By Laurel White
A School of Education faculty member has earned a Fulbright award to support an Egyptian university as it develops its graduate-level program in adapted physical education.
Luis Columna, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, will spend six weeks at Helwan University in Helwan, Egypt. During this visit, he will support the university’s Department of Adapted Physical Education as it continues to develop and strengthen its graduate-level academic program. Columna is an expert on adapted physical activity, which is physical activity tailored to the needs of individuals with disabilities. At UW–Madison, he leads the Promotion of Health Equity and Adapted Physical Activity Lab. He also created the Fit Families program, a physical activity program that brings together children with disabilities, their parents, college students, and in-service professionals.
Columna says his interest in the Fulbright Program stems from a strong belief in the power of international collaboration.
“I have devoted my teaching and research to preparing future professionals, improving programs, and supporting families — this program will allow me to extend this work abroad,” he says. “I see this as an opportunity to share what I have learned while also learning alongside educators and communities in Egypt. I also hope to bring back what I learn to my teaching and research at UW–Madison.”
Throughout his academic career, Columna has worked in more than 20 countries across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 2014, he conducted a four-day workshop at Helwan University focused on developmental disorders, sensory integration, instructional modifications, and performance assessment of children with disabilities. He says that the workshop has had a lasting impact on him.
“I witnessed the passion and commitment of Egyptian faculty and students who were advancing adapted physical education despite working with limited resources,” he says. “In many ways, the 2014 workshop laid the foundation for what I now hope to build on through this Fulbright opportunity.”
Columna says he sees his role during the upcoming experience as supporting and guiding the curriculum development process by “co-creating” the graduate-level adapted physical education curriculum alongside partners at Helwan University at both the master’s and doctoral levels.
“I see this not as a role where I provide all the answers, but as an opportunity to work alongside colleagues in Egypt to strengthen adapted physical education in ways that reflect the country’s own strengths and priorities,” he says.
During his time at Helwan University, Columna will also provide training and professional development for faculty members, graduate students, and professionals working in adapted physical education, including teachers and practitioners in the field.
The Department of Adapted Physical Education at Helwan University was established in 2011 and is the only program dedicated to adapted physical education in Egypt.
The Fulbright Program is overseen by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It aims to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
“Your grant is a reflection of your leadership and contributions to society,” the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board wrote in its selection letter to Columna.
Columna says he looks forward to expanding upon those efforts for years to come.
“Sharing ideas across cultures has the potential to strengthen individuals, institutions, and communities,” he says. “I see this as an opportunity not only to support Helwan University, but also to establish long-term research and teaching collaborations that will benefit both Helwan University and UW–Madison.”