RPTM Kudos and Announcements October 2, 2007
Congratulations Alumni
Katie Clifford '07 (kclifford@stingrayshockey.com) was hired as the Ticket Sales Executive for the South Carolina Stingrays, an affiliate of the Hershey Bears, after her internship with the Family Circle Cup Tennis Center in Charleston, SC, directed by Lisa Thomas '85.
Aneisha Johnson ’04 (Ajohnson@heat.com) has taken a new position as Account Services Manager of Season Ticket Services for the Miami Heat.
Joe Hughes PGM ’99 (jdh174@psu.edu) was awarded the Emerging Professional Undergraduate Degree Award at the HHD Alumni Society Awards Reception and Dinner on September 28.
Congratulations Students
Huan Li has been offered an assistantship by the Schreyer Institute in which she will help develop and facilitate new programs and workshops, review instructional materials and provide feedback to instructors about learning methods and strategies, and other learning topics.
Congratulations Faculty
Linda Caldwell was awarded the Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for 2007 at the NRPA Congress in September. This award is given annually to a top leisure researcher in the field, and Dr. Caldwell is one of only three women to ever receive this award.
Mark Ivy and Alan Graefe hosted a barbecue on September 14 for students who enrolled in the Australia study abroad course. Two students, Jessica Kendrick and Meagan Quigley, volunteered to act as student ambassadors to encourage others to participate next year.
“Promoting Older Women’s Health and Well-being Through Social Leisure Environments: What We Have learned from the Red Hat Society®,” by Julie Son, Deborah Kerstetter, Careen Yarnal, and Birgitta Baker, was recently published in the Journal of Women & Aging, Vol. 19.
In the News
Christine Buzinde was one of eight Penn State faculty to travel to Tanzania this spring as part of a multidisciplinary workshop to meet with doctors, school principals, and leaders to increase understanding of rural life and to initiate collaboration with communities. Read more in the Spring 2007 Penn State International Mosaic (www.international.psu.edu/about_office/mosaic.html) and the Fall 2007 Penn State Outreach Magazine.
Departmental Happenings
Almost 80 alumni, family members, friends, and Department faculty and staff visited RPTM’s new office space in the Ford Building on September 8 to participate in the Alumni and Friends Open House and Tailgate before enjoying the Penn State-Notre Dame football game.
The dedication of the Donald H. Ford Building on Friday, September 14, was attended by the head of Board of Regents, Jim Broadhurst, President Graham Spanier, Donald Ford, Dean Ann Crouter and RPTM faculty and staff, who took part in guided tours of the building.
Notable Quotes
I just wanted to take the time to Thank You for hosting the BBQ on Saturday and welcoming everyone into the ‘new’ building. As a former student it was a pleasure to see all of my former staff and faculty again and catch up. I will look forward to “At You Leisure” and other RPTM functions that may present themselves in the future. – Nicole Nirosky ‘02
I wrote to Professor Pang Xuequan, Vice President of Zhejiang University and Director of the Asian Pacific Center for the Study of Leisure, and told him that you and your colleagues are very kind to me. He is also happy to know this. He wished I could work as hard as I can, and learn as much as I during my stay here. He also hopes there will be cooperative opportunity in the future. – Huimei Liu, visiting scholar
I wanted to express my deepest appreciation for allowing your students to experience their food internship with me at Café Laura the last two weeks. The students were very disciplined and showed up on time. I think they actually enjoyed the experience and we certainly enjoyed them being here at Café Laura. We look forward to more educational ventures with your group! Thanks. – Scott King, General Manager, Café Laura
If you have accomplished something you would like to share with the RPTM crew, please notify me. Also, if you are aware of accomplishments or quotes by our alumni, students, or staff, please let me know so I can share the news. Thank you! – John Dattilo, Professor and Department Head jxd8@psu.edu