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Dr. Ruben L. Tagare, Jr., College Research Coordinator of the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) of the University of Southern Mindanao, was conferred the prestigious distinction of International Organization of Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (IOHSK) Fellow #15 during the 9th IOHSK International Research Conference held at Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, on July 22–24, 2026.
The conferment of the title “Fellow” is one of the highest recognitions presented by IOHSK to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding commitment, leadership, and significant contributions to the advancement of health, sports, kinesiology, research, and international academic collaboration. The recognition also acknowledges sustained service to the organization and meaningful contributions to the global scholarly community.
Dr. Tagare’s journey with IOHSK started in 2020, when he joined the organization as a regular member with the only goal of participating in an international academic community and learning from scholars across the globe. Through the years, he actively participated in annual international conferences, presented research, promoted the organization’s programs, and continuously encouraged faculty members and students to engage in international research and academic exchange.
In 2025, Tagare was elected by the IOHSK Board to serve as a Board Member and was subsequently designated as the organization’s Philippine Ambassador. Since assuming these roles, he has worked closely with the organization’s leadership in promoting IOHSK’s mission, strengthening international partnerships, expanding membership, and creating opportunities for Filipino researchers, educators, and students to participate in global scholarly activities.
During his term, USM has significantly increased its participation in IOHSK initiatives, that resulted to numerous international research presentations, scholarship recipients, travel grant awardees, faculty research grants, institutional recognitions, and collaborative academic engagements. Recently, USM earned ten international awards, including the Most Contributing University Award during the research conference.
Dr. Tagare expressed his appreciation to the leadership of IOHSK, particularly to Dr. Hosung So, President and Chief Executive Officer of IOHSK, for his actual mentorship, trust, and dedication that provided opportunities for scholars around the world.
In an interview, Dr. Tagare shared that he dedicates the award to USM, his colleagues, students, and everyone who were part of the journey.
“IOHSK has opened doors that I once only dreamed of, and I hope to continue paying these opportunities forward by helping more faculty members and students reach the international stage,” he underscored.
Notably, Dr. Tagare, also the Vice President of the USM Faculty Association, ranked first in the USM Top 10 Scopus Authors in 2025 as released by Publication and Printing Unit (PPU).
