9-8-04
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CONDUCTS
SPORTS RESEARCH AT BEHREND
At the young age of 22, Mark Cole, a sports psychology major at University College Northampton, has already been around the world, to "every continent except Africa."
"I caught the traveling bug," he said. "[Traveling] has broadened my mind. It puts everything into perspective, how lucky you are." Cole recently departed from his hometown of Northampton, England once again, this time for Penn State Behrend, where he is conducting research for his senior thesis.
Cole is working with Behrend coaches and teams to identify cultural differences in the way coaches motivate student athletes. "Sports psychology is a relatively new field," Cole explained. "Only a few studies like this have been done before." He will analyze the psychological profiles of student athletes using questionnaires, and then organize his research into a 15,000-word thesis in order to graduate in June 2005.
During his stay at Behrend, Cole has been enthusiastically embraced by both staff and students. "Everyone's so nice" he said. "Amazing people. They make you feel like this is your home." In particular, he commended Ruth Pflueger, director of the Learning Resource Center and international study abroad advisor, stating that "Ruth has looked after me unreasonably well." Brian Streeter, director of athletics, and members of the athletics staff have welcomed Cole at Behrend's Junker Athletic Center, and he has found Behrend students to be friendly and open. He was a resident of Perry Hall for just a few hours when three students asked him to accompany them to dinner. "I've made more friends here in the space of three days than I have at home," he said.
Cole first learned about Penn State Behrend from a traveling Behrend student participating in the college's summer program at Northampton. Students from the Behrend campus spend six weeks taking courses and participating in field trips, all for course credit. Cole chose Behrend not only for its close ties to his home school, but also for the beauty of its campus.
Cole hasn't been in the Erie area long, but he has already learned to take advantage of Lake Erie. He spent a recent Sunday on the sailing boat MS. Regata as a guest of Anne Danielski, a Penn State employee who runs the Sea Grant program that teaches children with special needs to build sailing boats. "Erie's very lucky to be by water," Cole said. He has particularly enjoyed the frog statues he's seen around the city. "That brings a community together, stuff like that," he said, noting that England had a similar community project involving cow statues.
Cole has been in the United States since August and will remain at Behrend for six week while he conducts his research. He will fly home in October, after brief visits to New York City and Canada.
Contact: Jen Town 814-898-6522 e-mail: jlt234@psu.edu