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CPASS Ware Distinguished Professor, Dr. Eloise Elliott, continues to see success in promoting healthy lifestyles in West Virginia. 

Elliott was invited to participate in a webinar sponsored by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) on Jan. 30. The webinar featured the Physical Activity Guidelines for all Americans, and Elliott had the opportunity to highlight the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan.

Joshua Root, WVU Athletic Coaching Education graduate, earned a job at DuPont Performance Coatings as the manufacturing technician. Root attributes much of his success to the knowledge he gained as a CPASS student. 

At first glance, Root’s ACE degree may not seem to relate to his new position; however, he uses many aspects of what he learned as a CPASS student.

Gary Quinn (M.S. SM 1996) was recently promoted to vice president of programming and owned properties at NBC. He believes that his background as a CPASS student was an extremely influential step in advancing in his career.

Quinn says that a typical day for him consists of overseeing the owned and operated properties that NBC has created in recent decades. He also manages programming partnerships with organizations such as the PGA tour, NHL, Notre Dame Football, and Olympic governing bodies.

Approximately 80 CPASS students and faculty gathered on a snowy January evening to enjoy good food and company. The “Meet and Greet,” hosted by the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, gathered representatives from all CPASS majors at Black Bear Burritos on the Evansdale campus. The Jan. 25 event was support by Dean Dana Brooks who personally welcomed the guests. Despite the weather the crowd networked in a relaxed atmosphere. “It was a good opportunity to meet colleagues from other majors while savoring good food during a nice winter evening in Morgantown,” explains Luciana Braga, CPASS grad student. The Dean’s Student Advisory Board appreciates the positive response to their invitation, and looks forward to hosting similar events in the near future to foster cohesion between CPASS departments.Approximately 80 CPASS students and faculty gathered on a snowy January evening to enjoy good food and company. The “Meet and Greet,” hosted by the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, gathered representatives from all CPASS majors at Black Bear Burritos on the Evansdale campus. The Jan. 25 event was support by Dean Dana Brooks who personally welcomed the guests. Despite the weather the crowd networked in a relaxed atmosphere. “It was a good opportunity to meet colleagues from other majors while savoring good food during a nice winter evening in Morgantown,” explains Luciana Braga, CPASS grad student. The Dean’s Student Advisory Board appreciates the positive response to their invitation, and looks forward to hosting similar events in the near future to foster cohesion between CPASS departments.

In celebration of Black History Month, CPASS and the Muslim Student Association will co-sponsor a presentation by NFL players Hamaza Abdullah of the Arizona Cardinals and Husain Abdullah of the Minnesota Vikings. The Abdullah brothers will discuss their Muslim journey as professional athletes on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair ballrooms.

WVU Center for Black Culture will host events across campus throughout the month.

Former U.S. Secret Service Agent, WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni member and CPASS Outstanding Alumnus Robert DeProspero was featured on the Dr. Connie Mariano Radio Show on Voice America. During the Feb. 7, 2013 interview, Dr. Mariano, who served as former White House doctor, asked DeProspero to share anecdotes from his five-term service with the Secret Service. 

DeProspero was assistant director and special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division. He oversaw the planning, organizing and coordination of the Presidential protection services. Mariano’s interview begins at the 31:50 minute mark. Listen to the interview to learn about details of President Reagan’s shooting, changes in Secret Service policy, and personal stories from his White House years.

Senior sport and exercise psychology major Vincent Fitch was recently accepted into Physical Therapy School at West Virginia University. According to Fitch, his experience as a CPASS student made a positive difference in his application process. “Being a CPASS student gives me an upper hand with physical therapy. I’ve learned a lot of things that apply to the field. Prior to this year there had been one sport psychology student to get accepted, and there are four this year. I think our CPASS background helps us see things differently, and gives us the ability to provide something that others cannot,” said Fitch. He will graduate and earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. PT school start dates vary, but Fitch plans to begin his next academic adventure sometime between late May to early June 2013.

Two SEP alumni, Drs. Sean Fitzpatrick and Bart Lerner, will present at the  2013 Performance Psychology Conference at National University’s Spectrum Business Park Campus.The conference will take place Feb. 22-23 and is hosted by The Center for Performance Psychology. Fitzpatrick is scheduled to speak on professional issues with a concentration on the distinctions between exercise psychology and performance psychology. He will also discuss marketability and professional opportunities for individuals in exercise psychology. 

“There seems to be a belief among many professionals that exercise is not a form of performance, a belief that I do not share. Future students need to know not only the importance of exercise, but that it is an area that you can become employed. The conference provides a unique opportunity to have this discussion,” said Fitzpatrick. Lerner will present a segment entitled, “Stress Management Interventions with Nursing Students.” This presentation aims to detail the development and application of stress-management interventions with graduate and undergraduate nursing students as they prepare for their roles in medicine. “I am the academic dean at West Coast University, and I’ve found that a lot of nursing students become nervous and stressed about taking the NCLEX. With my background in sport psychology I can help them relax and stay focused. My training can bridge into nursing and help them perform,” said Lerner.

Sports Connect will be in Morgantown April 10-12. This is a great way to potentially earn a job in the sport industry. Sports Connect guarantees interviews with professional organizations and college athletic departments. You can register online at sportsweave.com/combines. For more information, contact 304-777-0770, or follow Sports Connect on Twitter @1SPORTSConnect. Follow the hyperlink for all the details:  SPORTSconnect

Michael Funkhouser was named Teacher of the Year for the state of West Virginia for 2013. Funkhouser, 1980 CPASS graduate, started his teaching career as an elementary physical education teacher. In 1984, he begin teaching English at East Hardy High School in Baker, W.Va. As the West Virginia Teacher of the Year, he will travel the country throughout 2013. “I’ve been to Phoenix, St. Louis, Huntsville, Alabama. It’s been a big year so far. It’s really the work of the school why I’m sitting here. It’s nice to give back. I honestly wish every teacher could have this opportunity, and I’m doing what I can to represent every teacher in the state,” said Funkhouser.