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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.

When it comes to excellence beyond the classroom, West Virginia University is no stranger. A group of students and faculty members from the CPASS physical education and kinesiology program attended the annual West Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Conference, Oct. 18.

Undergraduate student Austin Adams discussed “Linking Theory to Practice: Scaffolding in Physical Education.” Adams demonstrated the zone of proximal development by implementing scaffolding in a game used as an active learning strategy. The presentation was followed by a group discussion to evaluate how this theory could be used in physical education.

The Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Science at the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences will host a three-hour livestreamed event focused on coaching and coach education in the United States through a grant from the West Virginia University Office of the Provost.

The event will feature video capture and livestreaming on December 4, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in the WVU College of Law Event Center, entitled Examining Coaching and Coach Education in the United States. The presentation will feature sport industry and academic leaders and highlight quality coaching and coach education within the American sport system. The video will be available free for public use.

It’s no secret that West Virginia currently ranks as one of the highest states for obesity prevalence. Partners from multiple organizations around the state, including faculty and staff from West Virginia University, believe that a key component to tackling this problem is to empower communities to take charge of their health – thus forming Take Back Our Health WV.

Take Back Our Health WV, a community-based project that aims to improve the health of West Virginians by increasing access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities where West Virginians live, work, learn, play and pray.

The Steelcase Active Learning Center will officially open at West Virginia University, Thursday, October 31, 3 p.m. in the Health and Education building, Evansdale campus. The center was funded by Steelcase Education and is valued at $67,000.

According to the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences’ faculty, it ideally suits courses that emphasize collaborating and cooperative learning approaches. “The overarching goal here remains our increased capacity to engage students more actively in their own learning and to move toward interactive pedagogical approaches that better serve today’s learners,” Sean Bulger, professor, physical education and kinesiology, and associate dean for graduate and online education said.

While many people pursue a career in athletics to enhance their own skills, some get involved to develop the skills of others. Raymond Kryzak, an Athletic Coaching Education master’s student at West Virginia University, spends his time outside of the classroom as a soccer coach in the Morgantown area. Originally from Charleston, W.Va., he chose to further his education with CPASS after accepting a business manager role with the TopSoccer program within Mountaineer United Soccer Club.

TopSoccer is a community-based training program for athletes with intellectual, emotional and or physical disabilities. Kryzak’s involvement includes coaching and teaching soccer to children with various disabilities in a safe, encouraging environment. “It is a way for them to get physical activity and the opportunity to play, which they deserve,” he said.