Alumni Diary

Three College alumni — Kalista Gioglio, Ashley Hartert and Jackie Riggleman —discussed their time at West Virginia University and how it helped prepare them for careers in leadership roles. They shared stories about a typical day at the “office” and the people and places that helped them succeed.

West Virginia University women's sports visionary Martha Thorn, 83, coach of the WVU women's tennis team from 1973 to 2000, passed away in April 2021.

Mike Fox is one of seven Mountaineer student-athletes who was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame last fall. Fox earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences in 1990.

The WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences honored four graduates and named its Outstanding Alumnus and Distinguished Service award recipients during its 2020 Hall of Fame Ceremony, October 16 via a virtual ceremony on Zoom. The 2020 Hall of Fame inductees are Christopher D. Lantz, Gary J. Quinn, James L. Taylor and Keli M. Zinn. The College honored P. Kevin Elko with the Outstanding Alumnus and Dallas D. Branch, Jr. with the Distinguished Service Awards. Visit the CPASS Hall of Fame website to view full bios for this 32nd class of CPASS Hall of Fame inductees.  

The WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences honored four graduates and named its Outstanding Alumnus and Distinguished Service award recipients during its 2019 Hall of Fame Ceremony, last November. The 2019 Hall of Fame inductees are Linda K. Burdette-Good, Jerry A. Koloskie, Jack J. Marucci and Barbara J. Zimmer. The College recognized Paul D. Grace with the Outstanding Alumnus and Sharon M. Sisler with the Distinguished Service awards.

Graduates in the college’s sport and exercise psychology program have traditionally embraced leadership roles in their careers. Three WVU CPASS sport and exercise psychology alumni are paving the way within groups that bring together psychologists and exercise and sport scientists who share a passion for research, teaching, service, diversity, education and training.

President Donald Trump announced in June that 81-year-old basketball legend and WVU alum Jerry West will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences has inducted four graduates into its 2018 Hall of Fame and named its Outstanding Alumnus and Distinguished Service Award recipients on October 19, at the Erickson Alumni Center. The 2018 Hall of Fame inductees include Tracy Schoenadel, David Taylor, Deborah Thorpe and Richard Tucci. The College honored David Dzewaltowski with the Outstanding Alumnus and Andrew Hawkins with the Distinguished Service Awards.

Booth received her bachelor’s degree in physical education with an athletic training emphasis from WVU and went on to earn a master’s and doctorate from other universities. Booth was the first woman to serve as the District IV Director on the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Directors, and as the NATA secretary, treasurer, chair and member of the NATA Finance Committee. CPASS was Booth’s sixth Hall of Fame induction. Booth now works as the administrator for the Division of Palliative Care at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

What would it be like to watch a pulse-pounding, championship game from just behind the sidelines? How would it feel to hold the trophy high and slip a championship ring on your own finger? These CPASS graduates know. They’ve been at the helm or on the crew of some impressive sports programs recently.

On Friday, October 28, 2016, CPASS inducted three graduates into its 2016 Hall of Fame, presented the Distinguished Service Award and named its 2016 Outstanding Alumna.

CPASS graduate and 2017 Outstanding Alumna Linda Carson was one of four trailblazers in the fields of engineering, agriculture, business and education honored as this year’s inductees into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni, one of the highest honors awarded to graduates of WVU.