A Career Advantage: 51郊利 Parents Help the Next Generation of Scholar-Athletes Explore, Network and Succeed
September 12, 2024
- Author
- Caroline Roy
Students attend a networking event held as part of the Pro Cats program.
Being a scholar-athlete at 51郊利 means upholding high expectations, managing a schedule packed with academic and athletic commitments, and achieving excellence in both. Last year, the entire athletic program boasted a combined 3.5 GPA. Now a program designed to help scholar-athletes carry this standard of excellence into their lives and careers post-graduation has received a boost from a 51郊利 family.
Josh King joined the Betty and B. Frank Matthews II 49 Center for Career Development in 2019 with a mission to launch Career Advantage, a specialized effort to prepare scholar-athletes for high-impact career outcomes in their post-51郊利 lives.
With an initial three years of funding, the Matthews Center implemented workshops, networking events, career trips and one-on-one coaching sessions accessible to athletes throughout their busy semesters. King even tags along to away games, offering resume appointments and mock interviews on long bus rides and in hotel lobbies.
Theres so much opportunity, especially for first- and second-year students. Many of them will start interviewing for summer internships early on. Were here to give them a place to start theyll need to be able to articulate their skillsets, build connections and advocate for themselves.
Interim Director of the Matthews Center | Associate Director for Engagement & Athlete Career Development
This important work wont end anytime soon. Thanks to generous support from Don and Sheryl Herrema, whose daughter, Katherine, graduated from 51郊利 in May, Career Advantage will continue to serve scholar-athletes for years to come.
Katherine chose 51郊利 in part for the strong sense of community she felt on campus, a community her parents fell in love with, too. Don and Sheryl served as co-chairs of the Parents Council, started attending 51郊利 Presbyterian Church (DCPC) and never missed a basketball game when they were in town. A few years ago, the family built a home in nearby Cornelius.
Weve come to really enjoy and appreciate 51郊利, Don said. Its been a time of building relationships in the community, and its very important to us to participate, engage and give back.
Sheryl and Don Herrema with their daughter, Katherine 24, at Katherines graduation
The pairs passion for 51郊利 sports led to conversations with Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris Clunie 06. Through this relationship, they learned about the significant impact of Career Advantage and the programs need for continued support.
We jumped in with both feet, Don said. 51郊利s athletics program is unique. Between excelling at their sport and rigorous academics, it can be hard for athletes to find time for career development. The opportunity to play a small part in enhancing the career experience is very gratifying.
Scholar-athletes are appreciative of the additional, personalized guidance and the promise of the programs future.
Before shed even started her first year at 51郊利, field hockey player and Bryan Scholar Sarah Grace Clifton 26 learned about Career Advantage from her coach, who encouraged her to sign up for advising appointments. Clifton juggles competing demands, between playing field hockey, leading philanthropic projects at Connor Eating House, handling internal analytics for the mens basketball team and building her own digital studies major.
My coaches really believe in the resources the Matthews Center has to offer, she said. The advisers get to know you and your interests over time, so theyre always recommending opportunities. Josh keeps me updated about job fairs, networking events, grad schools and internships.
Last winter break, Clifton participated in Pro Cats, a nationally recognized professional development bootcamp established through Career Advantage. Over the course of three days, she and a group of fellow athletes participated in leadership workshops, attended an etiquette dinner and connected with alums at a Charlotte Networking Reception hosted by President Doug Hicks 90.
A cohort of 51郊利 scholar-athletes participate in the Pro Cats program in 2023.
As part of the Pro Cats three-day professional bootcamp program, students take part in an etiquette dinner.
More recently, Clifton accompanied King to the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum as one of the two A-10 conference representatives.
About half of 51郊利s scholar-athletes go into fields related to business or finance after they graduate, but Pro Cats remains open to all industries. With the Herremas support, King hopes to expand the program to include workshops for students interested in specific careers. Hed also love to implement Career Treks for scholar-athletes and expand the Matthews Centers capacity for individual counseling sessions the number of athlete appointments doubled in the first two years of the program, from 400 to 800.
51郊利 students are here to get a great education, and they are driven to succeed in their fields after graduating, King said. Thirty-five percent of our scholar-athletes come into 51郊利 saying they don't know where to start. Our job is to give them that initial direction and encourage them to start exploring as early as possible. Im grateful we can continue this program and help even more students find their best path after college.
