Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
Nathaniel Bodell, associate professor of kinesiology, had just begun teaching his Monday morning “Introduction to Physical Activity and Health Promotion” class when about two dozen faculty, staff and administrators walked into the room.
“Hey, everybody, what’s going on?” Bodell said.
Rafik Mohamed, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, quickly set the tone with a lighthearted remark. “This is a surprise inspection of your class. We want to make sure you know what you are talking about.”
“Well, you came in on a good lecture,” Bodell replied, drawing laughter from the room.
After greeting Bodell, Mohamed added, “Guess what? We are here to say some things about you.”
“This is what it looks like when you get fired,” Bodell joked, prompting even more laughter.
Mohamed continued the playful exchange, jokingly noting that the vice president for human resources was in the room and telling the class to “wave goodbye to your professor,” as laughter continued to ripple throughout the room before quickly adding, “Just kidding, just kidding.”
“That’s not what’s happening. It’s actually a good thing,” Mohamed said.
Then came the reveal.
“We are here today to present the 2025-2026 Golden Apple Award to your professor,” Mohamed announced to the class.
“Oh, no way,” Bodell replied, breaking into a wide smile as the classroom erupted in applause.
Addressing Bodell’s students, Mohamed explained the significance of the award.
“Some of you might be asking, ‘what is the Golden Apple Award?’ Well, I am glad you asked! The Golden Apple Award is CSUSB’s highest honor for teaching, recognizing faculty members for demonstrating excellence in instruction and significant positive impact on students.” He added with a smile, “if you disagree with that assessment, please just don’t mention it during this awards presentation.”
He continued, “The Golden Apple highlights faculty who go above and beyond in teaching, mentoring and student engagement. Now you might be asking, why is Dr. Bodell receiving this award? That’s another good question. First of all, he was nominated. But lots of other people are nominated every year for this award. There’s a committee that evaluates all the nominees for big university awards, of which this is one, and after evaluating, the university committee found his body of work to be truly exceptional and recommended that he receive this year’s award.”
Mohamed noted that Bodell has taught more than 10 undergraduate courses and highlighted his strong student feedback.
“On RateMyProfessor, Dr. Bodell has a perfect 5 out of 5! How about that?” he said to loud applause.
He concluded, “President Morales – who is not here today; he’s traveling, so I’m his stand-in – and I are thrilled today to join the university awards committee in their selection of Dr. Bodell as the recipient of 2025-2026 Golden Apple Award. Congratulations!”
The Golden Apple Award includes a $2,000 Faculty Professional Development Grant and recognition at the college’s commencement ceremony and the inaugural Academic Affairs awardee reception. It is a university tradition to present outstanding faculty awards as a surprise, with campus leaders and colleagues entering a classroom or meeting so students can share in the moment.
Sastry Pantula, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, said Bodell’s recognition reflects the impact of CSUSB alumni who return to serve students.
“We always measure our success ultimately by the success of our alumni, like him” gesturing to Bodell, “so it’s really great to see he’s always a Yotie! That's why he came back, and that’s part of the reason why he's the (Kinesiology Student Association) advisor because he wants to work with the students and is committed to the students’ success.
“I also read his SOTEs (Student Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness), and he’s always cited as a caring professor, always willing to answer questions and accessible,” Pantula said. “And one of the things I saw is that he says hello in different languages in his email to the students. Some students really like that. He has been wonderful for the department, for our college, especially for the KSA. I’ve been to student association award ceremonies and events, and they always, always recognize Nate for his contributions and his service. So, congratulations! We are proud of you.”
Nicole Dabbs, professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology, also praised Bodell’s contributions. “Congratulations, Nate! We’re really glad for you. It’s really great to have you in our department and teaching our students. We’re excited for you to be here and to receive this award. It’s well-deserved.”
For Bodell, the moment was both unexpected and meaningful.
“This is a surprise. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I’m super honored for this award. I remember my first convocation here in 2019. They recognized the Golden Apple Award winner for teaching excellence, and I thought to myself, ‘That’s my goal. That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to win someday.’
“Honestly, I thought it might be like, 20 years from now. So, I’m glad I don’t have to wait that long!” he said, drawing some chuckles from those in the room. “But, really, it’s an honor. I can’t thank you enough – all of you – for your support and then all of my students, obviously, for your support. Thank you very much!”
Since joining CSUSB as an assistant professor in 2019, after previously serving as an adjunct professor from 2015-17, Bodell has taught more than 10 undergraduate courses.
He has been actively involved in curriculum development, creating new courses and redesigning others, and regularly reevaluates his classes to find thoughtful, innovative ways to enhance student learning. He has also participated in more than a dozen workshops and trainings focused on pedagogy, including multiple Faculty Learning Communities offered through the California State University system.
The 2025-26 faculty awards committee, composed of Bodell’s peers, said that he “is strongly committed to the development of students’ study habits through real-world applications, as well as their development of leadership qualities through collaborative projects, student-led discussions and mentoring.”
Student feedback reflects that impact.
“I learned a lot about myself and my body. This class helped me improve my overall health and wellbeing, and I am thankful. It wasn't just a class, it was more,” one student wrote.
Another commented, “The professor was one of the sweetest, kindest professors I’ve ever had. He is amazing at what he does, and very thoughtful, and cares about the students so much. He was always available when we needed him and was willing to help in any way, shape, or form. I will 100% take a class with him again.”
A frequent comment in his evaluations described Bodell as informative and organized, while also caring and understanding of students’ varied experiences related to physical activity and mental health. As one student noted, “You can tell he loves what he does in teaching us about the importance of physical activity. He is also very understanding, and it matters to me as a student when professors care about my success.”
In addition to his teaching, Bodell has been recognized for his research and scholarly work. In 2023, he received the Dean’s Summer Award from the College of Natural Sciences to support research on the effects of feedback frequency on motor learning processes, which was showcased at the Western Association for Sports Psychology and Physical Activity conference. He also received the STEM-NET Summer Student Research Award in summer 2024.
His academic background includes a B.S. in exercise science from Cal State San Bernardino, an M.S. in exercise science from California Baptist University, and a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary health sciences, exercise physiology, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to joining CSUSB full time, he taught in the Snowline Joint Unified School District and worked in the Office of the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.
The 2025-26 outstanding faculty awards committee is headed up by co-chairs Jennifer Alford (Department of Geography) and Stacey Fraser (Department of Music). Other members include Sara Callori (representing the College of Natural Sciences), Yawen Li (representing the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Ying Cheng (representing the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration).