Guided by Iowa training and national standards work, Loughrey partners with Missouri’s education department to lead whole-school, public health efforts that strengthen health and physical education and boost student connection statewide.
Tuesday, December 16, 2025

By Kaylee Alivo

Thomas J. Loughrey (MA ’69, Ph.D ’74) traces the values that define his decades-long career back to Iowa City: attention to detail, integrity, and a deep commitment to public service. As a graduate student in the Department of Physical Education (now the Department of Health, Sport, and Human Physiology (HSHP)) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, he found a collegial and rigorous environment that emphasized both evidence-based instruction and mentorship. “It was clear the standard was high in all aspects of coursework. The faculty at that time consisted of highly respected international scholars, and all were generous with their time,” Loughrey said. 

That mentorship led to early speaking opportunities and national committee work—experiences that helped launch a career of wide-reaching impact.  

Leading national health reform in physical education

In the 1980s, Loughrey was selected as one of seven members of SHAPE America’s national outcomes in physical education committee, helping define the national outcomes for quality physical education programs. 

Two men at a conference

“Our meetings were intensive—like three-hour doctoral seminars,” he said. “But the result brought consistency and purpose to programs across the country.” 

By the 1990s, the committee’s work laid the foundation for the national K–12 physical education standards still used today.

Loughrey also served as Chair of SHAPE America’s Curriculum and Instruction Academy, a group that included more than 3,000 members, and co-chaired two national curriculum conferences that brought together leading scholars and practitioners from across the country. His long-standing contributions to curriculum development, national committee service, and professional leadership earned him SHAPE America’s Honor Award in 2018 and the organization’s Hall of Fame award in 2024, recognitions reserved for individuals whose impact has shaped national practice and advanced the profession.   

Expanding impact through public health partnerships

In recent years, Loughrey has focused on school-based health and physical education through public health initiatives. He partnered with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on multi-year initiatives supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that asked districts to complete CDC School Health Index profiles, analyze 11 component areas of school health, set multi-year measurable goals, and add at least one health goal to district wellness plans with annual reporting to local boards and to the state. 

Tom Loughrey presenting

The work emphasized quality health and physical education, physical activity, nutrition, school health services, staff well-being, and healthy environments. Districts received professional learning and technical assistance, and many aligned planning to the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework. Several districts broadened services by opening on-site clinics with local providers. Across two awards totaling nearly $3.8 million, Missouri scaled resources through Missouri Healthy Schools, including videos, podcasts, and webinars. 

Loughrey uses the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) framework to help districts evaluate student experience. The model is built around five guiding principles: students are healthy, safe, challenged, supported, and connected. Districts used these principles to identify gaps and set priorities. In one district, fewer than half of high school students participated in any student organization. After hiring a full-time coordinator to expand club opportunities, more than 90 percent of students reported feeling connected to their school.  

“Our goal is to organize school health, so students experience healthy environments, strong instruction in health and physical education, and clear pathways to feel connected to their schools,” he said.

Continuing change and advocacy with a Hawkeye heart

Loughrey retired from the University of Missouri–St. Louis in 2016. He served as executive director of MOSHAPE from 2014 to 2024 and continues to present and write about strengthening connections between public health and school programs. Loughrey’s latest presentation will be at the 2026 SHAPE America Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.  

Even in retirement, Loughrey is a proud Hawkeye. He starts every day with Hawk Talk, makes time for Iowa wrestling matches, and finds joy in reconnecting with fellow alumni who shaped his early path. 

“It is an understatement to say my Iowa education and experience prepared me to serve in ways I could not envision during my student days,” he said. “For this I am grateful beyond words for the opportunities I was afforded.”