DR. GREG COMFORT – Division Chair
Greg
came to Missouri Baptist University with several years of secondary school
teaching/coaching experience and fifteen years of teaching experience in
higher education. From 1988 to 1999, Greg co-developed and taught in the
undergraduate sport management program at Liberty University and served as
a consultant for a number of organizations and institutions including the
Professional Golfers Association (PGA), the YMCA (sport psychology), and
the California University of Pennsylvania (SMPRC program approval). Greg
accepted the position of undergraduate coordinator for sport administration
at Wichita State University in 1999 where he continued to hone his abilities
as a teacher of online classes, serve his profession at the local, state,
regional, and national level, publish and co-publish numerous articles, and
present professionally at the local, state, regional, and national level.
Greg was commissioned by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) in the fall of 2000 to create an organizational website. As web manager and member of the NASSM Executive Council, Greg continues to receive, revise, and post pertinent materials on the NASSM website, supervise the annual online voting by NASSM membership, and attend Executive Council meetings. Greg served as a Folio Reviewer for the Sport Management Review Council (SMPRC) from 2001 to 2003 and vacated that post for a position on the SMPRC in 2003. As a voting member of the SMPRC, Greg assists in the ongoing improvement of the sport management program approval standards and processes and meets bi-annually with six other Council members to determine which undergraduate and graduate sport management programs meet those same stringent standards.
Greg enjoys speaking to groups about sportsmanship and youth sport opportunities. He has been asked by numerous sport organizations including the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), the YMCA, and several city recreation leagues throughout Kansas to address topics such as motivation, anger management, sportsmanship, and parent-coach relationships. Speaking to groups such as these allows Greg to share his faith in God and pursue his scholarly interests in sport psychology and sport sociology.
As Chair of the Health and Sport Sciences Division and Coordinator for the Sport Management program, Greg feels strongly that the St. Louis area has a lot to offer students interested in pursuing careers in health, physical education, sports medicine and sport management. Program accreditation and building bridges between the academic and the business communities continue to be Greg’s passion for the HSS Division as he and the other HSS faculty work towards properly preparing students for careers in their individual fields of study.
LOWELL PITZER – Health and Kinesiology Coordinator
Lowell Pitzer is a native of West Virginia, where he attended both high
school and college. While in college, Alderson-Broaddus, he played basketball
and majored in Biological Sciences and Physical Education. Lowell earned
his Masters of Education degree from West Virginia University.
After twenty years coaching in both public and prep schools in West Virginia and Virginia, teaching and working in administration in a Baptist affiliated prep school in Virginia, and serving as a basketball coach in a small college in Mississippi, Lowell joined the staff of Missouri Baptist College in 1990.
In 1992, Lowell was voted American Midwest Conference Men’s Coach-of-the-Year and led the Missouri Baptist Men’s basketball team to the NAIA men’s national championship tournament in 1993-94 after compiling a 25-9 record. As Athletic Director at Missouri Baptist University for six years, Pitzer was chosen as Administrator-of-the-Year for District Sixteen in 1992 and Region V Administrator-of- the-Year in 1997. While coaching the Lady Spartans at Missouri Baptist University for a period of five years, Lowell was selected Women’s Coach-of-the-Year in 2000.
Lowell was a member of the NAIA Council for Affiliated Conferences and Independents in 1996-97 and has served as the Commissioner/President of the AMC conference since 1993. As the Coordinator of the Health and Kinesiology programs within the Health and Sport Sciences his experience as a coach and an administrator in the field give him valuable insights into the concepts discussed in his classes. Lowell envisions the Health and Kinesiology programs achieving national recognition in the next few years as they continue to fall in line with state and national certification standards and move towards approval from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
MR. MARK KIMZEY – HSS Activity Coordinator
Mark Kimzey is a 1990 alumni of MBU earning a Bachelors of Arts in Religion. Mark also earned a Masters of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in 1994 and a Masters of Science in Education, majoring in Exercise Physiology with an emphasis in Adaptive Physical Exercise, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville in 2006.
Beginning work at MBU in 1992, Mark held positions of director of public safety and director of housekeeping, and has taught as an adjunct instructor in the Health and Sports Science department since 1996. Mark moved to full-time teaching Fall 2006 in the Health and Sports Sciences department.
Mark graduated with honors from North Greenville College and Missouri Baptist University; was honored with Who’s Who Among Students of America’s Junior Colleges and Who’s Who Among College Teachers in America; and holds the office of president in The American Tang Shou Tao Association in which he has taught for 30 years.
Teaching and preaching in churches the past 20 years, teaching 10 years at the college level and 30 years of teaching kung fu gives Mark the skills to make the classroom experience enjoyable and meaningful.
Adjunct Faculty
MEREDITH DILL
Meredith Dill graduated in 2000 from Wheaton College with an undergraduate degree in Biology. She obtained an additional undergraduate degree in Exercise Science with a focus in Athletic training at Southern Connecticut State University in 2003. Meredith completed her Master of Science in Athletic Training at Ohio University in June of 2005 and currently teaches the Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries class and serves as Assistant Athletic Trainer for the MBU Athletic Department.
