Latest News

Hello CPASS Alumni,

I hope that you all are doing well and enjoying the fall season. I have met some of you, but for those who do not know me, my name is Will Bradley and I am the CPASS director of development. I am here to provide you up-to-date information from the development side of our college.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences welcomes Kimberly Straight as the new accounting and operations coordinator for FiT Publishing.

Straight, who started on Nov. 15, has long been a member of Mountaineer family, most recently having worked with Shared Services, and previously Extension Services and the John Chambers College of Business and Economics. In her new role at FiT, she will coordinate accounts payable and procurement, business operations and communications, customer service, and will oversee student workers.

James L. Taylor passed away Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Jim, or Coach Taylor, as he was affectionately known, was born in Charles Town, WV on February 26, 1934. Among his numerous honors and achievements, Taylor was inducted into the West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 2020.

He attended Eagle Avenue Elementary School in Charles Town and graduated from Page-Jackson High School in 1951. After graduating high school, Taylor enlisted in the US Navy and served in the Korean War from 1951-1955. After serving in the US Navy, Taylor enrolled at Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) and graduated in 1955 with BS and AB degrees and a Corrective Therapist Certification. He attended graduate school at West Virginia University and earned a Master of Science Degree in 1965.

Grant Benson will join FiT (Fitness Information Technology) Publishing in the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences International Center for Performance Excellence as the accounting and operations coordinator.

Benson will coordinate accounts payable and procurement, including royalty payments, business operations and communications, customer service and oversee student workers. Before joining the Mountaineer family, he was a centralized scheduler and inventory control analyst in supply chain operations for WVU Medicine and golf associate at Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa.

A College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences online sport management graduate student is expanding his resume through an internship at the professional sports level. Tyler Pastorius, sport management master’s major with an emphasis on comprehensive sport industry management (projected graduation, May 2022), focuses on various marketing-related responsibilities with the Dallas Stars.

Justin Wartella, sport management teaching assistant professor, says the CPASS on-line master’s program connects theory to practice for the population of busy, working professionals who are pursuing a graduate degree. “It is so diverse in terms of the student population who are located across the country. Students work in different facets of the industry, including high school sports, college, professional, Olympic, facilities, operations and community sports,” Wartella said.

A West Virginia University faculty member was part of a national effort to provide recommendations to expand physical activity for school-aged children in moving past the pandemic.

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Ware Distinguished Professor Eloise Elliott was one of four principal writers for the national paper entitled Physical Activity Recommendations for Children and Adolescents: More Important Than Ever. The collaborative effort promotes physical activity and sports for children and adolescents, and provides recommendations to enhance physical activity in schools, communities, and homes to improve outcomes.

Gregory Warren credits his experiences at the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences in paving the pathway to his new role as director of strength and conditioning at Bluefield State College, Bluefield, W.Va.

The master of science, coaching and sport education (2021) graduate says the CPASS connection served a critical role in initiating his career. “Although it was only for two years, the coaching experience I gained as a graduate assistant and head strength coach at University High School in Morgantown gave me the confidence to realize my abilities as a coach in this field,” Warren said.

A new administrative secretary has joined the college this fall. Cathie Falvey, a West Virginia University retiree and a senior Mountaineer Temp, will provide administrative and secretarial support for the Dean’s Office administrator, program coordinators and faculty during the 2021-2022 academic year.

In addition, she will help with content management of college websites and digital display boards. Falvey will greet guests and provide daily support in the college copy center and mail operations.

Brittany Murray will join FiT (Fitness Information Technology) Publishing in the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences International Center for Performance Excellence as an editorial assistant.

“Brittany has a unique background through her education and work experiences that will bring a fresh perspective to our processes,” Kassi Roberts, FiT Publishing managing editor, said. “We are excited to have her onboard and welcome her to CPASS.”

Myles Washington combined his passion in sports with the mental aspects of competition to earn a B.S. degree in sport and exercise psychology (May 2021).

In addition to studying sports, Washington gained hands on knowledge as a basketball manager for the WVU Men’s team, from his freshman through senior years at CPASS. “Once I became involved with the team, I knew I wanted to go into basketball professionally, working for the NBA,” he said.

CPASS welcomes three new faculty members to campus this fall. Patrick Hairston, sport management teaching assistant professor, Peter McGahey, coaching and performance science teaching assistant professor, and Brent Oja, sport management assistant professor, bring a clear vision, specialized expertise and strong industry connections to support student success.

Hairston, McGahey and Oja will focus on challenging students to enhance their critical thinking skills, develop best practices, engage in research and discover their passion as they prepare for viable career options.

Members of the Center for ActiveWV and the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences at West Virginia University have launched a new online professional development resource for teachers, administrators, program coordinators, parents and others with an interest in promoting physical activity among youth.

“This free Active Academics® Training was created to help reach members of our West Virginia and broader communities with a resource to learn about physical activity recommendations and benefits, as well as tips for integrating physical activity in the classroom and throughout the day,” Eloise Elliott, Ware Distinguished Professor at CPASS, said.

A College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences graduate has landed a remarkable position at Facebook Inc. in Menlo Park, Calif., leveraging his doctoral training and experience in health care and user design.Spencer Ingels, PhD, Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology (2018), serves as a new user experience researcher (UXR) on the health team at Facebook. Ingels, whose hometown is Berkeley, CA, says he is focused on conducting research to inform and improve how products, tools and features are used to support better health.

“Currently much of this work is focused on understanding our users’ experience with Covid-19 and evaluating interventions to support prevention behaviors and vaccination,” Ingels said. “I am most excited to start work focusing on understanding how Facebook's tools as an online support network can be used to support better health outcomes.”

Valerie Wayda, West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences associate professor and associate dean for undergraduate and academic affairs, will serve as a mentor during the fall 2021 semester as part of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education Leader Mentor program.

The program pairs aspiring administrators with experienced kinesiology chairs, deans or higher-level administrators for a one-week “shadow” experience to build future leaders through hands-on mentoring and real-world scenarios.

The singular desire to help people achieve their potential has remained the driving career force for Aaron Goodson, College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences graduate. Goodson explains that sport and exercise were avenues for him that contributed to his physical, mental and emotional growth and development.

“I realized early on how significant the institution of sport is in our lives. College sports have always been part of my life, but I wondered what happened to those young people once we no longer saw them on television or watched them compete. That curiosity, in combination with my own experience as a former college student-athlete, fuels my passion for the work that I do.”