Grand Canyon University Athletics
GCU hosts WAC SAAC - Life After College Conference
2/16/2016 12:58:00 PM | Compliance, S-A Development
PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon athletic department hosted an important conference for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and its student-athletes. L.O.P.E.S. for Life coordinator Jenna Pearson and women's golfer Brittany Holen initiated the first ever WAC SAAC - Life After College Conference to help WAC student-athletes prepare for life after their sports careers are over.
"It was great to bring students in from every school in the WAC," Pearson said. "It is so important to think about life after college is over because less than one percent of athletes turn pro. You have to have that 'bigger picture' mentality and I am glad we were able to encourage that this weekend."
GCU's Holen, who serves as the events coordinator for the WAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), presented the WAC with the idea of a conference to help provide guidance for its athletes to create a plan for life after sports.
"I am so grateful to be a part of a special weekend and we got a lot of great feedback from our fellow student-athletes," Holen said. "I am hoping this weekend can be used as a launching pad to help other campuses help their student-athletes. All of the hard work that was put into this past weekend was very exciting and very rewarding."
A number of activities were set up by the GCU office of student-athlete development that placed the students in real-life situations that they will face when working at a job. GCU lined up guests speakers to talk to the student-athletes about resume writing, interview skills, how to network effectively and all of the activities led up to mock interviews. GCU reserved conference rooms and the Lopes were able to place WAC athletes in a formal interview where they practice the tools and traits they learned throughout their weekend in Phoenix.
Just like how players look at game film to see where they can improve, GCU did the same thing during the mock interviews as they set up cameras while the students were being interviewed so the professionals can tell them how to refine their interview skills the next time around. Megan McDonald, Media Relations and WAC Digital Networking Relations Intern, edited all of the film so that Jodi Holen, Associate Director of Biogen Idec, could come in on the last day and offer feedback to the student-athletes on each of their interviews.
"We spend a ton of hours in the weight room and on the field but it is crucial to think about life after college while you are still a student," Holen said. "It is imperative that we are prepared for that transition once we graduate and this weekend was preparing us and making sure we are equipped once that time comes."
GCU was also able to host an etiquette dinner at the new GCU golf course that provided an opportunity for the athletes to sit down with employers from different professions and work on their social networking. The business professionals at the dinner were able to pass down advice to the athletes to help better their lives once they graduate from college.
"I am hoping that the student-athletes will walk away from this conference with an action plan once they graduate," Pearson said. "We provided them with the tools and now I hope the students will use them."
"It was great to bring students in from every school in the WAC," Pearson said. "It is so important to think about life after college is over because less than one percent of athletes turn pro. You have to have that 'bigger picture' mentality and I am glad we were able to encourage that this weekend."
GCU's Holen, who serves as the events coordinator for the WAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), presented the WAC with the idea of a conference to help provide guidance for its athletes to create a plan for life after sports.
"I am so grateful to be a part of a special weekend and we got a lot of great feedback from our fellow student-athletes," Holen said. "I am hoping this weekend can be used as a launching pad to help other campuses help their student-athletes. All of the hard work that was put into this past weekend was very exciting and very rewarding."
A number of activities were set up by the GCU office of student-athlete development that placed the students in real-life situations that they will face when working at a job. GCU lined up guests speakers to talk to the student-athletes about resume writing, interview skills, how to network effectively and all of the activities led up to mock interviews. GCU reserved conference rooms and the Lopes were able to place WAC athletes in a formal interview where they practice the tools and traits they learned throughout their weekend in Phoenix.
Just like how players look at game film to see where they can improve, GCU did the same thing during the mock interviews as they set up cameras while the students were being interviewed so the professionals can tell them how to refine their interview skills the next time around. Megan McDonald, Media Relations and WAC Digital Networking Relations Intern, edited all of the film so that Jodi Holen, Associate Director of Biogen Idec, could come in on the last day and offer feedback to the student-athletes on each of their interviews.
"We spend a ton of hours in the weight room and on the field but it is crucial to think about life after college while you are still a student," Holen said. "It is imperative that we are prepared for that transition once we graduate and this weekend was preparing us and making sure we are equipped once that time comes."
GCU was also able to host an etiquette dinner at the new GCU golf course that provided an opportunity for the athletes to sit down with employers from different professions and work on their social networking. The business professionals at the dinner were able to pass down advice to the athletes to help better their lives once they graduate from college.
"I am hoping that the student-athletes will walk away from this conference with an action plan once they graduate," Pearson said. "We provided them with the tools and now I hope the students will use them."
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Wyoming - Postgame Radio with Bryce Drew
Sunday, February 22
GCU Men's Basketball vs. Wyoming - Postgame with Bryce Drew
Sunday, February 22
GCU Baseball vs. Oklahoma State (Game 1) - Highlights
Friday, February 20
GCU Men’s Basketball at San Diego State - Postgame with Efe Demirel
Wednesday, February 18