Around The College

What do sport and exercise sciences have in common with chemical engineering? Probably not much. But the distant relationship between these two academic fields was not an obstacle for faculty and students from West Virginia University’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. The groups joined forces with their counterpart programs at Universidade Federal do Parana in Brazil to create a one-day virtual workshop in April 2021 that gathered more than 140 participants.

After 25 years of steadfast service to the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and West Virginia University, Barbara Dalton, director of the International Center for Performance Excellence and Fitness Information Technology Publishing, has retired.

FiT Publishing has experienced some changes: Barbara Dalton retired as director in May 2021. She has had 25 years of service with West Virginia University, the last 13 with the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and six of those years as director of FiT.

Numerous new and existing collaborations will advance the College's presence in teaching, research and service related projects. Highlights include expanding undergraduate student experiential learning and increasing physical activity and wellness in West Virginia. Various funding arrangements will provide in depth look at the coach-athlete relationship, continuation of strength and conditioning positions in the area, establishing counseling training opportunities and enhancing an ongoing partnership to help grow community hockey participation. 

Floyd Jones retired from the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences on May 13, 2021, following 32 years of service to West Virginia University. Jones served as a sport management associate professor and taught both undergraduate and graduate students.

The Steelcase Active Learning Center at WVU, created thanks to a $67,000 grant initiative offered by Steelcase Education, was intended to support educators and students by creating an environment that fosters connection, creation and engagement. One year after its launch, the Center is well on its way to fulfilling those goals, says Sean Bulger, associate dean for graduate and online education at CPASS.

Three well-established and highly respected professionals within the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences have retired from their respective positions this past spring semester. Carol Straight, Theresa Scafella and Robin McKinney share the common threads of loyalty, reliability and commitment, as noted by their colleagues. Between them, they represent decades of service at CPASS.

West Virginia University celebrates our values each year through the WVU Values Coin program. This past year, selected staff from the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences were recognized with Pay It Forward and WVU Values Coins. Pay It Forward Coins are awarded by previous CPASS WVU Values Coin recipients. Congratulations to our newest award recipients.

As a new director of development for the West Virginia University Foundation, Will splits his time between the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences and the College of Education and Human Services. He has attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, where he received an associate of science degree; the United States Sports Academy, where he earned his bachelor’s in sports science; the University of Washington, where he earned a master’s in Education and, finally, the University of Iowa, where he began his doctor of education program.

As faculty and students continue to navigate the pandemic, a grant from the WVU Office of Global Affairs will help foster a two-way cross-cultural partnership with Halmstad University in Sweden and the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. Scott Barnicle, sport and exercise psychology teaching assistant professor and program coordinator, plans to use the Virtual Exchange Award toward technology to enhance the project’s global perspectives and ability for further international collaboration.

CPASS strongly believes in serving our community, our WVU family, our state and beyond. The research and partnerships described below illustrate the depth and commitment of CPASS faculty, staff, students and researchers.

In his remarks, President E. Gordon Gee urged students to be willing to take risks. “I believe that the greatest risk all of you will face is giving in to your fear of taking risks. Generations of CPASS graduates have dared to risk failure. And, by doing so, they have nurtured ideas that made our world better,” Gee said.

CPASS students can now focus on the dynamic industries of high-performance athletics and recreational sport with one of the only undergraduate programs of its kind in the country. 

The second annual National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) State Clinic, a CPASS-hosted event, provided unprecedented access to renowned professionals in the fields of strength and conditioning and sport science this April. The clinic featured speakers typically found on a national platform and allowed students to network with industry professionals while discussing a range of topics.

A new CPASS major will open a flexible track toward health science and non-school based community health-related careers, beginning in fall 2020. Students in the fully approved Health and Well-being major can tailor a degree program within a diverse field, targeting a variety of roles.

The 2018 Don Nehlen Lecture Series featured Coach Mack Brown, former University of Texas head football coach, and Dr. John Ivy, professor emeritus, University of Texas. The event included a discussion about optimizing performance in Division 1 football. Brown, along with Ivy, who oversaw the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas, reviewed their unique partnership in combining coaching and the science of sport. Coaches, athletes, students and community members learned more about enhancing physical performance and outcomes.

The NSCA State Conference, a CPASS-hosted event, provided unprecedented access to renowned sport sciences professionals this year. This first-ever workshop of its kind in West Virginia featured speakers typically found on national platforms, while allowing area coaches an opportunity to benefit from the locally based clinic. Industry professionals included a former head of physiology at the U.S. Olympic Committee, a two-time Olympian, the director of applied performance at Baylor University, a former NSCA president and a long-term athlete and resistance training expert. They discussed topics ranging from sport and coaching science to resistance training to long-term athlete development.

The Society of Health and Physical Educators has nationally recognized CPASS for having met or exceeded the Initial Physical Education Teacher Education Standards in preparing our undergraduate students.

BestColleges.com has recently named the CPASS Online Master’s in Sport Management program one of the top 50 best in the nation for 2018. The ranking highlights accredited, not-for-profit institutions who have developed exceptional academic online programs for students looking to advance their knowledge, skills and career in sports management. “The online Master’s in Sport Management program ranking highlights schools that have established quality academic curriculums while remaining accessible, affordable and flexible for today’s students,” said Jack Watson, professor and CPASS associate dean. “Earning a position on the ranking demonstrates the determination of WVU to provide an exceptional online program that values academic excellence and student outcomes.”