July 21, 2014
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Life after college for student-athletes varies with each individual. Most student-athletes will complete their undergraduate degrees, move on to the "real world" and conclude their competitive athletics career. In contrast, a select group of student-athletes will compete professionally in their respective sports. Furthermore, some of these individuals will decide to leave their university early in order to enter their respective professional draft (Ex. NFL, NBA and MLB) or sign-on with a professional sports organization.
A recent hot topic inside the world of collegiate athletics is what happens to those individuals who decide to leave early and pursue their professional athletics career. In particular, what are the opportunities at-hand for student-athletes to return to their former university and complete their college degree?
On June 27, 2014, Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics, Fred Glass, unveiled the "Indiana University Student-Athlete Bill of Rights". The 10-point Bill of Rights outlined IU's commitment to their student-athletes during their tenure at the university, in addition to their life after their stay at Bloomington, Ind. The full IU Bill of Rights can be found here.
One central topic among IU's Bill of Rights that is garnering a lot of attention is their commitment to a "Lifetime Degree Guarantee" for their student-athletes. Under their "Hoosiers for Life" program, the Bill of Rights states the following:
Indiana University will pay the tuition (plus books and fees) for an Indiana University undergraduate degree for a full or equivalency scholarship student-athlete who leaves school early to tend to a family emergency, pursue a professional athletics career, or for any other reason. Former student-athletes may take part in this program who: were eligible to play for at least two seasons at IU; were eligible and a student in good standing under university and department policies as well as team rules when they left school; did not leave IU to transfer to another school; and are readmitted to IU consistent with currently applicable degree requirements and other institutional admissions policies and procedures.
IU's newly published document supporting the academic, athletic and personal growth of their student-athletes has gained national media attention over the past few weeks. While these new declarations by universities such as IU might appear as ground-breaking and revolutionary inside their industry, the University of Missouri has already been implementing these practices for years and years.
Over the years, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has continued to make strides in aiding the student-athlete experience both during and after their collegiate tenure. In relation to a student-athletes ability to pursue and achieve a college degree, the NCAA has helped make the process even easier. In the past, NCAA rules and regulations restricted a university's athletics funding capabilities towards a student-athletes' degree to a five to six year window. However, in 2011 the rule was changed to allow unlimited aid to enrolled student-athletes at the institutions discretion.
Since Mizzou's Director of Athletics, Mike Alden, began his tenure at the university in 1998, it has been a campus wide goal to put a stronger emphasis on providing proper aid towards all student-athletes' graduation. Mizzou's mission to putting the "student" aspect of "student-athlete" first has allowed for outstanding academic success within their current and former student-athlete base.
Senior Associate Athletics Director of Compliance, Mary Austin, has worked with numerous Mizzou student-athletes that have returned to finish their college degree. The funding allowed by the University of Missouri not only can aid student-athletes who left early to pursue professional athletics, but it can also go towards assisting prospective graduate students and those individuals whose Mizzou Athletics careers ended early due to injury.
"Mizzou has post-eligible funding available for student-athletes who competed their first four years, but might have additional course work that needs completed," said Austin. "That is big since many other schools across the country either don't have those funds available all together or if they do, they have chosen not to use those funds for graduation purposes. Statistics also show that many of our student-athletes may have graduated with an undergraduate degree, but still had eligibility remaining here at Mizzou. In that case, the University of Missouri funds graduate coursework through the end of the student-athlete's playing time."
"In addition to post-eligible funding, it is important to know that the NCAA allows you to continue the scholarship of student-athletes who are medically hurt to the point that they will never play again," Austin continued. "Mizzou has honored medical scholarships for student-athletes for over 30 years. Another opportunity at-hand for student-athletes looking to finish their degrees is summer school funding. A lot of schools don't include summer courses in their student-athlete graduation funding, but Mizzou has continued to develop an effective policy to allow those individuals take advantage of yet another opportunity."
One of many Mizzou Athletics' strategic goals remains in place, to strive for a 100-percent graduate rate for all student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility at MU. According to Associate Athletics Director of Academic Services, Tami Chievous, the University of Missouri has assisted 54 former student-athletes complete their degree over the past nine years. In the past year alone, as many as 15 have reached out to our Total Person Program staff to finish their degrees.
Two former Tigers student-athletes who are currently completing their degrees at Mizzou are Christian Cantwell and Will Franklin. Cantwell left Columbia as one of the most decorated Mizzou student-athletes in history, after claiming seven All-American honors for the Tigers Track & Field team. Following his outstanding collegiate career, Cantwell would go on to win an Olympic Silver Medal in 2008 and claim the 2009 IAAF Outdoor Shot Put World Championship.
Franklin played for the Tigers football program from 2004-07 and was one of the team's top wide receivers during his tenure. In 2006, he was named Mizzou's "Team Receiver of the Year" and earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. During his senior campaign in 2007, Franklin once again was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and finished his Mizzou career with 143 receptions (10th all-time) and 2,125 receiving yards (7th all-time).
For Cantwell, his professional athletics career has continued to rise to unimaginable heights. As he continues to train for the 2016 Olympics, the ability to complete online courses through the University of Missouri has allowed him to complete his academic goals.
"I was done with my athletic eligibility, so I immediately went overseas to start my professional career," said Cantwell. "The track and field circuit can require one to travel approximately 100-120 days a year. Quickly, I realized I would not be able to complete my degree in the major I was enrolled. Fortunately, online classes through Mizzou have allowed me to start my path to finish my degree. While I have to work to find an internet connection in countries like China, Qatar and most of Europe for assignments, I am now able to finish the remaining courses. I will have my degree completed before my last Olympics in 2016."
With the help of programs like Mizzou's Total Person Program (TPP), Cantwell can not only continue to pursue his athletics dreams but he can also realize his academic dreams as well.
"I feel very strongly that the University of Missouri is the best institution in the NCAA," exclaimed Cantwell. "Mizzou has always allowed former student-athletes to come back. With a new NCAA ruling, universities can now help pay for athletes to finish a degree. Mizzou simply takes care of all former Tigers. Mizzou's support has assisted me to take the World Champion title four different times, become a two-time Olympian and help win the Beijing Silver Medal. Now, I owe it to myself, Mizzou and my family to have a degree completion."
Will Franklin also shared similar thoughts to Cantwell, as he recently decided that it was time to make his return to Mizzou and finish the college degree he began pursuing back in 2004. With assistance from Mizzou Athletics staff members such as Tami Chievous, the transition for Franklin has been seamless.
"As a student-athlete here from 2004-07, I have always known that Mizzou has welcomed back all of their former players," said Franklin. "I decided that it was time for me to finish my degree, so I reached out to my former football coaches and the TPP about wanting to finish. Within a few days the plan was in action. Now, I'm back enrolled at the University of Missouri to finish what I started years ago!"
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