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Maintaining a drive to constantly evaluate life aspirations has empowered CPASS graduate Ted Deljanovan to excel in coaching and his career. Deljanovan, physical education teacher education master’s degree (May 2019), says that goal setting has unleashed unlimited possibilities.

“Regardless of whether it was obtaining full time employment, using it in my coaching to be successful or in everyday life, goal setting and pushing me, my teams and individuals has provided opportunities across the board,” Deljanovan said. “I live the ‘never stay comfortable’ motto and keep setting new ambitions to better my teams and myself.”

The West Virginia University community is invited to attend the anti-racism activation experience titled “A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth” on Feb. 15 and 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

The two-day event will begin with a virtual conference organized as thoughtful conversations where participants are asked to listen, view and respond in real time. The discussions will include large and small group settings using the breakout rooms feature.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences online instructional designers, Beth Bailey and Michele Korgeski, presented their poster titled “ Trust the Climb: A guide to establishing and managing a quality online framework” at the virtual Quality Matters QM ConnectLX national conference this past November.

“Our virtual interactive poster tour took attendees step by step through our quality assured design and development process, while allowing them to view and download our tools and templates, and explore our delivery platform and framework for inspiration,” Korgeski said.

An introductory soccer program has provided real life training for 10 College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences coaching and performance sciences students. Raymond Kryzak, director, Mountaineer United Soccer Club, organized and led sessions for the Fundamentals soccer program, an eight-week introductory soccer clinic designed for three- and four-year-old children.

“Last year, we officially partnered with the Fundamentals program and plan to make the same connection in the spring of 2022. CPASS did their part by arranging the use of the facility to host the first coaching and training class in the Morgantown area,” Kryzak said.

CPASS Physical Education and Kinesiology Assistant Professor Samantha Ross is one of seven WVU faculty selected to receive Universal Design of Learning grant. The grants, provided by WVU Teaching and Learning Commons, include a stipend of $3,500 to support design or redesign of courses to meet the principles of UDL.

As a teacher-researcher, Ross says that she is motivated to implement and evaluate evidence-based practices to her classrooms and the preparation of future physical activity professionals. “Applying Universal design for learning principles to the classroom strengthens my direct support of student learning and provides student’s personalized pathways to success. As a third-year faculty, I am still developing as a teacher,” she said.

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.