University of Oklahoma Athletics
Focusing the Spotlight on Careers
September 19, 2007 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- Most students at the University of Oklahoma have similar goals for their collegiate career. They are looking for their diploma, a job offer or maybe a travel opportunity. They spend four years preparing for these goals.
Student-athletes face a unique college experience because, besides graduation and career hopes, they are also looking for national championships and perhaps a pro career. Their daily activities involve more than class, studying, socializing and perhaps a part-time job. Day in and day out, there are practices, strength and conditioning, team meetings, traveling and most important, games that can lead to playoffs and championships. With each day planned down to the minute, student-athletes may face challenges planning for a career in addition to a championship ring.
That is where career services comes into play at the University of Oklahoma. This department is dedicated to helping student-athletes complete their degree requirements and compete in the career world in addition to the sports realm.
To reach out to so many student-athletes and ensure they are prepared for what comes after graduation, dedicated staff members, like academic advisor Teresa Turner, are needed. For the past several years, she has worked as the sole academic advisor for football, assisting hundreds of players fulfill their full potential. She has now been appointed as the department's Director for Career Services. She is set to enact several initiatives this academic year with a simple goal -- to flex the power of athletics department's career services.
"We've had these things available, but it's just being a part of making it bigger, better, and more visible," Turner said. "I'm excited about the opportunity to showcase what services we have available for our students and to reach the students who are out there. Also, we are looking forward to bringing former student-athletes back in and assisting them with their degree completion requirements."
Currently, the department offers a variety of services that are specially formulated for student-athletes' complex schedules and unique positions. An annual career fair with mandatory attendance is conducted. Several publications are geared towards securing employment and career opportunities for student-athletes. A website, careerathletes.com, offers a way to do global networking for internships and employment opportunities. This mass posting area allows curent student-athletes to branch out and find additional opportunities with former letterwinners as well as others in the field.
The department helps prepare students for the career process as well, giving opportunities for mock interviews, résumé construction and internships. Turner hopes to instill these skills early in the collegiate path.
"I want to get students interested early on in ways that they can improve and prepare themselves for later in life, when their playing career is over," Turner, a former Sooner student-athlete, said.
In addition to the existing services that the department provides, Turner hopes to build a mentoring program from the ground up. By pairing today's student-athletes with former student-athletes who have become successful away from competition, Turner hopes to inspire these students and give them hope. A familiar face will be behind this new program as Carl Pendleton has become a graduate assistant for the department.
A former OU football player and standout student, Pendleton offers a fresh perspective into the dual roles of player and student.
"As student-athletes, you spend so much time being busy you forget about what happens when those four or five years of chaos is over," Pendleton said.
This insight will prove extremely useful in his participation to revamp career services.
After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Oklahoma, Pendleton is pursuing a master's degree in athletics administration. His success in the classroom was recognized as much as his play on the field.
"I think it's easier for him to share that motivation with our student-athletes, especially with those in his sport, because he can relate to what they are going through," Turner said. "Contact with them is especially helpful with peer mentoring because he is not so far removed from what they are going through today."
His addition to the staff is expected to be very beneficial. "Carl was one of our model student-athletes," Turner said. "He has always been very mature, very focused." His presence in the administrative end of the athletics department will give younger student-athletes a chance to see what is possible.
"It's going to be good to have former student-athletes who are doing great things and being successful in different ways to be here and visible to our student-athletes," Turner added.
One of the main initiatives that Turner hopes to focus on is getting student-athletes back to complete their degrees. "We have funds available to help and we want to get our student-athletes back who have not completed their degree requirements," Turner said.
"We are finding ways of working around their schedules, including using online or weekend classes, to get degrees completed," Pendleton said.
Regardless of the initiative, promoting awareness will be key in the success of the program. "We want to get the word out and reach people - to make sure they are aware of what's going on and the kinds of things we are doing to try to help our current and former student-athletes," Turner said.
By gathering attention and focusing motivation on career services, the student-athletes have a greater chance for overall success in life. The University of Oklahoma is the best place to get a head start on that success.
"I believe this department, with these programs, has stepped up to be a trendsetter and we have definitely set the pace for a lot of other schools," Turner said. "We want to continue to do that even more."
Turner and Pendleton embrace this drive for excellence in their careers and consider the university one of the best places to do that.
"You want to always keep changing and enhancing opportunities," Turner continued. "We want to take a lead from the example the athletics department leaders have set. We are progressive in a number of administrative areas. We want to be progressive in all of the areas and services that we provide to our student-athletes."
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- By Meredith Noonan, OU Athletics Media Relations
