Being the Change She Wants to See in the World
The inaugura
l Ruth Shiffrar Scholarship for Physical Education was recently awarded to Kinesiology major Karen Brambila Guzman. Her ideal academic profile made her a stand-out for the scholarship. Guzman is passionate about physical education and helping children. She's a community builder among teachers and students, and those are the criteria the scholarship committee was looking for. "I am truly honored to merely try to make you all proud of me," Guzman said.
Maggie Shiffrar, Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies at CSUN, established the scholarship in her mother's name as a way to continue Ruth Shiffrar's legacy as an educator. She taught Physical Education and predicted dramatic negative repercussions as PE programs in schools were being cut.
“I want to follow the example of the Shiffrars," Guzman said,
"outstanding women who believe in the power of education.”
On establishing the scholarship, Maggie Shiffrar said, “My mother was a PE teacher from 1949-1962 and she loved it, but over the years, as she saw elementary and high schools cut PE programs, she predicted dramatic negative repercussions, many of which we are seeing today. She anticipated a rise in obesity and declining overall heath among children—and she was right.” Maggie Shiffrar saw the scholarship as a way to help bring about the change her mother wanted to see in the world. The scholarship provides support to a student working toward a teaching credential or master’s degree in Kinesiology.
Guzman takes that ideology to heart. “I want to follow the example of the Shiffrars, outstanding women who believe in the power of education,” Guzman said. “I want to start my teaching career and one day establish a scholarship fund of my own to amplify this legacy. I want to honor my Uncle Juan who was an important mentor to me.”
Guzman said her Uncle Juan suffered from schizophrenia and relied on physical activity as a form of therapy for balance and health. “He showed me the importance of physical activity through his actions and philosophy. As his mental illness deteriorated the quality of his life, he continued to teach others that being physically active and adopting a healthy lifestyle empowers the mind. Even though he is no longer with us, his vision to promote a healthier lifestyle is engraved in my heart,” Guzman said.
Guzman sees physical activity as a way for people to build rapport regardless of skill, age, ethnicity, health or socio-economic status, gender or beliefs. She sees movement as a uniting force, “Through movement, people can laugh, confer, and transform themselves into healthier, stronger, more confident, skilled people,” she said.
She has already started using the scholarship to begin the Accelerated Collaborative Teacher Preparation Program (ACT) at CSUN, and is student teaching to apply what she is learning. “This scholarship came at a time when I wasn’t sure how I would be able to pay the tuition for the credential program,” Guzman said.
As an immigrant from Mexico, Guzman is one of many AB540 students striving to create a greater future for herself and her family. Looking to her parents as examples, she told us her father taught her the value of hard work and her mother showed her the tremendous importance of support and encouragement.
Her inspiration to teach human movement came to her as a child running in the fields, playing in the rivers, and playing sports. “I found my contentment in movement,” she said. Though she engaged in sport for many years, an injury stopped her from participating for a time, but she seized an opportunity to become a teaching assistant for the adapted physical education teacher at her school. She discovered that working with children with disabilities had a profound effect on her, so when she came to CSUN, she chose to major in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education.
“I have a vision for the future of Physical Education in schools,” Guzman said, “I see physical educators working alongside classroom teachers to provide supplemental instruction to ensure that students get ample time to be active.” Her perspectives echo those Ruth Shiffrar talked about years before: “Physical Education is too often marginalized in schools,” Guzman said, “and the obesity epidemic is hindering people from reaching their optimal potential.”
Guzman said she plans to continue her education and hopefully obtain a doctoral degree. She wants to be an advocate and leader for change in schools. “Students of all ages should have quality physical education programs with adequate equipment and credentialed teachers,” Guzman said. “This May, I should be completing the credential program and will be ready to apply for a full-time physical education teaching job.” And she has every confidence that she’ll get where she’s going. “I am the face of hope, the image of fortitude, the heart of resilience, and the intellect of tenacity.”
“It does not matter where we begin our journey,” Guzman added, “but how far and how much change we are willing to fight for.” And she shared a favorite quote, attributed to Gandhi, “’Be the change you want to see in the world.’”
Sp2016
Jean O'Sullivan
About the Ruth Shiffrar Scholarship
This scholarship was made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Margaret Shiffrar, Assistant Vice President of Graduate Studies at CSUN, in memory of her mother, Ruth Shiffrar. Ruth was a CSU graduate and champion of physical education for school children. She was a proud fourth generation Californian whose childhood was happily spent playing in the outdoors of the Central Coast. Ruth was a high school physical education teacher in Northern California for many years. When California public schools began to systematically defund physical education courses, her concern for the future health of Californians grew. The goal of this scholarship is to help right the health related wrongs that resulted from defunding programs by supporting a CSUN student with outstanding potential to become a leader in the field of physical education. Visit the HHD Scholarships Page.