12/8/04
Congratulations Alums
Matt West (’01), westypsu@hotmail.com, is a Tourist Information Counselor for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at the Route 15 Welcome Center near Wellsboro. He visited the RPM 277 class (Recreation for Persons with Disabilities) on November 30th and spoke of his personal experiences living with traumatic brain injury.
On December 1, the PGM Student Society held a meeting focusing on “Becoming a PGA Professional” that was facilitated by a PGM Alumni panel comprised of: Justin Barroner (‘03), PGA Assistant Professional, Woodmont Country Club (CC), justin@pga.com, Mason Champion (’98), Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley, mason.champion@morganstanley.com, Jason Diaz (’97), PGA Head Professonal, Baltimore CC, JDiaz@bcc1898.com, Wade Gurysh (’97), PGA Assistant Professional, Saucon Valley CC, wgurysh@sauconvalleycc.org, Kevin Hamluk (’97), PGA Assistant Professional, CC of Fairfax, khamluk@cox.net, Joe Hughes (’99), PGA Head Professional, PSU Golf Courses, jdh174@psu.edu, Hans Larson (’97), PGA Head Professional, Westmoreland CC, h.larson@westmorelandcc.org, and Dave Reasoner (‘01), PGA Head Professional, Ridgewood CC, d.reasoner@ridgewoodclub.com.
Congratulations Students
Amanda Eckert ale148@psu.edu was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association/STX All-American first team. She was selected to the first-team All Mideast Region and All-Big Ten squads earlier this year and received Academic All-Big Ten recognition for the last two years.
Congratulations Faculty
Linda Caldwell accepted a courtesy appointment as a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Health and Human Development.
Careen Yarnal and Garry Chick, in collaboration with researchers from five universities, recently submitted a bio-complexity grant proposal to the National Science Foundation on the impacts of cruise tourism focusing on the US Virgin Islands, Southeast Alaska, and Hawaii.
Garry Chick delivered a keynote address, titled “Cultural Constraints on Sport for All” at the 10th Annual Sport for All Congress in Rome, Italy on November 12th.
Alan Graefe and doctoral candidate Bob Lee (bdl125@psu.edu) co-authored “GIS: A Tool to Locate New Park and Recreation Services” published in the October 2004 Parks & Recreation.
Duarte Morais presented “Developing Loyal Relationships with your Best Customers” on November 18th in Gettysburg at the PA Tourism and Lodging Association’s regional “InnTouch” meeting for owners and managers of inns and bed and breakfasts in PA.
Departmental Happenings
John Dattilo hosted a social at his home on December 3rd in celebration of the new Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management with faculty and staff and distinguished visitors Fred and Anita Coombs, Tom and Corky Willson, and Sarah and Henry Parks.
Students from RPTM 356 and the RPTM Student Society co-hosted the annual RPTM Dinner Dance at the Penn Stater on December 4th. The semi-formal event, “Rookin’ the Night Away,” revolved around a chess theme and included fine dining, dancing and door prizes for the students, faculty and their guests.
In the News
Penn State University was recognized for receiving the NRPA Student Branch Outstanding Student Club of the Year Award in the article “Student Branch Awards the Cream of the Crop” in the NRPA October 2004 Parks & Recreation.
The following was published in the Penn State Newswire on November 29th: SHAVER'S CREEK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION: Shaver's Creek Environmental Center has been honored with a national award for distinguished service by a center for its service to environmental education on the local level. http://live.psu.edu/story/
*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.