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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.”

Throughout his career, Jonathan Gibson, WVU Sports Management Master’s degree, has served in marketing leadership roles across a variety of industries in and out of sports. Gibson says that most of the companies are globally recognized for their brand health, innovation, reputation and performance.

Gibson has always had a zeal for marketing and brand building. “Seeing it through this lens was a passion of mine throughout my college and graduate school experiences. Coming to WVU was a great decision as it allowed me to gain real work knowledge while I was in school and build relationships that I have kept throughout my career,” he said.

The CPASS Office of Student Success welcomes Lyndasia Jones as the new program assistant. Jones will support recruitment and retention efforts, development and delivery of student newsletters and help with NCAA certification processes.

Jones, originally from Wilmington, Del., earned her RBA from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences in 2019, with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in sport and exercise psychology. She is currently studying for her Master’s in Sports Management at Wilmington University.

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.

After 25 years of steadfast service to the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and West Virginia University, Barbara Dalton, director of the International Center for Performance Excellence and Fitness Information Technology Publishing, is retiring.

Dalton has worked with ICPE FiT for more than13 years. She began her career with CPASS as an accounting assistant then moved into an operation coordinator role and ultimately shifted into the interim manager of operations position. She was asked to oversee some of the director duties until she began serving as interim director of ICPE/FiT. She was appointed as director in 2015. In 2019, Dalton received the WVU Values Coin, honoring her effort to help bring the University’s mission to life through her daily work. She received her Regents Bachelor of Arts degree from Eberly College of Arts and Sciences in 2012.