Service to both the university and my community are two very important areas of interest for me and it is something that I take seriously. Over the course of my time at Adelphi, I have worked hard to serve our university, the College of Education and Health Sciences, and the Department of Health and Sport Sciences in several capacities. Since gaining tenure in 2019, at the university-level, I have continued to serve as a member of the Faculty Senate. Also at the university-level, I was recently asked to serve as a member of the CSTEP Advisory Board. Similarly, at the college-level, I have been a member of the College of Education and Health Sciences Strategic Plan Advisory Committee, School of Health Sciences Associate Dean Search Committee, and also recently chaired the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Department Chair Search Committee. Finally, at the departmental-level, I have been a member of the Department of Health and Sport Sciences Unit Peer Review Committee since 2019 and have chaired the committee since 2022.
Since gaining tenure in 2019, my service at the university-level has primarily centered around my continued membership in the Faculty Senate, where I served from the fall of 2015 through the spring of 2023, as well as my work with our College Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). CSTEP provides expanded opportunities for excellence and support to college students from under-represented groups who are pursuing careers in science, technology, mathematics, engineering, health-related fields, and professional licensure. Each summer since 2018, I have made a presentation to the CSTEP students educating them about different career opportunities in the field of Exercise Science. My work with the program has been so well received that I was asked to join the CSTEP Advisory Board in the spring of 2023. I look forward to continuing to be an active member of our Faculty Senate and to continue my work with CSTEP in the years to come.
I have also consistently been involved in service at the college-level since being granted tenure. In 2019 and 2020, I took part in Dean Wang’s Strategic Planning Advisory Committee. This committee was tasked with helping the Dean formulate an updated Strategic Plan for the College of Education and Health Sciences. Additionally, in the spring and summer of 2022, I was asked to join the School of Health Sciences Associate Dean Search Committee that resulted in the successful hiring of Vice Dean Erik Swartz. Finally, in the spring of 2023, I was asked by Vice Dean Swartz if I would consider chairing the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Department Chair Search Committee. I accepted his invitation to chair the committee and am pleased to say that our work resulted in the successful hiring of Dr. Harriet Proios to serve as the next chair of CSD. This work was particularly meaningful to me as the committee had been unsuccessful in their previous attempts to hire a new department chair. During my time working with my colleagues from CSD, I received the following messages from the members of the committee:
“Hi John - Thank you again for being such a good mediator/leader for our search committee. You always keep the focus and balance during our discussions.”
“Thank you John for the updates.
Thank you also for your tireless guidance, support, fairness and leadership through this whole, and sometimes difficult, process.
It has been a pleasure working together with you!”
“...and thank YOU John for your leadership!!!! It was a pleasure working with you!”
I also received the following email from Dr. Steven Cox:
“Hi John,
I want to sincerely thank you for leading a successful Chair search for our department. It means a lot, especially with all of your other commitments.
Wishing you an enjoyable rest of the summer!
Sincerely,
Steve”
As well as this email from Vice Dean Swartz:
“John,
Thank you for your leadership in chairing this search committee. You did a great job and I'm certain the committee members and the entire CSD department is appreciative of your leadership efforts on their behalf.
All my best,
Erik “
It is rewarding to know that my efforts to assist my colleagues from CSD were appreciated.
At the departmental-level, my most significant service contribution since gaining tenure has been my work with our Unit Peer Review Committee (UPRC). I have been a member of the committee since the fall of 2019 and have chaired the committee since the fall of 2022. I feel that my work with this committee is my most important service endeavor as it directly impacts my colleagues in our department. I do my best to effectively communicate with my fellow committee members as well as with all of the candidates who are being reviewed for reappointment, tenure, or promotion. I look forward to continuing in my role as chair of our UPRC in the coming academic year.
I have also overseen a total of twelve independent studies for students within our department since gaining tenure in 2019. The majority of these projects were Capstone experiences for students in the Physical Activity Studies major.
Also, at the departmental-level, I recently took on the responsibility of serving as the Program Director for our undergraduate Exercise Science program. I began in this role at the start of the fall 2023 semester. As the undergraduate Exercise Science Program Director, I am now overseeing a program with over 160 undergraduate students. It is important to note that I have taken on this additional responsibility without any reduction in my teaching or advising load.
In addition to my work at the university, college, and departmental-levels, I also take part in several other initiatives around campus. Since 2015, I have worked closely with Campus Recreation to help them conduct their annual Panther Powerlift event. Each year (with the exception of 2020 and 2021), I have helped to organize and staff the event as well as serve as head judge. It is a fun event that the students really look forward to and I am glad to be a part of it.
Similarly, beginning in the spring of 2022, my colleague Dr. Mike Aquino and I have provided physical therapy services to Adelphi’s Dance Department. It has been rewarding to work with these students to help them not only to manage their pain and injuries successfully, but to also educate them as to how they can mitigate their risk of injury and improve their performance in the future.
Another area that I have continued to work hard at is staffing various recruitment events and open houses. I believe that it is important to have knowledgeable and friendly faculty members at these events to not only answer questions about our programs and be able to explain what makes Adelphi different from other universities, but I also believe that it is a great opportunity to begin to develop a rapport with not only our incoming students, but their families as well. Below is an email that Dan Bedard sent to my colleagues in the Exercise Science program following an event that we worked together:
“Just a quick note to tell you what an amazing job John did at the open house this weekend at the U.C. for accepted students. When the doors opened up at 11 am the flood gates came streaming to his table none stop till after 1 pm. Sitting next to him listening to the way he represented the department made me feel proud to be apart of this amazing group of faculty members. He was professional and helpful in guiding students and over zealous parents with all their questions and concerns about the program.
Great job John.”
Similarly, I received the following email from Stephanie Espina after I staffed one of our Scholarship Dinners:
“Hello Stephanie! I received the brochure from the mail today and it has proven to be very informative and helpful so thank you very much.
After long consideration, I've decided I want to attend Adelphi. If you recall, I attended the Scholarship Dinner and talked to Dr. Petrizzo (If I remember correctly), the program offers great opportunity to not only enhance my understanding of exercise science but also prepare me for attending a graduate school to study physical therapy. He was very helpful and informative yesterday and cleared up every misunderstanding I had about the program; so please, give him my best regards. On top of that, the other prospective students were wonderful at my table and I was able to connect with them so easily, that it felt I had known them for years. It was a wonderful experience, and it was honestly a wake up call that Adelphi was the place for me. I felt the heart warming community feel, and I didn't feel this way when I visited any other institution.
Now to my deposit, would it be possible for me to visit and just pay directly in the admission's office. I prefer to pay upfront than online. If so, any time this week? I assume you will not be around during Spring Break so it needs to be real soon.
Thank you again, I hope this wasn't too long for you to read! Again, please give my regards to Dr. Petrizzo that I'm looking forward to once again meeting and this time being able to work alongside him.”
The student who was kind enough to write the above email went on to graduate from both our undergraduate and graduate exercise science programs and is now currently pursuing his doctorate in physical therapy. It is emails like this one that let me know that I am doing all that I can to represent our program and our university to the best of my abilities.
In conjunction with my work at the university, I have also been active both professionally as well as within my community. My recent professional service responsibilities include serving as an expert reviewer for the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, and BMC Sports Science, Medicine & Rehabilitation. I have also taken on the responsibility of mentoring interested high school students in their research projects through various research programs run by their schools. This past year, I mentored three high school students through the various stages of their research projects. Similar to the work I do with my own students, this work can be time-consuming, but it is also very rewarding as well.
Please see my letters of support from colleagues for more information regarding my various service endeavors.