Nomadic professor settles at MSU

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Jim Pivarnik chose a major popular with many undergraduate students.

After several major changes, the kinesiology and epidemiology professor now debunks popular health and physical education myths with his research.

“I never had a passion for any one thing,” Pivarnik said. “Maybe because I lived in so many places.”

Pivarnik’s family moved from air base to air base when he was young because his father was a career air force officer. Although he planned to receive his bachelor’s degree in business from Indiana University, he later switched to recreation and park administration.

After moving to Virginia, Pivarnik switched to physical and health education.

After reading about the field, Pivarnik spoke with James Madison University professors about getting his master’s degree.

Pivarnik earned his Ph.D. from Indiana and completed postgraduate training before spending the next 10 years at the University of Houston and its Health Science Center. But something was missing.

“What I didn’t have there was a chance to work with Ph.D. students,” Pivarnik said. “I really wanted to do that before my career was over.”

When a faculty position at MSU became available, Pivarnik applied. For more than five years, he has taught in East Lansing.

Despite Pivarnik’s many commitments, his effort to make himself available to students is something his students admire.

Lanay Mudd, a kinesiology and epidemiology doctoral student, came to MSU just to work with him.

“I think I’m the luckiest graduate student ever,” she said.

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