Brooke Towner and Cory Breithoff, CPASS graduate students, have been selected to participate in the West Virginia Inaugural Summer Policy Institute 2016. The WV Center on Budget and Policy will host the gathering on the West Virginia Wesleyan College campus, July 29-31.
This program will allow students from accredited universities across the state to come together and learn about critical West Virginia specific policy issues.
Towner, from Defiance, Ohio, was initially drawn toward the program because of her research focus in working with the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan. WVPAP is a strategic planning initiative that aims to promote healthy lifestyles and physical activity throughout the state of West Virginia.
“Engaging in physical activity can have a positive impact on individual and population health status,” said Towner. “Because of the relationship between physical activity and the health-enhancing benefits, I am interested in policy that includes physical activity as a component,” explained Towner, a first-year doctoral student in Kinesiology.
“I’m hoping to gain more knowledge about the policy process, formation to implementation” said Towner. “I also hope to better understand how policy decisions are made, who informs those decisions, and the avenues utilized to implement an enacted policy.”
Breithoff, from Milford, New Jersey, hopes to learn more about state education policy for K12 as well as higher education and to expand her networking throughout the state of West Virginia. “I would like to know how funds are allocated and decisions are made on a macro level,” said Breithoff.
“One immediate goal would be to present information pertaining to education, funding, and health back to CPASS with my colleague Brooke Towner,” explained Breithoff.
Breithoff graduated with a bachelor’s degree in PETE in 2011 and will graduate with a master’s degree in PETE this August. She is currently working on her doctorate in kinesiology/coaching and teaching studies with a cognate in higher education administration. Breithoff described herself as a “CPASS girl through and through.”
Towner credited a CPASS faculty member for being helpful in providing advice and direction to success.
“Dr. Eloise Elliott has been a mentor for me that models the need to continue learning and the importance of living your values. From her personal and professional life experiences, she is able to offer well-informed advice and provide direction” said Towner.
Towner and Breithoff offered advice to CPASS students wanting to succeed. “You have to be able to manage your time well. Set your priorities and tackle that list daily to ensure you have balance in all areas of your life,” said Towner. “Continue to work hard and prove yourself. Always remember that nothing or no one is below you and treat everything you do with equal respect,” said Breithoff.
After completion of the SPI, Towner plans to apply her new skills within her research process method to examine the implementation of the WVPAP.
The application process for the SPI program was highly competitive, with only 50 undergraduate and graduate students from accredited universities across the state selected to participate. Students were selected based on their strong academic training, diverse experiences and interest in the study and practice of public policy.
Students will participate in a combination of seminars, panels, workshops and keynote addresses involving leading policy experts from government, academia and community organizations.