Dr. Marc Cormier is recipient of the 2022 Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Teaching Excellence Award. The award recognizes exceptional classroom educators in the field of sport, exercise and performance psychology. This marks the second AASP award for Cormier in as many years, as he was honored with the Early Career Practitioner Award in 2021.
“Cormier consistently fosters diversity of thought in the classroom and encourages students to learn from one another,” said Myles Englis, a recent graduate of the UK Sport and Exercise Psychology master’s program, now pursuing his Ph.D.
“He goes above and beyond to ensure our well-being not only as students but as individuals. This award is about more than the hour or two that a professor stands in front of the classroom. It is about the consistent, unconditional support they provide each of their students in the classroom and beyond. Any student who takes a class with Dr. Cormier, is advised by him, or has the fortune to have a conversation with him, academic or not, will walk away from the experience having gained something they can apply to their daily lives,” Englis said.
Cormier is a faculty member in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. There, he prepares master’s and doctoral level scholars in the Sport and Exercise Psychology program for careers in academia and as practicing sport and exercise psychology professionals. He also serves as the director of Counseling and Performance Psychology Services for UK Athletics, where he developed a counseling and performance psychology program serving all 22 varsity teams.
“Marc is an outstanding teacher who makes a positive difference in students’ lives,” said Heather Erwin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. “This recognition of his teaching performance, course innovation and commitment to student success is well-deserved. His commitment to students and human-first approach has enabled him to pour his passion into the creation of successful academic and clinical programs here at UK.”
Athletes work with sport psychology professionals to improve performance, but also to address mental health concerns and other issues that can arise while balancing academics, practices and competition.
Cormier’s connections to UK Athletics, as well as other collegiate programs, have enabled opportunities for UK Sport and Exercise Psychology graduate students to provide consulting services under his supervision. The students hone their skills in the field, collaborating with coaches and other support areas, such as sports medicine, strength and conditioning and academic services, to provide holistic care to student-athletes.
Throughout his career, Cormier has gained a wide range of experiences that inform the mentoring and instruction he shares with students, including his time as a counselor and performance psychology consultant for NCAA, professional and Olympic athletes/teams. He is a certified mental performance consultant, a member of the United States Olympic Committee Sport Psychology and Mental Training Registry and a licensed professional counselor. His excellence in teaching has previously been recognized with the UK Outstanding Teaching Award (2021) and as a five-time recipient of the Teacher Who Made a Difference award through the UK College of Education.