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Sport is a global phenomenon that transcends beyond what we see on the court, field or pitch. It is a driving force that connects individuals around the world. In an ongoing international partnership, Carla Tagliari, a doctoral student from Brazil, recently arrived on the West Virginia University campus to complete a short residency training at the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences.

Tagliari will work under the supervision of Dr. Gonzalo Bravo, CPASS associate professor in sport management, from the spring 2020 semester into the summer. During this time, she will continue working on her dissertation on perceptions of service quality of grassroots participants in southern Brazil.

Renowned specialists in the field of strength and conditioning and sport science will participate in the third annual National Strength and Conditioning Association West Virginia State Clinic, featuring speakers typically found on a national platform. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals from a range of specialties.

The event, scheduled for April 3-4, 2020 on the West Virginia University campus, WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute Human Performance Innovation Center, will highlight cutting-edge research and application.

Chris Mann, B.S. (2002) sport management, serves as vice president of partnerships at Dignitas, a professional esports organization in Newark, N.J. He knows how to craft connections.

When Dignitas and Verizon announced the new state-of-the-art Esports practice facility, Verizon 5G Gaming Center in Los Angeles, Mann provided leadership and expertise to ensure that the initiative was solid.

Caitlyn Lyons, senior sport management student, will showcase her research at this year’s Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, targeting the West Virginia Higher Education community and those in state government. Lyons, a Sparta, N.J., native, will present her study, Camp FeWI: Addressing the decline in female youth sport participation.

Lyons explains the importance of youth sport. “Being able to take part in this event means a lot. Every child deserves access to playing the sport they choose, yet across the country we are seeing a rapid decline in youth sport participation for various reasons.”

Steve Shelton’s interest in coaching and movement led him to major in health and physical education and pursue a career to merge these two interests. Now Shelton helps others earn a degree, while guiding them as educators. He credits faculty members in the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences master’s program for their leadership and expertise. Shelton pulled insight from that experience to ensure his success as an instructor. Since his time in the program, he has encouraged several Radford University graduates to enroll at WVU. He plans to continue this pattern. 

The College congratulates our outstanding group of December 2019 graduates for their many accomplishments throughout their student career, as we eagerly look forward to their future successes within their chosen field. Students credit their peers, faculty, staff and alumni for help and guidance in reaching this milestone, all while being a student-athlete, ambassador or volunteer. Students took advantage of internships, field trips, study abroad and mentorship opportunities. Others seized leadership roles as peer advisors. Some changed majors before they found their passion. Regardless of their paths, they all agree on one common thread. Get involved as you make WVU your home. 

Dancers often face the same difficulties in their training and performance as athletes: physical and mental barriers, including nerves, anxiety and self-doubt. While coaches and instructors work with their students through physical challenges, internal barriers can be tougher to overcome.

West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences alumnae Ashley Cranney (2016) and Chelsea Wooding (2014) have first-hand experience with these challenges. The book, “Every Count Matters: Mindset Training for Dancers,” utilizes their background in competitive dance and mental performance to reach dancers of all styles and skill levels.

An upcoming WVU Abroad trip will highlight the business facets of sport in Europe. Students participating in the summer 2020 study abroad adventure will visit Ireland, England and France.

Students will gain firsthand experience about the European sport model and club sports unique to Europe during the May 17-28, 2020 trip.

Students in the college’s sport and exercise psychology program are learning key concepts in the classroom with the help of digital media. As time and technology progress, faculty members are using different platforms to support networking in the sport industry. 

Dr. Scott Barnicle, teaching assistant professor and program coordinator, sport and exercise psychology, has played an instrumental role in the application of digital media within the classroom. Barnicle has applied a variety of techniques at WVU, including Skype, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Kevin Lou, CPASS master’s student in the sport, exercise, and performance psychology program, has received a scholarship from the Carl del Signore Foundation in the amount of $1,000. He is one of only five West Virginia University students to receive the award, which recognizes students who are engaged in research activities leading to a research-focused master’s degree.

“Being a recipient of the Carl del Signore Foundation Graduate Scholarship is an honor. I feel the research I am conducting is interesting and valuable to me and my field, and to have other foundations acknowledge that is really rewarding. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be chosen for this award,” states Lou.

Many college students struggle with the uncertainty of life after graduation and how to apply their major. Sport and exercise psychology graduate Jay Spenser Darden experienced a change in career paths, after discovering his true passion.  

Darden, from Springfield, Va., currently serves as the director of diversity initiatives and community engagement at West Virginia University. Upon earning his B.S. (2011) in sport and exercise psychology, he had career goals of using outdoor and adventure education to encourage healthy lifestyles. While at WVU, he worked as a leader for Adventure WV, gaining valuable insight and knowledge in the field.

The 2019 WVU Day of Giving was an important effort for CPASS, raising nearly $25,000 for the college, while West Virginia University generated more than $11.3 million. The third annual event, held Nov. 13, encouraged students, faculty, staff and friends of WVU to provide critical funding to ensure the continuation of numerous opportunities for growth within the WVU community.

During the 24-hour on line timeframe, CPASS received 100 donations. Interestingly, CPASS received 100 donations last year as well. Overall, this landed CPASS in 15th place among all units. However, in comparison to academic colleges only, CPASS finished in 9th place, ahead of units such as nursing, education, pharmacy and dentistry. 

In some cases, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. The connections that students make along their collegiate path often open doors for career development. A recent weekend excursion to the New York and New Jersey area expanded networking opportunities for West Virginia University students, thanks to alumni involvement.

For many of the club members, this was their first road trip experience. Ryan Sandler, junior sport management student, recognized the importance of meeting college alumni. “I found this event to be very informative because it forced me to get out of my comfort zone. Not only did it teach me to become comfortable interacting with my peers, but the trip challenged me to have the courage to start a conversation with someone in a position of high power,” Sandler said.

While students may experience personal interactions within the traditional classroom setting, there are still opportunities for online students to connect and explore the learning process.  

As the college’s recently announced instructional design specialist, Beth Bailey is focused on improving quality teaching and learning for online instructors and students by providing increased instructional design capacity in the college.  

Preparing for a successful job interview can cause doubt and stress. Students in the CPASS physical education and kinesiology program gained valuable career insight in a recent workshop, featuring David Goldfarb, Fairfax County, Va. Public Schools, special projects administrator, office of talent acquisition and management.

Goldfarb presented two workshops for students, focusing on guidelines for becoming a successful working professional and a behind-the-scenes look at Fairfax County Schools. Goldfarb, who earned his Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and Ed.M. at Harvard University, told students to pull from their experiences as a student teacher.