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A West Virginia University graduate has worked his way through the collegiate athletic administration ranks to reach the top leadership role at a respected New England university. Marcus Blossom, M.S. (2005) sport management, is the new director of intercollegiate athletics at College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass.

As announced last year, Blossom oversees the development of Holy Cross’ 27 NCAA Division I teams as members of the Patriot League, Atlantic Hockey Association and the Women’s Hockey East Association.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 West Virginia University Alumni Association will welcome many familiar faces to campus this fall during 2019 Homecoming ceremonies, as the University celebrates accomplishments of alumni around the globe. The Alumni Association will recognize Dana Brooks, former College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences dean, as the 2019 recipient of the Paul B. “Buck” Martin award.

The Alumni Association is honoring Brooks for his efforts to preserve, maintain and promote the traditions of WVU. Buck Martin served as president of the Alumni Association and was former editor of The Martinsburg Journal and noted WVU historian.

While the physical nature of sport appeals to many people, there are underlying aspects of the science and preparation that most people never consider. As the newly announced assistant athletic director for applied health and performance science for Penn State Athletics department, Josh Nelson knows the power and importance of science in sport first-hand. Hailing from Independence, Va., Nelson has had a long journey within the field of health and sport sciences in preparation for this role. 

Starting a business may seem like a struggle, maybe nearly impossible, but that is not the case for West Virginia University graduate Stephanie Filbey. Originally from Alloway, New Jersey, Filbey completed her personal trainer internship with the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, where she worked with her first client. The internship eventually lead to her starting her own business in Morgantown, called Summit Wellness.

Filbey, BS 2017, Exercise Physiology, did not develop a passion for health, wellness and fitness until her junior year of college, but for much of her life, she had been involved in sports year-round. However, that quickly changed when she arrived at WVU. When the activity stopped, and the poor food choices started, Filbey was stuck in a rut like other college students experience.

Katerina Lake, a new sport and exercise psychology graduate, currently serves as an assistant program manager for Camp Female empowerment and Wellness initiative (Camp WeFi) with Youth Enrichment Services (YES). 

YES is a nonprofit organization that aims to design and implement educational opportunities for minority and underserved children living in public housing and economically disadvantaged communities. 

Once a mountaineer, always a mountaineer is a well-known rallying cry for the Gold and Blue faithful. Stephanie Mock embraced that mantra during her time as a student at WVU and has continued that dedication to her alma mater as she progresses in her professional career. 

Mock graduated in 2013 with her bachelor’s degree in sport management. During her education, she was a strength and conditioning intern for both the WVU and University of Pittsburgh Olympic sports teams. 

Randy Meador, MS, ATC, was inducted into the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association (MAATA) Hall of Fame this May. Meador serves as coordinator of athletic training services for WVU intercollegiate athletic program, Head Men’s Basketball athletic trainer and clinical instructor for the CPASS athletic training curriculum program.

Meador earned his Master of Science degree in athletic training from CPASS (1985), where he then began his long career as the head athletic trainer for the WVU Men’s Basketball team.

From the court room to the ticketing office, and now armed with a new degree, Morgantown native Leighann Sainato has gained a fresh perspective in her young professional career.

Starting as a community relations intern with the West Virginia Black Bears in August 2017, Sainato worked closely with Jackie Riggleman, then the assistant general manager and a CPASS Sport Management masters graduate. Now, two years later, the Black Bears have announced the promotion of Sainato to ticket operations and public relations manager.

The love of sports is often a motivator for many focusing on careers in the sports management industry. Autry Parker Brantley – Detroit, Michigan native – considered a decision between striving to be a college student-athlete or helping them reach their goals.

Brantley received his bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2005 from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. After years of entrepreneurship efforts in Florida and Nevada, coaching college basketball in Ohio, and teaching to coach high school basketball in Michigan, he decided to join the Mountaineer family. He earned his master’s degree in sport management in 2012. 

Finding career motivation comes in different places and times. Paul Downey discovered his vision during a special topics class with a focus on sport psychology.

“Upon learning about sport psychology and student-services, I knew that I wanted to work with top level student-athletes to help them achieve their goals,” said Downey