RPTM Kudos and Announcements January 5, 2006
Congratulations Alums
Tom Howard '00 (thoward@golftec.com) manager of GolfTec (Paramus, NJ) was a guest speaker for the PGM Student Society on October 5th at the University Park campus where he demonstrated the GolfTec teaching system and students had the opportunity to be evaluated on a one-on-one basis. He interviewed students for future positions with GolfTec.
David Pagett '01 (djp@pga.com) PGA first assistant at Oakmont Country Club (Verona, PA), was a guest speaker for the PGM Student Society on November 9th. He shared his experiences of the importance of a plan, patience, and how internships are the foundation to the future.
Congratulations Students
Members of the PGM Student Society, John Deegan, Patrick Gunning, Jake Hoffer, Megan Padua, Sean Pender, Enzo Rallo, Sean Sage and Scott Wilkinson raised over $2,000 for THON on their first canning trip to New York City the weekend of November 12.
Congratulations Faculty and Grad Students
“Providing More for Older Adults”, an article about trails and fitness stations for older adults in local parks, authored by Geof Godbey, was published in Parks & Recreation, October 2005.
Geof Godbey, Ann Kolanowski (Nursing) and Sarah Burnett-Wolle received an interdisciplinary grant of from the Children, Youth, and Families Consortium at Penn State to explore the usefulness of socioemotional selectivity theory as a framework for recreation service delivery in nursing homes. The goal of the proposed research is to examine the inclusion of very close family members and friends in recreation programs and interventions that support these important relationships.
“Research Update: Active Aging 101” an article co-authored by Sarah Burnett-Wolle and Geoff Godbey, and dedicated to the discussion of theories related to activities for the older adult audience, was published in Parks & Recreation, March 2005.
Congratulations to He Yang (hyy103@psu.edu) who received a fellowship to attend the 8th World Wilderness Congress (September 30-October 6) in Anchorage, Alaska. There she moderated two sessions on The Spirit of Wilderness: Philosophy of Nature, worked with the symposium co-chairs and other student scholars, and received an award on behalf of a Chinese film-maker who won the Best Environmental Film award.
In the News
Maxwell “Mac” Garrett, retired faculty and former Penn State fencing coach (1972-1982), was featured in an article titled “Teacher with an Edge” in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, September 3rd. Mac was the force behind the creation of the fencing association’s veterans program and for the organization of fencing competitions for veteran athletes. The event took place in Florida during the weekend of September 3rd and attracted more than 250 fencers from 23 countries.
Mark Ivy, Alan Grafe, Harry Zinn and Andy Mowen met with representatives of the Delaware State Park system to provide an overview of their research interests, discuss potential collaborative efforts, and learn about internship opportunities. Chazz Salkin, director, Clyde Shipman, chief of park operations, and Jim O'Neal, chief of natural and cultural resources, are interested in speaking to our students and becoming more active with our program.
Dave Zweig, RPTM senior, was pictured in The Daily Collegian on November 22. Dave was practicing his mountain biking skills between classes when his photograph was taken. To view the photo, follow this link: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/11/11-22-05tdc/11-22-05dnews-fphoto-01.asp.
The Daily Collegian reported on Tuesday, November 29 that Fred Vondracek, associate dean for the College of Health & Human Development, was appointed as the college interim dean, replacing Raymond Coward. To view the article, follow this link: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/11/11-29-05tdc/11-29-05dnews-04.asp.
*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