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A collection of new West Virginia University initiatives, partnerships and redesigned academic pathways are answering a nationwide teacher shortage — felt deeply in the Mountain State’s hills and hollows — by meeting potential teachers where they are and creating a sustainable path toward the education field.

The West Virginia University campus is invited to celebrate the start of the academic year with the College of Applied Human Sciences on Friday, Aug. 22, from 2:30–4:30 p.m. at the Rec Turf Fields in Evansdale, located next to the Applied Human Sciences Building. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend.

The CAHS Celebration will feature free Kona Ice, food, t-shirts, raffles, prizes, games, and more. 

Keenan Coley threw all of his basketball gear into the closet and slammed the door shut. He couldn't stand the sight of it. The 19-year-old had just returned from California, where his college basketball career at Warren Wilson College ended on a court in Santa Cruz. His final play was fitting: a contested shot and another injury. The injury served as yet another reminder that his desire to continue in the sport he’d loved since he was five far exceeded what his body could endure.

"I was like, it'll be forever if you're waiting for me to coach," Coley told his mother, who suggested he might find his way back to basketball someday. "It's never going to happen."

The West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences has announced that its Coaching and Performance Science undergraduate program has received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education.

The formal announcement was made in July at the annual National Strength and Conditioning Association conference in Kansas City, Mo.

Cathy Manley, Student Success Coordinator in the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences, has been awarded a NACADA New Advisor Annual Conference Scholarship, one of just three given each year by the National Academic Advising Association.

The scholarship provides full registration to the NACADA Annual Conference, the premier professional development event for academic advisors worldwide. The award supports new advising professionals with 1-3 years of experience and is intended to foster future leadership within NACADA.

A recent feature in WVU Magazine highlights the WVU Men’s Soccer Team’s mentoring program at Brookhaven Elementary, where players teach soccer skills and serve as role models for young students. The story illustrates the intersection of education and sport central to our mission at the College of Applied Human Sciences. Brookhaven Principal Sara Kane credits the WVU School of Education for helping make the program a success — one that promotes physical activity, life skills, and college-going aspirations.

The West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences has named three faculty members to endowed professorships in recognition of their outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and service.

Sean Bulger , a professor in the School of Sport Sciences, was recognized with the Chester E. and Helen B. Derrick CAHS Endowed Professorship. Allison Swan Dagen , a professor in the School of Education, was awarded the Chester E. and Helen B. Derrick Teacher Education Endowed Professorship. Erin McHenry-Sorber, a professor in the School of Education, has been appointed the Alice Trotter Muffly Endowed Professorship.

Active Southern West Virginia (Active SWV), in partnership with the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan, is launching a new statewide initiative: Move More with Active SWV: How Do You Measure Your Mountaineer Mile? The six-week virtual challenge begins on Monday, June 9, and encourages West Virginians to discover and expand their daily physical activity, no matter their current fitness level or preferred type of movement.

The campaign invites both individuals and organizations to commit to moving more over six weeks.

Allan Johnson, a graduate of West Virginia University’s sport management master's program, received one of the highest honors in the profession by being inducted into the Legends in the Field Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame at the 2025 CSCCa National Conference in Indianapolis.

A native of Parkersburg, W.Va., Johnson has spent more than 35 years advancing strength and conditioning practices across high school, collegiate, and professional sports. His career includes influential roles with WVU, Ohio State, Northwestern, East Tennessee State, and the Baltimore Orioles. He has coached more than 150 professional draft picks and contributed to multiple national championships and undefeated seasons.

The College of Applied Human Sciences recognized five faculty and staff members for their outstanding contributions during the 2024-25 academic year at the college-wide assembly held on May 15.

Courtney Shimek received the CAHS Outstanding Researcher Award, which recognizes a faculty member whose research has significantly impacted their field in the past year. Shimek’s research focuses on early childhood literacy and teacher preparation. Since January 2024, she has published four peer-reviewed journal articles and two peer-reviewed book chapters, with topics spanning multimodal read-aloud strategies, the science of reading, and educator mentorship. Her research has appeared in high-impact academic journals such as The Reading Teacher as well as practitioner outlets like the West Virginia Reading Association Visual Journal, supporting classroom teachers across the state. She also contributed book chapters that explored innovations in post-pandemic education and strategies for mentoring novice teacher educators. In addition to her publishing activity, she also led or contributed to several grant initiatives, including a $120,000 project funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation to support early literacy across West Virginia, and presented at national and state-level conferences.