Athletes cope with academics

MeanGreen61 · March 29, 2006

Capital growth, dedicated staff key development center

By Blake Abbe

Staff Writer

March 29, 2006

Mean Green athletes needing help with academic issues turn to the Student-Athlete Development Center.

The program provides a positive environment that ensures the academic success of student-athletes, and it is committed to developing student-athletes academically, socially, spiritually and athletically.

Although the program has been around since the NCAA regulated colleges to implement it, the SADC has undergone a steady rate of capital growth in recent years.

“In the last two years we have started putting a lot of money to improving this program,” said Eric Capper, sports information director. “We purchased and built a new building and put a lot of resources into getting people to help with scholastics. By doing so we have doubled our computer stations and tutors for our student-athletes.”

Even though these resources are available to all athletes, the incoming freshmen will need the most help in their transition to college.

“This program helps with the transition from high school to college as far as time management,” Capper said. “Most of them are used to the structured learning environment of high school. Generally, we will help them until they feel like they can do it on their own.”

The way the development center accomplishes this task is by using certain study criteria that the student-athletes have to meet.

“A certain amount of study hours are required a week for the athletes,” he said. “Regular students don’t have people telling them to go study, but at first we want to ease them into college with a high school-like structure. To make sure this is done, we have a full-time staff to help them.”

Three staff members, Courtney Howard, Rachel McMullen and Chante Baldwin, help key the center’s efforts.

Courtney Howard is the assistant athletic director/academic student affairs. With this position Howard is responsible for overseeing academic programs, scheduling, mentoring, tutoring and the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program.

Rachel McMullen is the academic counselor for student-athletes. She helps athletes with problems that they may have in the classroom. She also helps out as a life skills coordinator.

Chante Baldwin is a life skills coordinator who is responsible for the study hall and tutorial programs.

These three staff members are just a few of many who have a hand in helping student-athletes adjust to the difficulties of their new situation in college, and because of this program the grades of athletes have been progressing over time.

“We have seen a steady increase in academic progress from our student-athletes,” Capper said. “Hopefully with the new resources we will continue to see improvement in academics among our athletes.”