04/10/2025
Diane L. Gill ’70, a widely respected scholar whose research focuses on social psychology and physical activity, will receive an honorary degree from the State University of New York during SUNY Cortland’s 2025 Commencement.
Gill has earned a reputation as an authority on the connection between physical and mental health throughout an academic career spanning more than 50 years. A prolific author, she currently serves as a professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
“Diane Gill’s scholarship in sport psychology proves extraordinary,” said SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum. “Furthermore, her distinguished career helps demonstrate SUNY Cortland’s excellence in sport-related academic disciplines. With a body of work that spans education, research and well-being, Diane’s success aligns well with the pursuits of many of our graduates.”
Colleagues recognize Gill’s contributions as pivotal to the fields of kinesiology and physical education, in addition to topics related to gender and cultural diversity. She served as the distinguished excellence professor in women’s and gender studies at UNC Greensboro from 2010 to 2014.
Gill’s academic contributions include more than 100 scholarly publications in the form of book chapters, journal articles and research publications; more than 100 scholarly presentations; and a highly regarded textbook, Psychological Dynamics of Sport and Exercise, now being published in its fifth edition.
The text has been lauded as fundamental within sport and exercise psychology, with practical theory application for students pursuing careers in teaching, coaching, exercise science and athletic leadership — areas that align with popular areas of study at SUNY Cortland.
Gill previously led the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, the exercise and sport psychology division of the American Psychological Association and the research consortium of American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
Her editor roles have included the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, and Quest, a scholarly journal for higher education professionals in kinesiology and physical education.
Prior to her tenure at UNC Greensboro, Gill taught at the University of Waterloo in Canada and the University of Iowa. She arrived at UNC Greensboro in 1987 and served previously as associate dean for the School of Health and Human Performance, head of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science and the director of the Center for Women’s Health and Wellness.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree in physical education from SUNY Cortland, Gill earned a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Her support of SUNY Cortland has been constant. In 1991, she was recognized with a Distinguished Alumna Award, the university’s highest award for graduates. She returned to campus in 2015 as the keynote speaker for “Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference,” the university’s annual celebration of independent research.
In 2019, the Dr. Diane L. Gill ’70 Scholarship was established in her name to honor high-achieving students in SUNY Cortland’s Kinesiology and Physical Education departments and help them earn a college degree.
Bitterbaum will present Gill with an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters during the university’s 2:30 p.m. Undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17.
“Diane is a role model for students and colleagues alike,” Bitterbaum said. “She truly has helped create a healthier, more active world in her life’s work.”