Furman alum Jerry Thomas receives honorary degree

Jerry Thomas, a 1963 Furman graduate, received the honorary degree from President Elizabeth Davis.

Dr. Jerry R. Thomas, a 1963 Furman University graduate who serves as Professor and Dean of the College of Education at the University of North Texas, has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Furman.

Thomas received the honor Tuesday, April 14 during a special ceremony on campus.  He also delivered an address, “The Value of Undergraduate Research.”

The address and honorary degree presentation were part of the university’s “Engaged!” day celebration, an annual event where Furman students share the details of their research projects and internships.

Thomas, who majored in what is now Health Sciences at Furman, has enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education as a teacher, researcher and administrator.  He is one of the world’s leading scholars in the field of motor development and motor learning, and has published his findings in more than 200 research and professional publications.  His best-selling graduate textbook, Research Methods in Physical Activity, is widely used in the U.S., and has been translated into six other languages.

In addition to holding teaching positions at Iowa State, Arizona State, Louisiana State and Florida State universities, Thomas has been a visiting scholar at institutions in Australia, Korea, China, Thailand and Hong Kong. He has served as the C.H. McCloy Lecturer and Alliance Scholar, as well as presenting numerous named lectures.

Thomas has been editor-in-chief of Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.  He has served as President of the North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, and he is currently the first President of the American Kinesiology Association.

For more information, contact Furman’s News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.