Buffalo, NY - Canisius University congratulates Janet Wojcik MS ’94, PhD, an alumna of the university’s master’s program in physical education, who has been selected to receive Winthrop University’s top teaching distinction: the James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching. Wojcik is a professor and the program director of exercise science at Winthrop. She will be formally honored at the university’s December 20 Commencement Ceremony.
The Kinard Award, established more than four decades ago, recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional dedication to studentlearning, academic excellence and service to the university community.
Sebastian van Delden, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Winthrop, surprised Wojcik in front of her students on November 18 with Associate Dean Erin Hamel and Assistant Provost Tim Drueke.
“The reaction from her and her students was priceless,” said van Delden. “Clearly she is well respected and loved by her students and colleagues. Winning this award is a really big deal because we have so many talented faculty members at Winthrop.”
In her nomination letter, Beth Coster, dean of Winthrop’s College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences, praised Wojcik as “a teacher who places students at the center of her work … a leader whose contributions have shaped academic programs with lasting impact.”
Since joining the Winthrop faculty in 2006, Wojcik has taught more than a dozen unique undergraduate courses and several graduate courses, spanning exercise physiology, special and aging populations, internships and writing-intensive seminars. Her colleagues describe her as an exceptional academic advisor who “goes above and beyond” in developing meaningful relationships with students, challenging them to set and achieve their academic and professional goals.
Wojcik also mentors McNair Scholars, serves as an honors thesis reader and actively encourages undergraduate research through Winthrop’s annual Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE).
As program director for exercise science, Wojcik oversees accreditation processes and serves nationally as a peer reviewer for CoAES/CAAHEP, helping ensure quality exercise science education across the country.
A prolific scholar, Wojcik regularly publishes in top peer-reviewed journals and presents at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), where she is recognized as a Fellow—one of the organization’s highest distinctions. Her community-engaged work includes helping develop bicycle routes in York County through Eat Smart Move More and the Bike-Ped Task Force.
Wojcik has previously been recognized as Winthrop’s Bank of America Endowed Professor (2015) and served as a Faculty Marshal from 2020 to 2023.
Wojcik holds a PhD in human nutrition, foods and exercise from Virginia Tech; an MS in physical education from Canisius University; and a BS in sport and exercise studies from the University at Buffalo.
“Dr. Wojcik exemplifies the mission of Canisius and our Jesuit ideals through her lifelong commitment to teaching, mentorship and service,” said Karl F. Kozlowski, PhD, associate dean for the School of Behavioral and Health Studies. “We are immensely proud to see a graduate of our University earn such distinguished recognition.”
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
