Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Life Skills Recognized as Program of Excellence
MSU Life Skills Recognized as Program of Excellence
Lifetime award recognizes outstanding Division I-A athletics programs.
Sept. 27, 2000
Michigan State University's Life Skills program has joined a prominent list of schools in being recognized as a Program of Excellence in the 2000-2001 school year.
A "Program of Excellence" is, in essence, a lifetime award designed to recognize Division IA athletics programs that have established student-athlete welfare as the cornerstone of their operating principles.
"The Life Skills award from the Champs Division IA Director of Athletics is a tremendous boost to our overall program and shows the leadership on the part of Kevin Carr, student-athlete involvement and the support of our coaches," said Michigan State Director of Athletics Clarence Underwood. "I think the award is significant and one we're all proud of because it represents the outreach, land-grant philosophy of this university."
Michigan State University's Life Skills program was implemented in 1997 and serves over 700 student-athletes in 26 varsity sports. The cornerstone of the program is the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center with its computer labs, tutorial rooms, study halls and academic and personal counseling services. The Life Skills program has also become involved with community outreach programs such as the "I've Got Heart" community service program in which student-athletes partner with elementary and middle school students to provide encouragement for local hospital patients. The program is also career oriented with a career center, seminars and an annual career fair for student-athletes.
The Program of Excellence was developed in 1997 in order to serve as an assessment tool for universities that are seeking to improve programs and services for student-athletes, to establish a standard of excellence that will serve as a model for Division IA CHAMPS/Life Skills programs and to honor universities that have made a commitment to a broad program of student-athlete support services, as defined by the Division IA CHAMPS Program.
Past recipients of the Program of Excellence include Penn State University, Florida State University, the University of Alabama, the University of Kentucky, the University of Nebraska and the University of Washington.