The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences celebrated faculty, staff and student achievements at their 2020-2021 Awards Ceremony held in the spring semester.
Each year, the College recognizes the many faculty who excel in service, research and teaching. Peter Giacobbi received the Researcher of the Year Award; Andrea Taliaferro earned the Professional Servant of the Year Award; Valerie Wayda received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award and Emily Murphy was honored with the Grantsperson of the Year Award. Eloise Elliott received the 2021 Heebink Award for Extended Service while Andrea Taliaferro received the James and Karen Caveney Alumni Association Faculty Excellence Award.
Staff recognition included the Sharon Sisler Excellence in Service Awards, presented to Eileen Harvey, Allison Haught and Stephanie Martin. Beth Bailey and Sherry Binion received the 2020 Mountaineer Values Coin. Melinda Gallagher was honored with the 2021 Pay it Forward Value Coin.
The College announced 46 student scholarship award recipients. Additionally, the College presented the Undergraduate Outstanding Student Awards to Mackenzie Hawkins, Athletic Training; Adam Greensburg, Athletic Coaching Education; Maggie Bennett, Health and Well-being; Rachel Stutler, MDS; Olivia Martinelli, Physical Education and Kinesiology; James McCarty, Sport and Exercise Psychology and Justin Gargano, Sport Management.
The College presented Graduate Outstanding Students Awards to Katie McGahagen, Athletic Coaching Education Masters student; Maggie Roberts, Coaching and Teaching Studies Doctorate student; Shannon Bandish-Nash, Physical Education and Kinesiology Masters student; Kevin Lou, Sport and Exercise Psychology Masters student; Adam Hansell, Sport and Exercise Psychology Doctorate student and Marisa Ferrara, Sport Management Masters student.
Three students received the American Kinesiology Association Awards, including James McCarty, AKA Undergraduate Scholar; Marisa Ferrara, Master Scholar Award and Adam Hansell, Doctoral Scholar Award.
The 2020-2021 Student Ambassadors included Julienne Abbonizio, Laura Karlson, Jacob Krukowski, Katie Bennett, James McCarty, Paige Bergefurd and DJ Katella. The 2020-2021 Deans Student Advisory Board members included undergraduates Carly Walton, Sohan Daniel, Garrett Miller, Emily Brasselle and Nijeul Sharp and graduate students Olivia Mackey, Tommy Minkler and Alexa Miley.