Employers, grad schools on the lookout for student-athletes

Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s career coaches offer workshops for varsity teams

Student-athletes are in the lead when it comes to finding a job or being accepted to graduate school. Their experience balancing academics and athletics yields sought-after skills.

¡°Being in high-pressure environments that demand swift decisions through critical thinking ¡ª athletes consistently experience this,¡± said Ammuniki Wood, CORE career coach. ¡°Also, most jobs require employees to work without constant micromanagement. Employers and grad schools have found that student-athletes excel in both of these areas."

Another reason student-athletes get a second look is because they have learned how to deal with feedback, Wood said. Their ability to handle criticism and process/implement feedback leads to more effective relationships and outcomes. Plus, they have shown they are dedicated and follow through on commitments. 

To help student-athletes communicate their experiences so they stand out to employers and graduate schools, CORE career coaches offer workshops for Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s varsity teams.

Viking softball players Claire Weeks ¡¯22 and Shaye Arwood ¡¯22 recently attended a workshop led by Wood.

Weeks, a data analytics major, said understanding more about her ¡°transferrable skills¡± helped her think more deeply and intellectually about herself. Now, when interviewing for jobs, she says she can illustrate her range of skills by drawing on personal experience rather giving ¡°cookie-cutter and average¡± answers.

For example, playing collegiate softball has taught Weeks the importance of time management and working as a team and staying positive and focused when things aren't going well. 

¡°Playing a sport has also given me a voice and opportunities every day to become more of a leader,¡± she said. ¡°Being on a team of 30 girls, it¡¯s difficult to have your voice heard sometimes, so playing on this team for four years has helped me gain confidence in myself, and truly know who I am as I graduate college."

Teammate Shaye Arwood, a biochemistry major with a public health minor, is applying to graduate schools. She agrees with Weeks that time management and leadership skills are No. 1 for a student-athlete.

¡°Being able to balance a hectic practice and lifting schedule with classwork and labs was the first skill I learned my freshman year, and the most important,¡± Arwood said.

¡°Softball has helped me learn to manage myself, and to know how to prioritize my goals,¡± she added. ¡°My leadership skills have grown so much, and I've learned to speak up about not only my opinions, but also any questions I have or clarity I need, which will be really important to my success as a grad student.¡±

The workshop also introduced Arwood to the many resources CORE offers to help students find jobs or internships, and ways to reach out to alumni for advice or shadowing.

¡°This aspect was especially important to me,¡± she said, ¡°because I got in touch with many alumni to talk about their experiences applying to grad school for epidemiology, and what their career is like now.¡±

Viking coaches interested in setting up a workshop for their team may contact Ammuniki Wood or Joe Giffen, athletics liaisons in CORE (Careers, Opportunities, Research, Exploration), at 309-794-8612.