A Message from the Chair

A MESSAGE FROM DR. JEFFREY JAMES, CHAIR

As the Spring 2021 term closes I have taken some time to reflect on the past academic year. We have completed an entire academic year under the restrictions necessitated by the global pandemic. We have lived through-are still living through-a historic period. COVID-19 has had an unforgettable effect on our lives. The faculty members, staff, and students have been through many changes and adjustments; we have learned to function remotely, and while it is not my preferred mode of operation, I am grateful we were able to move forward. I am truly appreciative of the extraordinary efforts from all that made it possible for us to continue not only our dayto-day operations, but to provide the best quality programs possible within the constraints imposed on us. Having come this far I am truly looking forward to the future and what comes next.

Fall 2021 – we are scheduled to be fully in person and operating without restrictions (fingers crossed this works out). I believe we are all looking forward to coming back together, to be able to drop in to speak with colleagues, for students to come by the office, to have classes in person. I am pleased to report that even with the challenges of the pandemic year, we experienced increased enrollment in our undergraduate and master’s programs. We are on track to maintain that growth with the new students entering both programs in Fall 2021. Some of the increase in enrollment for the master’s program is due to the successful launch of the Combined Pathway Program. Through the program seniors are able to complete master’s level course work that is applied to both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Students that our master’s programs have completed up to twelve credit hours. A positive outcome from our increased enrollment is the addition of a new faculty member!

I am pleased to report that Dr. David Pifer will join the faculty group in Fall 2021. Dr. Pifer brings additional expertise in Sports Analytics. With the addition of Dr. Pifer we will be working to develop additional course work in Sports Analytics. We are very excited about the prospects for this content area, both in attracting prospective students and the opportunities for research. There will be one other change to our faculty group, Mr. Dennis Nobles will be retiring in September. Mr. Nobles served as an adjunct faculty member for many years, and more recently as a full-time specialized faculty member. Mr. Nobles has had responsibility for the undergraduate advising work, and he has done a phenomenal job serving the students. The good news for us is that we are able to hire one of our own, Dr. Mark DiDonato, to fill the specialized faculty member role. Dr. DiDonato returns to Tallahassee and Tully Gym in Fall 2021. We are very pleased to have him returning and are confident he will also do a fantastic job teaching and advising the undergraduate students.

I have written in previous newsletters about the Sport Sales Initiative. Our first cohort has completed the program. We “topped off” the year by having four students participate in the 2021 National Collegiate Sport Sales Championship. It was our first foray into a sport sales competition, and the students did a fantastic job. There were three rounds of competition; all four members advanced to the second round (FSU was the only team with all members to advance), and one of our group advanced to the finals. The team ranked 7th when all the dust had settled. One of our students won the essay contest and two were selected for the “high ethics” group. All in all a fantastic first outing, and one we will build upon in coming years.

The past year will be remembered as the pandemic year, and rightly so. But we have many other positive memories to hold onto as well. We were blessed to come through with good health and good spirits. We have several notable accomplishments, and are left with much to look forward to as we plan for Fall 2021. Have a wonderful summer!