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Although many West Virginia University students are in a virtual learning environment this semester, CPASS Sport Management Club members continue to participate in especially engaging virtual sessions with industry professionals to develop connections in the field they love.

“My goal is to help students learn from industry professionals and to guide them in understanding that everyone’s path is different. Everyone has diverse experiences. We want to take advantage of the opportunity offered through the SM Club to speak with these individuals,” Natalie Gerber, SM Club president, explained.

CPASS graduating students celebrated 2020 Mountaineer Graduation Day on May 16, 2020, with all the same excitement and future expectations of previous graduates, with one notable difference. Their experience was entirely virtual. Everyone was invited — graduates, families, current and future students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University. And all came to honor our outstanding seniors.

Upon reflecting on their experiences at WVU, four CPASS students — Garrett Lord, Alisha Barnes, Lucas Facemire and John Foster — shared their achievements.

A CPASS senior is using flexibility within his studies to gain useful experience outside of the classroom. Caden Roberts is pursuing his love of sports through a Bachelor of Science degree in sport management with a minor in scholastic coaching. He is scheduled to graduate in May 2021. 

Roberts, from Martinsburg, W.Va., credits his CPASS degree for equipping him with the vital tools he needs to become a successful coach and sport manager. “I chose CPASS because they provided curriculum and opportunities to grow as a basketball coach. Adaptability within the major has allowed me to continue to pursue relevant work and experience in the field,” he said. 

We want to introduce you to four graduate coaching and sport education students who gained valuable professional experience from coaching youth and college level athletes to coaching coaches. These hands-on learning opportunities allow graduate students to build their resumes while focusing and building on their primary career interests. Graduate students employ classroom learning to the field, while applying technique, psychology and administrative elements. Sport coaches must develop the essential skills and knowledge required to work with athletes in a variety of contexts across their lifetime.

Hometown: Killam, Alberta

Blake Costalupes is passionate about exploring mindfulness interventions within sport and exercise psychology, focusing on student-athletes’ goals to help them excel.

Costalupes’ research, “A Smartphone Mindfulness-based Intervention Pilot Study with Competitive High School Baseball Players,” was selected for publication of the special student edition of the Journal of Kinesiology and Wellness. 

Imagine receiving on-the-job experience at a West Virginia University Big 12 conference football game. Or how about having a working assignment at a WVU Women’s soccer match? Now, an innovative partnership will make it possible for College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences students to gain firsthand learning opportunities through internships with the West Virginia University Athletics department.

As a one-stop shop for your passion in sports, Mountaineer GOAL: Gaining Opportunities in Athletics Leadership Program, provides students with a jump start in the growing sports industry. According to Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal, in 2019 the North American sports industry will increase by nearly 3 percent for the third consecutive year to a record 73 billion U.S. dollars, as reported by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

A group of CPASS athletic coaching education students used remote teaching and learning techniques to reach out to Monongalia County children who would normally participate in the college’s Friday Program group. The CPASS students created a unique distance learning environment for students with disabilities to help them keep active during COVID-19.

When the schools closed due to the pandemic, the ACE 488 students knew it was important to offer an alternative method to help the children stay active.

As Mountaineer Graduation Day approaches, we honor CPASS seniors who will participate in a virtual ceremony on May 16. Upon reflecting on their experiences at WVU, the students recognize faculty and staff for their unwavering support and expertise. They are thankful for hands-on learning, internships and teaching opportunities to prepare them for life after graduation. They are clear on their goals, passion and love for Mountaineer Nation and the friends they have discovered.

Aryaunna Mosley credits her professors within Mountaineer Nation for nurturing her vision and dreams while inspiring her to stay at WVU to pursue her master's degree. Mosley, from Charleston, WV, is finishing her first year of graduate school in Sport Management, after completing her undergraduate degree at WVU.  

Mosley appreciates that everyone within WVU brings something unique to the table. “They make the statement 'Mountaineers Go First' a reality every day, with top educators who are constantly pushing their students to succeed while encouraging their passions. It was that mentality that led me to make the decision of staying at WVU for my master's degree,” she explained.

Julia Merwin is set to graduate this May from West Virginia University with a major in Sport and Exercise Psychology. While at WVU, Merwin was a student-athlete and member of the women’s gymnastics team. Additionally, she became certified personal trainer because of her interest in health and fitness. 

Merwin, from Frederick, Maryland, selected the SEP major during the enrollment process at WVU. “After being in the SEP major, I have learned many valuable things that applied to my sport and personal training,” said Merwin.