Update 6/6/2024: In addition to the National Doctoral Scholar Award honorable mention, Genoese received the 2024 Graduate School Outstanding Doctoral Student Mentor Award from Michigan State University. The award recognizes sustained mentoring activities at MSU that have helped other students succeed in their own research and programs. Genoese has mentored 11 masters students, one medical student, six undergraduate research assistants and 10 undergraduate teaching assistants during her time as a Spartan. In addition to providing support to students in the Master’s in Athletic Training program, Genoese has been actively involved in several activities with the College of Education Early Success Scholars program. Additionally, she has served as the Graduate Student Liaison for the Kinesiology Undergraduate Organization. Genoese will receive a $1,000 stipend for the award along with a commemorative plaque.
Department of Kinesiology Ph.D. student Francesca Genoese received an honorable mention for the American Kinesiology Association’s (AKA) National Doctoral Scholar Award. Since 2014, the award has annually recognized the top doctoral kinesiology students in the nation by way of leadership, service and academic record.
Genoese – who successfully defended her dissertation in April 2024 – was nominated by Department of Kinesiology Chairperson Paddy Ekkekakis and other faculty for the award. Dozens from around the nation were nominated.
“Our department couldn’t be prouder of Genoese and her dedication to the Ph.D. program,” said Department of Kinesiology Chairperson Paddy Ekkekakis. “This award highlights the outstanding mentorship Genoese has benefited from, and it showcases the excellence of the Department of Kinesiology and MSU as a whole.” Three Spartans have been recognized in the past four years by the AKA.
In her research, Genoese focuses on the psychological response someone faces after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and subsequent surgical reconstruction, which will continue in her new role as assistant professor at the University of Wyoming’s Division of Kinesiology and Health.
In January 2024, she co-authored a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training with Assistant Professor Matthew Harkey and other Spartan scholars examining the prevalence of early knee osteoarthritis in patients following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Genoese credits Harkey and Assistant Professor Nikki Hoffman with having the most impactful influence on her academic and research career. Harkey, particularly from a research perspective, helped her gain confidence in her ideas and encouraged her to pursue her interests as a young researcher. Hoffman, on the other hand, greatly influenced her teaching approach, particularly in the Master’s in Athletic Training program, where Genoese served as a graduate teaching assistant.