Virginia Verhoff, Department of Heath Promotion & Exercise Sciences
Dr. Virginia Verhoff, who was Co-Chair of the Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences Department, received her B.S. degree in Biology from Molloy College, M.S. degree in Education from Iona College in New York, and PhD degree in Education from Capella University. She has dual teaching certification from New York and Connecticut, and nine years teaching experience in Biology. She also holds Health Education Certification and Drug Education Endorsement from the State of Connecticut, has taught health, provided professional training workshops for teachers and other school personnel, and was a Drug Education Specialist and curriculum developer for a local high school.
Dr. Virginia Verhoff’s primary professional responsibility at the University is coordinating the B.S. Degree School Health Program for students aspiring to become State certified health teachers. Her dedication to the teaching profession is to instill upon her students accurate information in the health and education areas of academia, as well as the need to be critical thinkers and life-long learners.
Dr. Verhoff’s focus to obtain NCATE (National Council for Accredation of Teacher Education) Certification for the Health Education Program was accomplished in 2009. She is a member of the Connecticut State Steering Committee, which introduced and implemented the Health Education Assessment Project (HEAP) into the Connecticut public schools, and she is a member of the CT State Pilot Program assessing student teaching procedures and evaluation. Additionally, Dr. Verhoff belongs to the CT Education Accreditation/Re-accreditation visiting team for higher education.
Dr. Verhoff has served the larger community by working as coordinator of a Substance Abuse Prevention Program; Teen Pregnancy/Parenting Program; and Directed a Shelter for Women with Children who were homeless. Presently, she assists and advises a local coalition against substance abuse through a Drug Free School Grant. As a certified classroom teacher, she taught Biology and Health in grades 4-12 for nine years.