Maureen Weiss, professor of kinesiology, was named the Brennan & Smith Distinguished Lecturer at Texas State University for Fall 2012. Weiss’ presentation, “Positive Youth Development Through Physical Activity: Promoting Social, Psychological, and Behavioral Competencies,” was given to over 500 attendees on October 18, 2012, including university faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, and community members in the region.

The Brennan & Smith Distinguished Lecture enables the Department of Health and Human Performance to invite leading scholars in Kinesiology to address critical issues in physical activity and human development. The estate of Molly Ann Brennan, a graduate of the university, and her husband Edgar Smith, generously funds the distinguished lecture series. In addition to the invited lecture, Weiss also facilitated a graduate seminar on motivational factors in youth physical activity with 15 students seeking careers in the health professions.