RPTM Kudos and Announcements November 11, 2005
Congratulations Alums
Joe Hughes (‘99) jdh174@psu.edu and Burch Wilkes represented the Professional Golf Management Alumni Society (PGM APG) at the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) Affiliate Program Group (APG) presidents and faculty liaisons dinner meeting on September 22. The meeting allowed for the alumni groups to communicate best practices and a sharing of ideas.
Tom Howard (’00) with GolfTec (http://www.golftec.com) visited Penn State during the week of October 10, 2005. Tom set up the indoor computer system using golf nets in Rec Hall. An additional seminar is being planned for spring ’06.
Matt Hoffman (‘03) and Andy Scrivner (’03) completed the PGA Checkpoint 3 testing in Port St. Lucie. Both were very successful and made a strong showing for the PSU PGM program.
Tyler Valoczki (‘02)(tvaloczi@hersheypa.com) has accepted the position of Special Events Coordinator at Hershey Entertainment Group and Complex in Hershey, PA.
Michelle (McCool) Fisher (’99)(mfisher@hersheypa.com) has accepted the position of Assistant Manager, Central Reservations and Information, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts in Hershey, PA.
Clif Castleman (’05) (Clif@COEE.org) has accepted the position of Professional Services Coordinator for the National Recreation & Parks Association in Northern Virginia.
Congratulations Students
Congratulations to the following students for their success in passing the PGA of America’s Playing Ability Test (PAT) on September 20, 2005 at the Penn State Golf Course: Dan Benzenberg, Casey Brown, Benjamin Froats, Jesse Hallett, Robert Howie, Dave Kim, Jeremy Markey, Matthew Mileski, Sean Palmer, Ari Papadopoulos, Brian Pokropski, Brian Skena, James Tirone, Anthony Ursino, and Scott Wilkinson.
The PGM program hosted a Titleist Club Fitting Seminar on September 23-24, 2005 at the Penn State Golf Courses for sixty-five students. A dinner on Friday, September 23, 2005 was held for first year students. The dinner sponsored by PSU 014 First Year Seminar promoted camaraderie among students and PGM faculty. It also provided an opportunity for first year students to learn more about the PGM program. (For photos, please contact Burch Wilkes at gbw104@psu.edu.)
Congratulations Faculty
Alan Graefe and Geoffrey Godbey, co-authored “Gender and Ethnic Variations in Urban Park Preferences, Visitation, and Perceived Benefits”, and Andrew J. Mowen, co-authored “An Examination of the leisure Involvement-Agency Commitment Relationship”, in the Journal of Leisure Research, 37(3), (2005).
Deb Kerstetter, Careen Yarnal, and graduate student, I-Yin Yen, published a paper titled “Plowing uncharted waters: A study of perceived constraints to travel” in the most recent volume of Tourism Analysis.
Harry C. Zinn was featured as guest speaker at a symposium sponsored by the National Park Service. He presented “Habituation of Humans to Wildlife: A Different Perspective” at the Wildlife Society’s 12th Annual Conference in Madison, WI on September 27, 2005.
Linda Caldwell co-authored Recreation and Youth Development, a book recently published by Venture Publishing to increase knowledge about youth, why they do what they do, and how to facilitate their development through recreation.
In the News
Raymond T. Coward, dean of the College of Health and Human Development has been appointed provost and executive vice president at Utah State University effective January 2, 2006. Coward came to Penn State in July 2000 after serving as professor and dean of the School of Health and Human Services at the University of New Hampshire. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/14105.
*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