2017-2018 OFFICE OF
STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT ANNUAL REPORT
OUR MISSION The mission of the Office of Student-Athlete Development (OSAD) aims to “connect today’s opportunities with tomorrow’s possibilities,” transforming student-athlete lives through the creation of innovative and intentional experiences that empower them to be their best selves. Developmental stepping stones are organized through group and individual programming to ensure student-athletes are well-rounded, prepared individuals as they enter the next phase of life after graduation. The OSAD consists of 8 staff members who engage with all 23 varsity teams to build deeper relationships, increase engagement within the department and campus, and to discuss personal development, career development, leadership & involvement opportunities, and overall life challenges and goals. In the 2017-18 academic year, 721 student-athletes ( 99.04%
of the student-athlete body) participated in the 79 events, courses,
workshops, or 1,946 one-on-one meetings coordinated by the OSAD.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT OSAD staff members are assigned to varsity teams with the opportunity to meet each individual student-athlete where they are, get to know their interests, connect them to specific resources, and help set and track personal and professional goals which ultimately lead to meaningful career placement. As student-athletes progress through their career development, they ebb and flow through the following stages: • Self-awareness
• Exploration
• Goal-setting
• Preparation
• Placement
CAREER COUNSELING In 2017-18,
540
student-athletes (74.18% of the student-
athlete body) took advantage of meeting one-on-one with OSAD staff to discuss and work towards personal and professional goals.
There were a total of 1,946 meetings conducted with OSAD staff throughout the year. In addition to what student-athletes completed
in their own time, the OSAD assisted specifically with the following:
298 resumes
95 informational interviews
80 LinkedIn profiles
29 graduate/professional school applications
21 job shadows
11 student-athletes participated in financial consultations
INTERNSHIP & JOB EXPERIENCE CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES Throughout June 2017 to May 2018, 212 of our student-
athletes held a variety of internships and jobs, totaling 239 experiences in the professional setting. These experiences helped them gain specific experience related to their future career goals. Additionally, the OSAD support a program called the BADGER INTERN PROGRAM. This is an opportunity for all eligibility and medically exhausted student-athletes to gain valuable insight and experience into their specific career fields of interest. OSAD coordinators help these individuals find meaningful internships in the surrounding community as they continue pursuing their remaining coursework on campus. 30 students were placed in 2017-18.
GRADUATED STUDENT-ATHLETES The OSAD assists all graduating student-athletes with finding meaningful career placement, whether that’s through a full-time job or continued education. The cycle in which the OSAD tracks meaningful placement is within 6 months of graduation. The 2017-18 career placement data will always be published on December 1st of each year. The details to the right include our career placement data from 2016-17 for reference.
graduates who provided career data 100% ofachieved a positive career outcome. of the 129 graduates, no information was reported for 4 student-athletes
8%
VOLUNTEER, PART TIME, OR OTHER
22%
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
70%
FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT
POST GRAD LOCATION
11% 8%
63%
8% 41%
WISCONSIN
10%
INTERNATIONAL
CAREER DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYER RELATIONS The OSAD built contacts from employers in a variety of industries, and engaged them through various career programming throughout the 2017-18 academic year. Examples of these relationships include, but are not limited to:
• 3 employers (American Family Insurance, Aurora Healthcare, First Business Bank) hosted the OSAD staff for site visits to learn details about their company.
• 1 employer (Under Armour) hosted informational session office hours on-site with student-athletes
• 1 employer (Altria Distribution Group) hosted on-campus interviewing with studentathletes
• Also, job postings were shared and connections were made to assist student-athletes’ career exploration and development
EVENTS SPEED NETWORKING NIGHT Our second largest career event of the year provided for student-athletes to practice networking with employers and gain insight into a variety of industries as they explore career options. Fall 2017:
62 student-athletes & 14 companies attended It’s great to spend time at a networking event talking to a number of amazing individuals to expand your network and expand your mind. One thing I learned from the event was that employers don’t just want to talk about acquiring a job opportunity or internship, they want to get to know who you are as a person in addition to what’s on a resume. – Taiwan Deal, Football The Career Champion Series was a great way to apply everything I’ve been taught the past few years about networking and marketing myself to companies and programs of interest. I enjoyed the speed dating aspect of it and was glad I could sample a little bit of every company that attended. – Banke Oginni, Women’s Track & Field It was a great opportunity to put yourself out there and interact with professionals. You never know, there could be a job waiting for you right there! – Callie Hebert, Women’s Rowing
STUDENT-ATHLETE CAREER NIGHT An annual career event and networking dinner provided for student-athletes to meet one-on-one with employers and graduate or professional schools interested in recruiting student-athletes for internships, full-time employment, and continued education. Spring 2018:
116 student-athletes & 44 companies attended The Student-Athlete Career Night was a great
For me, Career Night was a great experience
The Student Athlete Career Night enabled me
experience for me. It gives upperclassman a
because it gave me the chance to practice some
to have more one-on-one time with employers
chance to talk to recruiters about a potential
skills that I’ve never attempted to use before. It
than I’ve had at all-campus career fairs. The
job, and underclassman a chance to find out
helped me calm my nerves about finding work
employers I talked to were very personable
what jobs interest them. Every year the career
after sports, and even how to connect with
and
fair is a success and enhances my connections.
employers. – TJ Edwards, Football
– Jacob Wenner, Men's Rowing
interested
in
furthering
my
career.
–Brenna Detra, Women’s Track & Field
EMPLOYER SITE-VISITS The OSAD coordinates on-site experiences for student-athletes to explore the wide array of opportunities that exist at a company, from their human resources, to finance, sales, business development, and more. Throughout the 2017-18 academic year, OSAD coordinated
3
site-visits (American Family Insurance,
Milwaukee Bucks) for about 25 student-athletes. “Coming into this I didn’t have much experience with the business world or the sales marketing world, so coming down here was definitely a big experience for me learning the different types of it, like analytics, ticket sales, and merchandizing.” – Billy Hirschfeld, Football
“What I learned from the site-visit was to come to a job with a purpose and have your ideals written down. Know what you want to say, be prepared to ask
questions
and
have
questions
asked
of
you.”
– Suzanne Gilreath, Women’s Basketball “We got to see a lot of different sides of the Milwaukee Bucks, including sports marketing, analytics, community, and sponsorship... Being able to hear all of the details that go into it got me excited about what each job entails, what I am good at, and how my strengths could play a roll. – Lauryn Gills, Volleyball
GAME DAY SUITE VISITS Student-athletes visited suites of season ticket holders and donors at home football games to practice their elevator pitches, make connections, and build networks for potential career opportunities.
COURSEWORK Throughout the year, the OSAD teamed up with campus to facilitate educational development experiences in the classroom. There were five courses in total offered throughout the fall and spring semesters, including:
CP 115: LIFE SKILLS ACADEMY A one-credit transition course for all first year studentathletes that consisted of peer-to-peer education on relevant life skills topics related to self-awareness & exploration, health & wellness, and promoting positive change.
170 total first year students enrolled
30 guest speakers across campus and athletics Highlights include: Completing the Behind the Uniform, which paired two first years together, and the Individual Elevation Map, which focused on career development and outlining Involvement goals.
CP 300: PEER LEADERSHIP A three-credit course where upperclassmen peer leaders facilitated discussions and activities for the first year studentathletes who were enrolled in the CP 115: Life Skills Academy course. Through self-awareness assessments and class activities, peer leaders developed several skill sets including small group facilitation, conflict management, and leadership.
33 total students enrolled in fall 2017, representing 13 different sports
Being a peer leader and having the status of an upperclassman, I was able to help freshmen with things they struggled with in their first semester. Because of this course, I was also able to identify what kind of leader I was through the DiSC assessment and application facilitating the small groups in class – and then I was able to apply it to all of my other aspects of life. It really helped a lot! – Jack Berry, Men’s Hockey
ELPA 502: LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL A three-credit course that examined a range of leadership development models and offered hands-on activities and experiences designed to help develop the necessary leadership skills required to be successful in any organization (i.e. academic, athletic, business, professional).
22 students enrolled in spring 2018 Highlights include: each student came up with a 2-word purpose statement in addition to values, critical goals, and action plans to utilize course content throughout different leadership roles in their lives.
I thoroughly enjoyed the leadership class and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to get a better understanding about what real leadership is. I learned that there is not just one way to lead and that all leaders are not the same. Along the way, I learned a lot about myself and know that what I’ve learned will help me to be a better leader moving forward. – Molly Haggerty, Volleyball
This class not only expanded and stretched me out of my comfort zone to grow, but it also provided an opportunity to evaluate my own development through the various models presented in class. These dynamic models not only reinforced leadership skills as a student athlete, but they also did through the context of becoming an adult in whatever I decide to do in life after athletics. – D’cota Dixon, Football
CP 110: CAREER STRATEGIES A one-credit course that used individual and group development activities to explore personal career development planning. Students learned about themselves as well as the world of work, and how the two intersect to conduct a successful job search and find meaningful employment.
23 students enrolled in fall 2017 Highlights include: completing a personal assessment to recognize relation to career interests, conducting informational interviews with employers, and creating a career portfolio with specific goals outlined for future professional development.
CP 300: TRANSITION FORWARD A one-credit course designed to address topics related to the transition out of being a college student-athlete, including the psychosocial, physical, and professional transitions.
14 students enrolled in spring 2018 Highlights include: completing the Clifton Strengths Finder to establish personal strengths related to all aspects of life, creating vision boards with future goals, hearing from a “life after sports” panel of former student-athletes, and learning about expectations for future healthcare, nutrition, finances and wellness.
LEADERSHIP & INVOLVEMENT The OSAD coordinates various opportunities for student-athletes to develop their leadership skills and become more involved across the athletic department, on campus, and across the globe. The following experiences are some of our favorite programs:
STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAAC) A student-athlete organization that met monthly to provide a direct link to UW Athletic Administration, the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA. The SAAC is a leadership organization that provided an opportunity for studentathletes to enhance their experience through engagement in service and social events and creating spaces for discussion to help empower student-athletes as it relates to student-athlete welfare. The SAAC is guided through the core principles of equality, transparency, integrity, service, and respect for diversity with attention to gender, race, ethnicity, and sport.
50 student-athletes served as voting members representing all 23 sports, selected through an interview process
7
student-athletes from 6 sports made up the Executive Board, selected through a committee voting process Events hosted and initiatives facilitated by SAAC included: the annual Mr. & Ms. Bucky Competition, the Student-Athlete Career Night Fashion Show, two One Team Yoga Nights to focus on mental health and relaxation, De-Stress December themed events with service dogs and hot chocolate, a Staff Appreciation initiative, as well as an opportunity to engage future leaders through the new SAACessor program.
I’m glad I got to participate and represent my team. It forced me to be outgoing and not a scared little freshman anymore. Even if I hadn’t won, I was glad I participated. I even still have my crown! – Alex Reddington, Women’s Swim & Dive SAAC allows you to take more ownership in your student-athlete experience as well as give you the chance to create a path for future badgers to do the same – Philipp Schilling, Men’s Soccer Yoga Night allowed student-athletes to come together for a night to relax and rid of the stresses of our daily lives. It was a great opportunity to clear our minds and rejuvenate for the upcoming days. – Natalie Jacobson, Women’s Soccer Overall, the best part of Mr. & Ms. Bucky was having your friends and teammates cheer you on. At first I was very nervous, but when I heard my friends and teammates cheering me on, it helped me to settle down. When I won the event, my teammates were going crazy, so it was a fun bonding moment for our team in all. – Patrick Yim, Men’s Soccer
LEADERSHIP LESSONS The OSAD hosted 1 Leadership Lessons session with a highly successful alum (Bob Paulsen) to share details about his experience working in a variety of companies and gave advice about chasing dreams in the professional realm.
LEADERSHIP CERTIFICATE OSAD staff worked closely with CfLI staff to educated student-athletes on the leadership certificate and applicable student-athlete components, reinforcing the commitment to developing student leadership capacity through intentional reflection and engagement in learning, both inside and outside the classroom for the purpose of meaningful change.
4 student-athletes completed the Leadership Certificate in fall 2017 or spring 2018
1 recipient was also awarded the Anne Louise Martino Women’s Leadership Award Recipient
“I wanted to pursue the Leadership Certificate because I knew that my passions for my sport and campus involvement already fulfilled most of the criteria, so I thought ‘Why not?!’ I learned a lot while writing my reflections for the certificate, and I think it’s something everyone should strive for. It was quite the journey and a lot of fun!” – Lily Hansen, Women’s Rowing
STUDY ABROAD A partnership developed with the International Academic Programs (IAP - Study Abroad) Office to make study abroad opportunities accessible for student-athletes, as well as opportunities funded through the athletic department. Additionally, one trip was organized by the athletic department this summer.
16 student-athletes from 10 sports studied abroad over summer 2017 to 7
different countries, including: Copenhagen, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nepal, Spain, Sweden, and Uganda Studying abroad was an unforgettable experience filled with lifelong
I am very grateful that athletics allowed me to study abroad in order to
friendships and memories. Having the chance to spend time with
complete my Global Health Certificate towards my degree. While in Nepal,
families that have so little, yet were willing to give up so much for us
I learned a lot about a culture very different than my own. I met many
was extremely humbling. – Sydney Rider, Women’s Tennis
individuals who were so kind and changed my outlook on life forever. – Ashley Peterson, Women’s Swimming & Diving
TEAM WORKSHOPS Similar to how the OSAD is assigned to specific teams to individualize the experience for the student-athletes they work with, they are also able to provide programming specifically to meet various team needs. By working so closely with the studentathletes and coaches, suggestions for topic-specific programming is requested and provided in different formats including stand-alone workshops and/or workshop series. Throughout the 2017-18 academic year, a total of 8
teams took advantage of 23 opportunities to discuss
social media and personal branding, etiquette, finances, apartment living, leadership, and team building.
I think the DiSC workshop enhanced our team chemistry and truly allowed us to get to know each other, and learn more about how to interact. It also helped us learn what each person needs to succeed and how that differs from others. – Kate Menz, Softball
THE BUCKINGHAMS THE BUCKINGHAMS: STUDENT-ATHLETE SHOWCASE OF EXCELLENCE A formal event where student-athletes’ academic successes and their student-athlete development involvement were highlighted through the presentation of awards and honors. Student-athletes’ unique talents were showcased through a variety of performances and students get to walk the red carpet. This year was extra special, as we celebrated the 10th year of the show!
23 student-athletes, 1 from each sport, served on the planning committee to promote awareness and involvement from their team members
2 student-athletes interviewed guests during the show
10 talented student-athletes showcased
7
different performances of
singing, playing instruments, reading poetry, and dancing!
13 awards were given to 65 student-athletes and 4 teams
2 awards were given to staff members
The Buckinghams was an awesome event, and I loved seeing student-athletes showcase their talents outside of sport. –Alex Hornibrook, Football The Buckinghams was such a great experience! Interviewing everyone during the show was heaps of fun, and an enriching opportunity that pushed me out of my comfort zone. It was a riot, and I cannot wait for next year! – Cameron Tysoe, Men’s Swimming & Diving I love the Buckinghams because it’s the one event every year when all the student-athletes can come together and celebrate. It’s really fun to see not only your teammates, but also your friends from other teams get recognized for their successes at things beyond their athletic talents, such as academics and community service the Buckinghams showcase the true definition of what it means to be a student-athlete here at the University of Wisconsin. – Tess Hackworthy, Women’s Golf
Click here to watch the video of the full show Click here to watch the post-event recap video Click here to read the post-event article Click here to download photos from the red carpet, pre-show, and show
“I wanted to thank you and the whole team that worked on the Buckinghams this year! It was so, SO special, and was one of the biggest highlights since being here at Wisconsin.” – David Pfaff, Football
“I usually showcase my art through digital platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and the response is usually positive and really cool to get feedback from friends, family, and some strangers. But actually holding the printed off art work was something else. The feeling I had with it in my hands made the hours of work worth it. I was excited to show my work to more than followers online, and instead actually touch my peers in athletics.” – Mariah Watts, Softball
INTERDEPARTMENTAL INITIATIVES The OSAD collaborates with many units across the athletics department to provide holistic development programming to our student-athletes, including the following:
SUMMER BRIDGE Each summer, the OSAD collaborates with the Office of Academic Services to coordinate a Summer Bridge program to introduce student-athletes to resources that they can rely on throughout their journey on campus. Each week, they learned about a different area within the athletic department that is specifically designed to help them while at Wisconsin, and give them the spirit to continue to seek these opportunities when they graduate. These session topics included: academics, student-athlete development, nutrition, inclusion & engagement, sport psychology, and community outreach. Student-athletes were able to meet peers from other teams and connect with them. Summer Bridge allows for all of our incoming freshman to have a shared experience that they will carry with them throughout their lifetime. During the summer of 2017, 58 incoming student-athletes participated in our summer bridge program
I went into it thinking that Summer Bridge was just one of those things you had to do, but it turned out to be helpful looking back at it. Learning about time management was really impactful especially with getting injured, which was unplanned. Managing my time with school and rehab, and still traveling, was huge and it took me a few weeks after surgery to figure it out. I initially fell behind, but once I figured that out I was able to catch back up in my classes and finish strong by the end of my freshman year. – Kobe King, Men’s Basketball
ONE TEAM CELEBRATION A department-wide welcome back event for all studentathletes, coaches, and athletics staff members to come together and promote community, and kick off the year with a “thank you” to the dedication of every one who contributes to the consistent high level of performance our student-athletes embody on and off the field, court, rink, water, course, or mat.
600+ student-athletes and staff members participated at the fall 2017 event
The One Team Celebration was a new, exciting way to kick off the school year. I thought it was really cool for me to share my experiences during my time at UW, so that other student-athletes, especially incoming freshman, have an idea of what they can accomplish in their time here. – Lamar Remy, Men’s Tennis
TITLE IX With the collaboration between athletics, violence prevention specialists and Title IX coordinators across campus, we coordinated educational programming for all student-athletes, coaches, and athletics administrators to meet the following learning objectives related to prevention sexual violence and harassment outlined by the NCAA.
I am glad the athletic department has provided us with the Green Dot bystander intervention training. I think the training provides invaluable skills to help stop power-based violence, and having everyone learn these skills will help to make our community on campus safer for everyone. – Chris Wills, Men’s Swimming & Diving
This year, the training focused heavily on one of the leading violence prevention strategies in the country, Green Dot – which outlines specific risk factors and strengthens protective strategies with developmentally appropriate, skills-based and research informed approaches.
ESPNW CAMPUS CONVERSATIONS A committee of women professionals in the athletic department coordinated with espnW staff to bring the 20th edition of Campus Conversations, a forum for female studentathletes, to Wisconsin. Sarah Spain, a well-known on-air TV reporter, columnist and radio personality for ESPN, was one of the marquee personalities for the event, which drew
120+ participants from the 12 women's sports at Wisconsin. The get-together included an open forum moderated by Sarah Spain and a panel of speakers featuring two ESPN executives, Carol Stiff and Katina Arnold, and a diverse group of accomplished Badger alum women who knew precisely how it feels to be a student-athlete at Wisconsin.
One of the main things I learned from today
If I had something like this to go back
Shifting from my hockey identity to my blogging
was when they talked about how success
to [when I was a student-athlete
and journalism career, my potential career in sports
shouldn’t define your happiness – and
here], I would’ve been so much less
media. I think them being able to be role models for
sometimes I tend to find myself looking into
confused. I wouldn’t have been so
me, they did what I did and transitioned into the
my future for my tennis and my career, and
lost as a student – and I’m just so
real world successfully. Just having that inspiration
now I just need to learn to be grateful for
jealous! – Dorcas Akinniyi-Jansen,
right now is really inspirational for me. It kind of
where I am right now and continue to grow
former Women’s Track & Field
made me think ‘ok, I can do this’ and I know it’s
to see where that takes me.– Lexi Keberle,
really intimidating jumping into the real world,
Women’s Tennis
realizing that lessons I’ve learned as a studentathlete are going to help me [with the transition]. – Baylee Wellhaussen, Women’s Hockey
Click here for the highlight video