Dr. Barbara Broadbear came to Millikin by way of North Dakota, South Florida, and Indiana — collecting degrees and building a career that moved from medically based wellness centers to academia, where she found her truest calling. As Associate Professor and Director of the School of Exercise Science & Sport, she was known as a fierce advocate for her students and a genuinely beloved teacher. Outside the classroom, Dr. Broadbear was a competitor at heart: She ran marathons, tackled adventure races, and for years led the beloved “Broadbear Boot Camp” workouts in McGraw Park, shaping the fitness lives of children and adults alike. Diagnosed with cancer in February 2023, she faced the disease with the same courage and directness she brought to everything. In her final wish as a lifelong teacher, she urged everyone to take full advantage of preventive and early-detection screenings. She is survived by her husband, Jim, and their four sons. Her legacy lives on through the Barbara Carol Broadbear Scholarship in Exercise Science & Sport.
