PHYSICAL EDUCATION & TOURISM MANAGEMENT

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6 stories from PETM’s 150 Days of Impact campaign

2016 marked the 150th anniversary for the School of Physical Education and Tourism Management (PETM).  PETM’s 150 Days of Impact campaign showcases a snippet of all that PETM encompasses.  Here are some of our favorites: 1. Day 139: Event Planning, Global Reach 

“The opportunity to work with industry professionals around the globe is a very special part of my job.  Learning about the culture and ways of doing business in various places around the world has been a remarkable learning experience.”

-Ashley Leavelle Fleener, 2010 graduate, tourism, conventions, and event management

2. Day 101: Sports City

“The opportunity to attend or volunteer at major events such as conference championships, national championships, or professional sports events in the same city is very cool and something that other campuses can’t offer.”

-Kyle Theil, junior, sports management

3.  Day 106: Fitness for All 

“I enjoy making an impact on others’ lives; it is something that gives me joy. I think people of all ages and abilities should be able to discover and experience life through whatever makes them happy, and I like to be a part of that.  One of many things that make me happy is fitness. I think it’s awesome to educate and lead by example for others.”

-Dana Rosenberger, senior, fitness management and personal training

4. Day 26: Indiana Pacers

“The backyard of IUPUI is the whole city of Indianapolis, how perfect. The city is only a block away so there were so many opportunities for me from the very beginning to connect with people and get involved.  I’m soaking in everything and learning all that I can about working in the sports industry. These internships – and my classes at PETM are helping me get ahead of the game in this industry.”

-Alexi Duff, senior, tourism, conventions, and event management

5. Day 36: Monumental Kids

“Our goal with this program is to give these kids a person to look up to.  They see their teachers every day, but having a college ‘kid’ come to their school and show up each week to be with them doesn’t happen very often. So we want to give both our PETM students and the IPS students the idea that lifetime fitness is a positive thing.”

-Allison Plopper, PETM faculty member

6. Day 73: From Professional Athlete to Jaguar Coach

“Life has taken me to many places, but Indianapolis will always be home! I’m a Jaguar!” 

-Jason Quarles, 2012 graduate, exercise science

For more PETM stories, visit: www.150daysofimpact.com.

For more JagFeeds, visit: www.jagfeed.tumblr.com.

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Day 150: This is PETM

It’s hard to sum up everything that happens in the School of Physical Education and Tourism Management. We’ve spent the last 150 days trying to do just that, and there are so many stories we didn’t get to tell.  Here’s to the next 150, and beyond!

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Day 149: Favorite Professors

Every year IUPUI’s student athletes nominate and recognize their favorite professors at basketball games in February.  22 PETM faculty members were recognized this month for their impact on student athletes.

2016-2017 PETM Favorite Professors Nancy Barton Laura Bollinger Jay Bradley Amanda Cecil Elizabeth Cohen Stephen Fallowfield Jay Jones Tony Kaleth Soonhwan Lee Robert Lovell Anthony Meek Marla Mock Keith Naugle Cathy Nickels-Herndon David Pierce Zachary Riley Audrey Satterblom Lamia Scherzinger Neal Singletary Jake Streepey Rachel Swinford Amy Vaughan

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Day 148: Teaching Life Lessons

Charles Woods’ love of kids made becoming a teacher a no-brainer.

“Being paid to educate kids and have fun really appealed to me,” says Charles, a 2004 graduate of PETM’s physical education teacher education program. “I wanted to be a PE teacher because it gave me the chance to touch the life of every kid who walked into my school.”

While teaching came naturally, Charles, a physical education teacher in Warren Township Schools for eight years before landing his first job as dean, admits he never dreamed of a career in school administration. But things change, including his perception of what it means to be a school leader.

“Along the way there were mentors who helped me understand that I could have a greater impact and touch more lives if I moved into administration,” Charles says. “What I valued from teaching was the relationship with students and families, and I soon learned I could have that – and more – being an administrator.”

Today, as principal of Brookview Elementary in Warren Township, Charles makes a point to know every one of the 609 children in his school and their parents as well. With nearly 70 percent of its families living in poverty and many students at risk, Brookview was a school “in need of a turnaround” when Charles became principal in 2014. Living and working by the motto, “people by day, paperwork by night,” Charles has successfully worked with teachers to improve the school's letter grade and staff to raise the school’s third-grade reading tests scores from last place to number two in the district. School suspensions have dropped from 115 when he arrived to just 21 this year. Referrals to the principal’s office have also dramatically decreased.

“I want to show my students that making something positive out of their lives is possible, regardless of what the mainstream tells you,” Charles says. “It’s important for them to know that no matter what it looks like now, it can always get better as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work. I want them to know that I wholeheartedly believe in our motto of each child each day a success with all my being!”

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Day 147: Teaching Veterans to Be Active and Move

Arthur Scott wants to help veterans get healthy. The U.S. Air Force veteran found his way to PETM after struggles with his own health and learning that many vets are working to lose weight and get physically active in civilian life.  After making life changes and losing 60 pounds, Arthur knew he wanted to share the benefits of exercise, eating well, and healthy choice with other veterans so he transferred to IUPUI to major in fitness management and personal training.

Now a senior, Arthur is working an externship at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center teaching veterans about physical activity in a pilot program called BAM (Be Active and Move), which is part of the MOVE! Weigh Management Program.  

“There are a lot of overweight veterans that struggle with medical issue like chronic pain, chronic disease, and other things.  My goal is to help veterans to get physically active at least to the standard recommendations and help overcome their health concerns,” Arthur says.

This will not only impact the veterans, but the VA and the community, resulting in fewer doctor’s visits, a reduction in medication use, and fewer surgeries. If BAM is successful, the program could become a vital part of the MOVE program.

Arthur credits the experiential learning of the PETM program with giving him the confidence to work with his clients and lead group classes.  He also thanks that staff and faculty for challenging him as well as providing the tools he needs to succeed.

On a more personal level, the PETM community has served as a support system for Arthur and his family over the past two years.  His daughter was born 11 weeks premature with a rare condition, requiring her to stay at Riley Hospital for Children for the first 8 months of her life. With the understanding of his professors, Arthur was able to continue going to school full-time, working around appointments and unexpected emergencies.  

Due to their experience, Arthur has become an advocate for children with specials needs, participating in the Miracle Ride to raise money for Riley programs.  

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Day 146: For the Love of Kids…and Sports

Seven years ago, Daniel Tennessen and a few other athletic directors from local charter schools met in a McDonald's to discuss getting some students together to play basketball. As the conversation turned from basketball to cross country and then track, their excitement grew along with their plans.

“We’re now up to 13 schools in our athletic conference and every year 1,500 to 2,000 kids have an opportunity to play sports and compete against one another in a safe, fun, productive environment,” says Daniel, who teaches physical education and directs athletics at Avondale Meadows Academy on Indianapolis’ east side. “For so many of our kids, it’s an opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Daniel, a 2007 graduate of IU PETM’s physical education/teacher education program, is in his eighth year at Avondale, a school where 80 percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch and many live in at-risk environments. He says the charter schools’ extracurricular athletic program, which now sponsors six sports for boys and girls, is a way to reinforce important life lessons and give students a positive outlet to build confidence and self-esteem.

“I want my students to be active their whole lives and the best way to do that is to get them involved in something they enjoy – and maybe find a hidden talent they didn’t know they had,” says Daniel. “There are some kids who just really come alive when it’s their sports season.”

Helping to run a multi-school athletic conference – in addition to teaching six hours of physical education classes every day – is no small task, requiring Daniel to spend lunch hours and prep periods sending emails and recruiting coaches. And while the work often continues at home in the evening and during the summer, Daniel says it’s definitely worth it.

“No matter what happens I can look back on this and say that I was able to help introduce kids to opportunities they might not otherwise have, and I’m incredibly proud of that.”

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Day 145: William M. Plater Civic Engagement Medallion

The William M. Plater Civic Engagement Medallion recognizes graduating seniors who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the community. With the extensive focus on community engagement throughout the curriculum, PETM students are an excellent match. Honored at the annual IUPUI Robert G. Bringle Civic Engagement Showcase, recipients also receive a medallion to wear at commencement activities.

Akash Khanna, Director of Marketing for Jagathon this year, Chancellor Paydar, and Darrell Pirtle 

Darrell Pirtle, 2016 PETM graduate, enjoyed recognition last year as a Plater Medallion recipient. He shares his community involvement story.

What impact have you made on IUPUI and your community?

I was part of Jagathon: IUPUI’s Dance Marathon, helping students realize the power of a campus united behind a single cause. The dance marathon raises money for pediatric research at Riley Hospital for Children. I served as the president in my final year. 2016 was the most successful year in fundraising and participation for Jagathon; but I couldn’t be more proud to see that this year (2017) they’ve worked hard to blow away both numbers! I was also a First Year Seminar mentor in my time at IUPUI. My goal was always to help students find their place on campus, and it has been fun to watch all the students I met grow, with some preparing to graduate this year.

Darrell with Nina Pirtle, grandmother Fredlo Turientine, and dad Darrell Pirtle Sr.

How did PETM support your Plater Medallion application?

I loved that the PETM community was supportive of the things that I was involved in. Being a PETM student built a network that helped us secure sponsorships and a venue for our event that may not have come to fruition or would have taken longer to work out.

What does it mean to you to be a Plater Medallion recipient?

Being a Plater Medallion recipient was definitely one of the coolest things that happened to me at IUPUI. There is such a broad spectrum of activities you can partake in to make a difference. Recipients are highlighted at the ceremony, and I found myself repeatedly thinking “I didn’t know that existed but it sounds like an amazing thing to be a part of.” IUPUI is such a diverse community of doers and I think the Plater Medallion is a great way to highlight that.

Darrell provides advice to current applicants, “Let your passion guide you through the application and know that what you contributed to the IUPUI community mattered. Good luck to all who apply - with the breadth of volunteer opportunities afforded to PETM students and the excellent faculty and community we have, the Plater Medallion should be something one of our students brings back every year!

PETM has a history of Plater Medallion Recipients and is proud of their dedication to the community.

2016 recipients:

Darrell Pirtle, Exercise Science major

Scott Kirisits, Sports Management major

2014 recipients:

Joy DeBaun, Physical Education Teacher Education major

Mitch Sermersheim, Exercise Science major

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Day 144: Selling in the Sports Industry

Ask any senior or graduate looking for work in the field of sports management, there are no shortage of job listings in sales departments. In fact, 53% of all jobs in the sports industry require sales skills.  Despite this, there has never been a textbook that supports teaching the sports sales process…until now.

Dr. David Pierce has just received the first copies of his textbook, “Selling in the Sports Industry.” Written alongside co-authors Nels K. Popp and Chad D. McEvoy, two other researchers and professors in the field, this textbook is poised to legitimize and expand the academic reach of sports sales.

As a new faculty member at Ball State University in 2007, David was tasked with developing a new sales course for the sport administration program.  He created the course utilizing general sales and promotions textbooks but identified a real need for sport-specific content. 

He spent the intervening years tweaking and reworking his course, as well as doing research on sport selling.  The industry continued to ask for these skills in their new hires, and since no textbook had been released or announced, David decided to write one himself.

In an act of serendipity, he received a call from Kendall Hunt Publishing Company shortly after. With the publisher in place, and his co-authors on board, David began writing. 

Two years later, the book is sitting on his desk, ready to roll out to sport management programs throughout the country.  

Ultimately, David hopes this book will spur the creation of more sports sales courses.  “There are only about 100 programs teaching sport selling today – and that’s a high estimate.  Now that there’s a book, an academic resource to guide them, I hope that more faculty will be comfortable proposing courses in this area.” 

And if that happens, David and his co-authors are already planning what to include in the second edition.

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Day 143: Indiana Chamber of Commerce

When Kenyari Keith made the decision to pursue a master’s degree in event tourism, she was no stranger to PETM. Her mother, Dr. NiCole Keith, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, would bring her to campus when she was a child. Kenyari credits PETM with helping her to cultivate her interests and turn them into a career.

In addition to her courses, Kenyari works as a graduate assistant (GA) for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, assisting with the planning and execution of conferences and special events. Kenyari learned of the opportunity from Dr. Amanda Cecil, and it was one of the best experiences and decisions she has ever made. Currently, she is the lead planner for the Annual Best Places to Work in Indiana dinner, which will be hosted on May 2, 2017. The dinner is one of the premier business events of the year, celebrating the 100 best companies to work for in Indiana.

 Kenyari’s GA position has enhanced her graduate experience by exposing her to industry professionals, as well as professional development opportunities that relate to her event tourism coursework.  Following the completion of her master’s degree, she plans to obtain her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) credential, recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the meeting, convention, exhibition, and event industry.

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Day 142: Life Skills Build a Career

In the 24 years since graduating, Jerry Shadbolt has continually drawn on his PETM education, incorporating what he learned in the classroom with the life skills developed through networking, service learning, and field experience.

Jerry’s first experience with athletic training came as a teen at tennis camp, and by the time he started at IUPUI, he was hooked. His experience in PETM and on the IUPUI tennis team provided him with the structure he needed to turn around a rocky start and excel as a student and athlete.

 Post-IUPUI, Jerry continued his education at in the Athletic Training program at Clemson University, then took a position in a private physical therapy clinic.  After a few years, he was approached by Erskine College to develop their Athletic Training Education Program.  Despite having no experience in higher education, he took the leap and created the nationally accredited program.

In 2003, another new leadership opportunity presented itself, and Jerry entered hospital administration.  Over the last 14 years and through two healthcare systems, he has continued to focus his energy on building leadership skills for himself and the teams he oversees. 

Currently, Jerry is the Executive Director of the Orthopedics Service Line and Outpatient Rehab at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. He is responsible for seven outpatient rehabilitation facilities, Lean implementation in the outpatient rehabilitation locations, directing the Orthopedics Service Line between the hospital system and three orthopedic physician practices, as well as various other projects and committees.

This position is very different from his original goal to be an athletic trainer for a NCAA Division I basketball program, but Jerry has no regrets, saying, “Emotional stability and consistent decision-making have been keys to my success.  Both of these require discipline and work, skills I first learned at IUPUI.  I refer to these elements as life skills and often share this statement with others: Job skills rise no higher than life skills.  Life skills, in combination with job skills, take people to the next levels.  Not job skills alone.”

He credits PETM with helping him develop as a person and a leader. “The School of PETM not only provided a quality education, it provided me the opportunity to meet life-long friends; exposure to faculty that demonstrated the importance of not only academics, but also the importance of life skills and multiple learning and networking opportunities within my field of study.” 

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Day 141: National Learning Communities Consortium

Dr. Lisa Angermeier works her passion with first-year students. Lisa was handed the opportunity in 2008 to teach First-Year Seminar (FYS), but found herself with no support system. After reviewing how the course had been taught in previous years, Lisa partnered with Rachel Swinford to revise the curriculum to include more peer relationship building activities, relevant topics including healthy relationships, and a four-year course-planning project. Their instincts proved spot on, and the success of the new FYS set the foundation for more first year student programming.

 In 2011, PETM established Summer Bridge, a transition program for incoming freshman. That same year, Lisa joined the First-Year Seminar Faculty Learning Community (FYS-FLC), a grassroots group that supports instructors across IUPUI who teach first-year seminars. She finds that joining this community gives her an advantage of gaining and supporting innovative ideas for FYS.

With the accomplishments of FYS, Lisa saw the need to expand the support of first year programming within PETM. She proposed a new position to Jay Gladden, previous Dean of PETM, who agreed and appointed her the school’s first Coordinator of the First-Year Programs in 2015. The role allows her to build an environment that fosters creativity and encourages innovation. Her success in fostering the FYS community led to a recent appointment as a representative of IUPUI to the National Learning Communities Consortium (NLCC).

 Representing IUPUI at NLCC allows her to elevate her high impact teaching and knowledge on learning communities and student success to other universities. She will be actively involved in their professional conferences and serve alongside co-representatives and the TLC Program director for conference planning and execution during IUPUI’s host year in 2019.

  “Reviewing these accomplishments makes me honored to be a part of the IUPUI community,” Lisa says. “Recalling the Proust quote, I intend to encourage my students’ voyage and to continue having ‘new eyes’ into the future as I embrace the incredible opportunities at IUPUI.”

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Day 140:Finding Joy In the Job

When Janel Bogenschutz is asked the age-old question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?,” she always has the same answer: “Doing what makes me happy.”

As associate director for development for The Ohio Bobcat Club, Janel truly is doing something she enjoys. Since June 2016, she’s been in charge of the athletic annual fund for The Ohio Bobcat Club, which is the fundraising arm for Ohio University’s athletic department. Overseeing everything from events and solicitation mailings to social media and premium seating, Janel works to generate resources in support of the school’s 16 varsity sports and more than 430 student-athletes. Her role is about creating ways to generate revenue for current student-athletes.

“Interacting with OU alumni and supporters who bleed green is very rewarding – the passion that radiates from them is so contagious that it creates an immediate bond,” says Janel, who earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from PETM in 2011. “These friendships last a lifetime, and I’m so fortunate to be able to build these kinds of relationships simply by doing my job and doing what I love.”

Part of her job is helping connect people to each other, which happens all the time at the alumni and donor events she plans.

“Seeing the smiles on the faces of alums when they come back to campus and meet with their former teammates to relive their ‘glory days’ is so rewarding,” she says.

Janel credits PETM for where she is today. As part of her degree requirements, she interned in the athletic development department at the University of Indianapolis.

“That opportunity opened the door to a large network of individuals in a business that relies very much on networking,” Janel explains. “Staying in contact with those in your field creates a lot of opportunities and avenues for success.”

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Day 139: Event Planning, Global Reach

For Ashley Leavelle Fleener, a life event sparked a career in planning events. On a trip to Las Vegas for a conference her father was leading, Ashley, then just 13 years old, and her parents had dinner with the conference’s event planner.

“I recall just being fascinated with her career,” Ashley says. “Learning that she was the first one on site each morning and the last to leave each evening really struck me as a challenge I would enjoy.”

Still inspired by that experience, Ashley, a 2010 graduate of the TCEM program, has taken her dreams of event management around the globe as a meeting planner for the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International. Responsible for planning meetings and events in the U.S. and abroad, she works with internal clients on all aspects from start to finish, which often includes managing on-site logistics in cities around the world.

“The opportunity to work with industry professionals around the globe is a very special part of my job,” Ashley says. “Learning about the culture and ways of doing business in various places around the world has been a remarkable learning experience. I have a far greater sense of global awareness from being in this role, which has proven valuable in many areas of my life.”  

While Ashley was just a teen when she first learned about event planning, the knowledge, skills and connections she’s benefited from since then came from her years at IUPUI.

“The TCEM program not only provided industry-specific knowledge to take out into the world, it afforded a network of professionals and faculty who have played a significant role in helping me advance in my career.”

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Day 138: Gaelic Football

Ryan McElroy, an international graduate student studying Event Tourism, found a piece of home in Indianapolis. Founded in 1884, Gaelic football has been described as a hybrid of soccer, rugby and Australian rules football. The sport has a tribal following in American cities with large Irish communities. In 2005, the Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club was officially formed and has continued to gain momentum ever since. 

What made you get involved with Gaelic football?

Being from a rural Irish community, the GAA served as much more than a sporting organisation. My local club back home relies on the GAA as the social hub of the community and it reaches out to all ages. Nearly all local events are organised by members. My family also has a typical strong connection with the club (my grandfather was a founding member, my father is the main sponsor and my brother is the Youth Coordinator).

What is your part with Gaelic football? What do you get to do? How is the experience?

I am a member of the Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club. My roles range from player to volunteer and most recently I have offered my services to assist with coaching. 

How does your PETM experience relate to what you’re doing now with Gaelic football?

Coming to Indy from overseas I was keen to meet new people and form new friendships. The local GAA club fulfilled these desires while also providing me with the chance to engage in my favorite past time - Gaelic football. For the past 10 years the club has hosted an annual Invitational Tournament. This is the highlight of the club year and features some of the biggest GAA clubs in the Midwest. My PETM experience puts me in an ideal position to help coordinate this event along with other fundraisers hosted throughout the year.

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Day 137: Improving Your Quality of Life

The School of Physical Education and Tourism Management is dedicated to improving people’s quality of life through activities. This Valentine’s Day, send yourself some love with this advice from our faculty.

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Day 136: Sports Management Consulting Class

Created as a highly distinctive capstone experience, the Sports Management Consulting class aims to teach students how to turn theory into practical application while also meeting the evolving needs of the sports industry.

Community partners with complicated problems are prime partners for the class. Sports Management faculty, Dr. Jay Gladden says, “There is more than one “right” answer.  Part of the student growth process is learning how to synthesize data, glean insights and develop well-supported recommendations. It is critical that students are challenged to deal with imperfect information while developing their proposals.”

Current instructor, Larry Jinkins, adds, “Students want the information to be clearly presented in a book, but the consulting class forces them to learn to be resourceful, think critically, and to put pieces of information together without knowing a predetermined path.”

This semester, senior level Sports Management students are tackling a challenge for Incrediplex, a four-acre indoor sports, entertainment, and event center. In small groups, students are tasked with completing a marketing evaluation of the organization, identifying an underserved population, and providing management with a potential solution to increase revenue per square foot.

Jinkins describes one of the most successful projects, a partnership with the Indiana Fuel. “Every semester produces unique solutions to unique issues; however the project with the Indiana Fuel hockey organization produced the best combination of providing a solution and presenting a professional level presentation.  The Fuel were so impressed that the presented solution will be a part of the future for the organization.”

According to Dr. Gladden the goal of the course isn’t just to meet the needs of a community partner, “This class also challenges students to develop skills that employers often say college graduate need to develop.” From year to year, the softer skills employers look for in graduates don’t change much. In its annual Job Outlook Report, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports employers look for skills like leadership, ability to work in a team, communication skills and problem-solving skills, the very skills the Sports Consulting class refines.

“I am not aware of any other classes like this in the country for undergraduate students.  It is a truly unique experience that builds off relationships in the community.”

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Day 135: Green-to-Gold

The School of PETM is home to the Department of Military Science, which operates IUPUI’s ROTC program.  This article originally appeared in the Capital Warrior Semester Update.

This is my first semester back in school after a   five-year hiatus. I was fortunate enough to be admitted into the  U.S. Army’s Green-to-Gold non-scholarship program while serving my active-duty Army unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The process was lengthy, taking well over a year.

For this goal to be taken seriously, I had to do all the leg work early in the process. I needed to figure out how my qualifications met with the selection criteria, then to find ways to reconcile the two. My first attempt at college, right after high school, was sub-optimal, so I decided to take classes online and earned high marks. I also took College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests to show a track record of bettering myself academically.

Once I had met all the eligibility criteria, the challenge became securing recommendations from my chain of command and the Professor of Military Science at IUPUI.   My Company Commander was easily persuaded that I would take the opportunity seriously and signed my recommendation letter and all necessary paperwork for the Green-to-Gold Program.

After enduring much paperwork, interviews and being told by my squad leader that, “Nobody will care about your career as much as you will,” I was finally       released from active duty and swore into the Reserve Component as a Cadet in late July 2016, one month before the Fall semester started. I moved back home to    Indiana and was joyful to be back home, but I tried to remember that this was not just an extended leave from active duty. I was told multiple times during the     paperwork portion of the process that Green-to-Gold is not a vacation. I have tried to treat ROTC like a job: show up early, keep a good attitude, try to learn, and try to teach those with less knowledge of the Army.

The transition from being an Airborne Infantryman to a junior in college and Army ROTC Cadet has been interesting. IUPUI’s Army ROTC cadre have shown interest in my well-being and have often asked I am doing in classes and if home life is going well. I had to  re-teach myself trigonometry and figure out the new online systems in use at our school, but in many ways, I find myself more prepared for school than ever before.  So far, I have been successful and try to appreciate even the long days of class and long nights of studying. This is a great opportunity and not many Soldiers receive the opportunities that Army’s Green-to-Gold program  program provides.

Written by Cadet Elijah Harter, MSIII