Sarah Rich (PhD ’81) is an international promoter and advocate of physical education for all. She attributes much of her success to the educational opportunities and mentorship she received at TWU under the direction of Claudine Sherrill, EdD, who was a professor emerita for the kinesiology department.

Rich created the Sarah M. Rich, Ph.D., Adaptive Sport Scholarship Endowment to support graduate students studying adaptive physical education (APE). Rich was on the faculty at Ithaca College in New York from 1972-2000, where she taught APE courses and coached volleyball and lacrosse. She excelled in both areas, as evidenced by her election to the Ithaca College Sports Hall of Fame and receiving the title of professor emerita upon her retirement in 2000.

Rich commuted from Ithaca to Denton in 1977, earning her doctorate from TWU. She combined her own classroom work into active, hands-on experience for her students at Ithaca College. In turn, she used the information gained from these experiences to strengthen the APE courses she taught there as well as develop a major in therapeutic recreation for the college.

Throughout her 27 years at Ithaca College, Rich sought out opportunities to expose her students to the adapted physical education and therapeutic needs of people with disabilities. She also was an active member and supporter of the International Special Olympics, assisting with the events in New York, Beijing and Atlanta. TWU is honored Dr. Rich chose to support her alma mater and future adaptive education students.