Dr. Marcel Yoder is in his 21st year as the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) for the University of Illinois Springfield athletics department in 2024-25.
In his role as the FAR, Yoder helps to ensure student-athlete welfare and the academic integrity and institutional control of the athletics program. Yoder is also the liaison for the UIS Campus Senate.
Throughout his tenure as the FAR, Yoder has taken initiative to improve the student-athlete experience. He established a faculty mentor program and is involved in the concussion safety protocol process, where his passion is to provide a safe environment for proper recovery.
In 2017, Yoder earned the Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award from the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The award goes to a faculty member to celebrate their commitment to NCAA Division II student-athletes’ lifelong learning, competition, and well-being.
As an associate professor of psychology and exercise science, Yoder specializes in sport psychology, mindfulness, and sport performance enhancement.
Dr. Yoder earned his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at the University of Louisville (Louisville, KY) in 1999 with a specialization in Social Psychology. He received his Masters of Arts degree in General Psychology at Ball State University in 1995 with a specialization in Statistics/Research Methods. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Goshen College in 1992.
