From March 17 through March 20 a dedicated group of Tusculum College students majoring in Sports Science and Sport Management worked on their professional development at the 2010 American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
Seniors Vanessa Fyffe of Bellbrook, Ohio; Katherine Shelton of Dandridge, Altorion Reed of Darien, Ga.; Ryan Tallent of Knoxville; Micah Haney of Union Grove, Ala., and Simon Holzapfel of Nuremberg, Germany joined Dr. Kirpal Mahal, professor of physical education, in attending numerous sessions and presentations in the fields of Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Sport Management.
The students attended socials to meet the leaders in their respective fields, explore the range of professions and establish contacts. The exhibitions at the convention also proved tremendous resources as multiple graduate schools, sports companies and researchers provided information about themselves and their products or studies.
Mahal, along with Holzapfel, co-presented a session on Wake-Up Yoga on the morning of March 18, and a second session focusing on breathing-relaxation and Yoga in the afternoon of the same day. According to Holzapfel, although the first session was at 6:30 a.m., 20 dedicated people showed up, whereas the second session was attended by 40 people.
Funding for the trip was provided by Tusculum College. The group thanked the Faculty Development Committee and Dr. Kim Estep, provost and academic vice president, for approving the financing of this project. They also thanked the executive committee of the Physical Education and Sports Majors Club for handling funds from Student Affairs that provided partial financial support for student meals.