Aurelio E. “Joe” Florio
Dr. Joe Florio was associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for over 65 years, bringing distinction to the Department of Community Health, the College of Applied Life Studies, and the University of Illinois.
Dr. Florio enrolled as an undergraduate student in 1930 where he earned his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education and a master’s degree in sociology from the U of I. During his graduate student days, George Huff appointed him assistant to football coach Robert Zuppke.
He began his U of I career in 1935 as an assistant professor of physical education. After completing his doctorate at Columbia University in 1949 he returned to the U of I as an associate professor of safety education and as a Counselor for the Council on Teacher Education, serving on the faculty until 1975, with a break for four years when he served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 1955 he was appointed professor of safety education and program director of safety and driver education. He was named professor emeritus in 1975.
Dr. Florio is noted for his many contributions in the fields of health, physical education, and safety. His interest in high school driver education led to the establishment of the first teacher preparation course in the Midwest in 1947. He was a member of the President’s Educational Committee on Traffic Safety, and a Chairman of the Child and School State Committee of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Council. In 1952 he initiated the organization of the Illinois Driver Education Association and became the association’s first president. He was elected as a charter member of the National Academy of Safety Education. Dr. Florio also served on the Secretary of State’s Traffic Safety Advisory committee under four different Illinois secretaries of state.
Dr. Florio wrote and contributed as an author or consultant to many books in his field, and in 1985 received citations from the Illinois Secretary of State and the American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance for his contributions on safety studies.
