and minors in our department we can prepare students for virtually any area related to teaching, athletics, sport performance or recreation. This would include jobs such as teaching physical education and/or health K-12, strength and conditioning specialist, personal training, athletic training, parks director or coaching. We also prepare students for graduate fields in physical therapy, chiropractic medicine, or occupational therapy.
What would you say is the mission of your department?
The mission of this department from its inception has been to equip sincere, honest, and mature students whose core value system is based upon spiritual concepts to be effective leaders and role models in the areas of Kinesiology. All of these pre-professionals will be dedicated to influencing the lives of others concerned with factors which interact to influence development, acquisition/ reacquisition, and performance of motor skills.
What have been some of your career highlights?
Receiving the Orville and Jewel MillsYoung Faculty Award, voted by my colleagues.
You and your wife, Colleen, are the only married couple who both serve as academic department chairs at Evangel University. What is that like for you?
Our life is 24 /7 EU and we love it. The fact that we have similar responsibilities gives us a lot to talk about and we can identify with each other’s professional life.
What is your favorite thing about working with Evangel University students?
Today’s students are extremely bright, career-minded, focused and competitive. I like all of these things, but my favorite thing is the character of our students and the one-on-one mentoring relationships that develop in our classrooms.
What is your favorite thing about working with Evangel University students?
I think they are amazing. They have such a deep sense of commitment to their calling as an educator. I find it humbling.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Come prepared to work, stay focused, and remember that God is in control. A “calling” is a process of preparation not a final destination.
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