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The Sport and Exercise Psychology program in the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences at West Virginia University was recognized with the Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training in Exercise and Sport Psychology award by Division 47 of the American Psychological Association.

Every three years, the APA awards a sport psychologist or training program that over time has consistently provided significant contributions to education and training in exercise and sport psychology. The award will be presented at the 2013 APA Convention, in Honolulu, HI from July 31 to August 4.

Dr. Christiaan Abildso, program coordinator, PEIA Weight Management Program, and Dr. Kelly Gurka, WVU Injury Control Research Center, have researched the connection between accidents involving pedestrians and cost to the state.

While studying all accidents in West Virginia from 2000 to 2006, the costs of the accidents were severe: 206 people died and nearly 3,100 were inured. That amounted to “comprehensive costs” – including estimates for lost quality of life – at $1.19 billion dollars in 2005, Abildso said.

As cheerleading gains more national recognition and safety issues are at record high, Kelly Stewart offers West Virginia University students the chance to learn how to coach cheerleading in a safe, responsible and exciting way. 

In recent years, cheerleading has gained widespread acknowledgment for the increasing physical demands of the sport. Observations of accidents and serious injuries are prompting people like Stewart to take action. Her experience in both coaching and judging has given her insight into these issues, and she is using her talent to help students gain hands-on experience in coaching cheerleading.

CPASS Ware Distinguished Professor, Dr. Eloise Elliott, continues to see success in promoting healthy lifestyles in West Virginia. 

Elliott was invited to participate in a webinar sponsored by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) on Jan. 30. The webinar featured the Physical Activity Guidelines for all Americans, and Elliott had the opportunity to highlight the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan.

Gary Quinn (M.S. SM 1996) was recently promoted to vice president of programming and owned properties at NBC. He believes that his background as a CPASS student was an extremely influential step in advancing in his career.

Quinn says that a typical day for him consists of overseeing the owned and operated properties that NBC has created in recent decades. He also manages programming partnerships with organizations such as the PGA tour, NHL, Notre Dame Football, and Olympic governing bodies.

Joshua Root, WVU Athletic Coaching Education graduate, earned a job at DuPont Performance Coatings as the manufacturing technician. Root attributes much of his success to the knowledge he gained as a CPASS student. 

At first glance, Root’s ACE degree may not seem to relate to his new position; however, he uses many aspects of what he learned as a CPASS student.

Approximately 80 CPASS students and faculty gathered on a snowy January evening to enjoy good food and company. The “Meet and Greet,” hosted by the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, gathered representatives from all CPASS majors at Black Bear Burritos on the Evansdale campus. The Jan. 25 event was support by Dean Dana Brooks who personally welcomed the guests. Despite the weather the crowd networked in a relaxed atmosphere. “It was a good opportunity to meet colleagues from other majors while savoring good food during a nice winter evening in Morgantown,” explains Luciana Braga, CPASS grad student. The Dean’s Student Advisory Board appreciates the positive response to their invitation, and looks forward to hosting similar events in the near future to foster cohesion between CPASS departments.Approximately 80 CPASS students and faculty gathered on a snowy January evening to enjoy good food and company. The “Meet and Greet,” hosted by the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, gathered representatives from all CPASS majors at Black Bear Burritos on the Evansdale campus. The Jan. 25 event was support by Dean Dana Brooks who personally welcomed the guests. Despite the weather the crowd networked in a relaxed atmosphere. “It was a good opportunity to meet colleagues from other majors while savoring good food during a nice winter evening in Morgantown,” explains Luciana Braga, CPASS grad student. The Dean’s Student Advisory Board appreciates the positive response to their invitation, and looks forward to hosting similar events in the near future to foster cohesion between CPASS departments.

Former U.S. Secret Service Agent, WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni member and CPASS Outstanding Alumnus Robert DeProspero was featured on the Dr. Connie Mariano Radio Show on Voice America. During the Feb. 7, 2013 interview, Dr. Mariano, who served as former White House doctor, asked DeProspero to share anecdotes from his five-term service with the Secret Service. 

DeProspero was assistant director and special agent in charge of the Presidential Protective Division. He oversaw the planning, organizing and coordination of the Presidential protection services. Mariano’s interview begins at the 31:50 minute mark. Listen to the interview to learn about details of President Reagan’s shooting, changes in Secret Service policy, and personal stories from his White House years.

In celebration of Black History Month, CPASS and the Muslim Student Association will co-sponsor a presentation by NFL players Hamaza Abdullah of the Arizona Cardinals and Husain Abdullah of the Minnesota Vikings. The Abdullah brothers will discuss their Muslim journey as professional athletes on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair ballrooms.

WVU Center for Black Culture will host events across campus throughout the month.

Senior sport and exercise psychology major Vincent Fitch was recently accepted into Physical Therapy School at West Virginia University. According to Fitch, his experience as a CPASS student made a positive difference in his application process. “Being a CPASS student gives me an upper hand with physical therapy. I’ve learned a lot of things that apply to the field. Prior to this year there had been one sport psychology student to get accepted, and there are four this year. I think our CPASS background helps us see things differently, and gives us the ability to provide something that others cannot,” said Fitch. He will graduate and earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. PT school start dates vary, but Fitch plans to begin his next academic adventure sometime between late May to early June 2013.