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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.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down gyms and cancelled in-person fitness classes, many individuals were left to wonder how they could maintain their fitness routines from the comfort of home.

CEHS alumna Sydney Cummings’ YouTube channel, which consists of library of daily home workouts for individuals of all skill levels, filled the personal fitness void left by the pandemic. And as the demand for home workouts grew, so did Cummings’ YouTube audience. In March 2021, Cummings’ subscriber count reached 1 million.

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.”

Johannes Raabe, assistant professor, Sport and Exercise Psychology at the West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, was recognized by a national group for his research exploring the perceived challenges and coping mechanisms of female NCAA Division I strength and conditioning coaches. Raabe, who serves as a faculty member in both the CPASS undergraduate and doctoral SEP program, received the 2021 Young Investigator Grant from the National Strength and Conditioning Association Foundation.

“It is a true honor to be recognized with this prestigious award, which will allow me to expand my work on the coach-athlete relationship to investigate coaches’ own psychological functioning,” Raabe said. “These efforts will help coaches to not only facilitate athletes’ development but also cope with the challenges of the profession, experience well-being and perform at a high level in their own right.

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.