CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Kelli Snyder, associate professor and program director of athletic training at the University of Northern Iowa, has received Iowa Athletic Trainers' Society Educator of the Year Award, given to a member who has demonstrated outstanding abilities in educating future athletic trainers either at the high school or college/university levels. She will be recognized at an awards ceremony during the Iowa Athletic Trainers' Society’s Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposium in West Des Moines on April 11.

Thanks to Synder's leadership, UNI's athletic training degree program has a strong legacy of student success. The university was the first in the state of Iowa to offer a nationally accredited Master of Athletic Training degree, and prepares students to excel as a certified athletic trainer in a variety of settings, including high schools, colleges and universities, professional sports teams, hospitals and health systems, the military and more.

“Dr. Snyder’s dedication to education is evident in her continual efforts to revamp and revise course content to reflect best practices and evidence-based knowledge,” said colleague Tricia Schrage, associate professor of athletic training and coordinator of clinical education. “In the classroom, she is a dynamic and engaging educator, fostering an environment of active learning and critical thinking. She sets high standards, challenging her students to excel, and they appreciate these challenges, knowing that she is preparing them for success as independent health care providers.”

Snyder is a board-certified and state licensed athletic trainer who has been with the University of Northern Iowa since 2007. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UNI in athletic training, master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in kinesiology and doctorate from UNI in education with an emphasis in rehabilitation studies.