#teampetm

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!

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.

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!”

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.  

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

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.

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.