This practicum has given me the chance to investigate many topics in a short amount of time.  For the last six weeks, I have constantly worked on projects ranging from background research to academic image creation.  The most important skill acquired through this practicum experience is how to present data in many forms.  Through my graduate coursework at Arizona State University I have had to use research to support many ideas in paper and presentation form, but until this practicum I had never done narrative research, survey creation or visual research presentation.  I am glad to have had the opportunity to explore these modes of research and presentation outside of class. I enjoyed being a part of a one-on-one setting with a researcher in a field I have an interest in.  In a graduate course the student is part of a group (the class) but submits individual work for grading/comments.  Coursework is individual but there are times students can blend into the group.  In working with Dr. Harrison, I was the audience and the contributor in one and received individual attention at all times.  I enjoyed letting my work shine through and being accountable for everything over the duration of my practicum.   

The main theme that ran through all my practicum projects was the Scholar-Baller™ program.  This program is designed to recognize student-athletes on and off the field for their academic achievements.  The program involves academic competition, recognition and a unique curriculum.  When I first heard about the program I was only slightly interested in the concept of Scholar-Baller™ because I work within athletics and my coursework focuses on academics.  But after going through this practicum I find it exceptional to see this distinctive program’s combination of academics and athletics to support education and sport performance.

The projects I worked with focused on the following main areas: converting numerical data into presentations and visual representations, creating press releases and public address announcements, communicating with educators and student-athletes directly related to the program, creating mission statements for all Scholar-Baller™ programs, and basic research of great scholar-athletes and academic reform.  I had the opportunity to analyze data from the Illinois State University and Arizona State University Scholar-Baller™ program student-athlete participants.  I created power point presentations and academic-athletic images that exemplified the program’s results for Dr. Harrison to use for academic presentations within and outside of those schools.  I used my current technology knowledge to research and find out how to link up a student-athlete survey that will aid in research opportunities to the Scholar-Baller™ website.  I also had the opportunity to use my creative instincts I usually use during my marketing career to create press releases and public address announcements the first high school Scholar-Baller™ district can use to bring positive attention to and promote the program.  By surveying student-athlete participants and asking education professionals for quotes, I was able to gain a complete understanding of this program from the people who interact with and use it to improve academic performance.  By creating mission statements for all current and future Scholar-Baller™ programs such as Scholar-Baller™ Community College, Scholar-Baller™ High School and even Scholar-Baller™ Elementary school, I was able to apply my program knowledge to opportunities that may be in the future.  In simply researching past and current scholar-athletes and academic reform I gained a better understanding of the role academics plays in the life of a student-athlete and in the university as a whole.  

Before beginning my research I knew this practicum would give me a better understanding of the role academics plays in a student-athlete’s life, but I had no idea how academic reform impacted the athletic department and university.  This experience has given me the opportunity to work with data I was interested in but never had approached before.  I was able to fully understand the Scholar-Baller™ program and see that academic reform programs tied to athletics can impact education all the way through to the elementary school level.  All of my research through this practicum can be used in any of my upcoming classes to support and add to class discussion, coursework and additional research.  I am hoping the research I helped out with during this practicum will eventually aid in the construction of my capstone paper at the culmination of my graduate coursework. 

When imagining my future career goals I know I will always have an interest in continuing my position within collegiate marketing.  This particular research will help me present many aspects of a student-athlete in promotional materials and at events.  My office currently partners with Arizona State University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions to create elementary student fieldtrip days to specific sports where at the event the elementary students complete an academic/athletic workbook to learn more about the sport while using reading, math and other skills.  After the event is finished our athletes speak to the elementary students about the importance of college and staying in school.  I would like to continue to emphasize academic initiatives at future athletic events during my professional career in collegiate athletic marketing.  I also feel it is important to know what is going on in all levels of the athletic department and not only be involved in my specific work.  This practicum has given me the basic information and history to understand student-athlete academic recognition and performance programs.  During my professional career I will be able to build upon this information to continue to promote and present the most positive image of academic success within athletics.