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Chad Fowler, a native of Bridgeport, W.Va., was recently named assistant athletic director for development at Fairmont State University. He is a 1994 graduate of WVU who earned a degree in sports management. Chad began his professional career with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets where he served as assistant director for community relations for two years and then as a sponsor services manager for four years.

For the past ten years, Fowler was working outside of sports management as a pharmaceutical representative. His most recent position was a senior customer sales representative at Merck, where he consistently ranked among the top 20 percent in the country. Now returning to the world of sports, he explained in the Fairmont State article that he is honored to work at FSU and excited to be back in his home state. This is a new beginning for Fowler filled with challenges he is excited to overcome. He started his new position on July 1.

Over the years, the College has seen thousands of students graduate and begin their careers. The school wishes success for their graduates and hopes each student’s experience at WVU was inspiring. A few graduates have reached out to the College to talk about where they are now.

Brad Haas is a 2010 graduate of the College. He earned his BSPE with a focus in sport and exercise psychology. His initial years at WVU led him to pursue a graduate degree in law. Having recently graduated from Case Western University he is now an associate at a law firm in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His undergraduate studies heavily influenced his career focus. He tells us that he plans to focus in sports related law. Brad has offered to share information about his post-WVU years and answer any questions students may have relating to law school, sports agents, lawyers, etc.

Chad Ballard, M.S. SM 2009, has an exciting career with Feld Entertainment in   Tampa, Fla., and he attributes much of his success to the knowledge and experience he gained as a CPASS student. 

Ballard spends his days walking the elephants and horses from The Greatest Show on Earth down Main Street to announce the circus is in town, brain-storming marketing techniques for Monster Jam Motorsports events, and keeping fans enticed when they attend Disney On Ice.

Sport Management grad Keith Ricci is making his way up in the world of professional hockey with the Boston Bruins, and he contributes much of his success to WVU and CPASS. 

“My first step was attending WVU for the well-respected Sport Management program. Besides the education, the networking with other Mountaineer students and alumni was critical. There are Mountaineers everywhere around the world in all different lines of work who are willing to help other Mountaineers learn and succeed,” said Ricci.

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.

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.

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.

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.