RPTM Kudos and Announcements 9-9-05
Congratulations Alums
Matt Donohoe (’04) matthewryandonohoe@gmail.com is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist at Norristown State Hospital.
Kathy Wilson (’85) kwilson@bnkst.edu coordinator of the Warren County (Pennsylvania) Head Start program, was selected as the National Head Start Association’s 2004 Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations Students
Shawn Goulstone Coughlin and Jacob Hoffer have both received the 2005-2006 Raymond E. and Erin Stuart Schultz Endowment Scholarship.
John Ebmeyer has received the 2005-2006 National Car Rental Golf Classic at Disney World Scholarship.
Matthew Hess and Jonathan Schoenfeld have both received the 2005-2006 Paul Runyan Collegiate Golf Management Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to the most outstanding PGA/PGM students.
Michael Pius, current president of the PGM Student Society, has received the 2005-06 Association of Golf Merchandisers Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to a senior or seniors planning to pursue a career in the golf industry.
Dave Walters and Brian Devlin have been named team captains for the Penn State men’s soccer team.
Congratulations Faculty and Graduate Students
Linda Caldwell
- was one of 12 invited delegates to the NRPA Youth Development Summit held on August 17.
- was in Cape Town, South Africa, from July 30 to August 5 as part of a research project with colleagues from University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town to promote positive use of free time as a way to prevent risky youth behavior leading to HIV/AIDS, pregnancy and addictions. The researchers developed the HealthWise: Life Skills for Adolescents program and formed partnerships with the Western Cape Education Department, community health providers and community recreation and sports providers. They also created two youth development specialist positions designed to help students identify leisure opportunities.
John Dattilo participated in a panel discussion entitled, “‘I Am More Than My AAC Device’: Individuals Who Use AAC Discuss Their Experiences in Community Leisure Activities,” during the Biennial Pittsburgh Employment Conference for Augmented Communicators. The conference took place August 5-7.
Andy Mowen and Mark Ivy recently met with Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) representatives in Harrisburg to discuss potential strategies for Mark to attract greenway/health research projects from the department’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
Departmental Happenings
Jinsun Kimjscape@hanmail.net is a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Rural Development Administration at the National Rural Resource Development Institute in Suwon, South Korea. She received her Ph.D. in tourism from Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea in 2002. Kim’s dissertation was "The Impact of Environmental Interpretation on Environmental Attitude of Tourists: The Case of Korean National Parks.” Her research interests are in environmental sustainable tourism, tourism development, landscape architecture, eco- and green-tourism, national park management and leisure and recreation planning.
Notable Quotes
“I am very proud to be a graduate of the recreation and parks program at Penn State. It has been the strong foundation of my career development.” – Kathy Wilson (’85), kwilson@bnkst.edu
“Thank you so much for creating an atmosphere where learning was so fun. I almost didn’t even know I was doing it.” – Jennifer Albin, jennifer.albin@gmail.com
“I would like to express my gratitude for the fantastic internship experience my son had during this past summer. I have never seen my Jake so happy, as he was this summer. I truly believe he has found what he truly loves to do, and as a mother I couldn't be happier. Again, thanks so much for all you do for him.” - Miriam Hoffer (mother of Jake Hoffer, jth5000@psu.edu)
“I just wanted to extend a sincere THANK YOU to you for helping me earn my degree from Penn State. Being a lifelong fan of everything that is Blue and White, I cannot describe the pride that I have being able to now call myself a graduate of the greatest university in the world.” – Eric Slack (’05), ericslack@pgatourtpc.com
*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