Philosophy
The McDaniel College Athletics Faculty Mentor Program is a program to better facilitate the integration of athletics and academics, engage faculty and student athletes in a more personal way and enhance the available resources for teams. Learning and interacting with caring faculty role models is a cornerstone of the Athletics Faculty Mentor Program.
Faculty mentors are a group of faculty and staff interested in furthering the integration of the student-athlete within the life of the college. These committed individuals believe that athletics play an integral role in the educational mission of the college, and that athletic participation is meaningful and valuable, contributing greatly to the development of the whole person – mind, body, and spirit.
Faculty mentors provide access to an additional resource across many areas of the college – faculty, administration, staff, students and coaches – by encouraging and reinforcing the ties between the athletic, academic, and personal development of the student-athlete. Faculty mentors are role models who willingly connect to student-athletes to provide support through additional counsel and advice when specific issues arise, particularly in the areas of academics and social issues. Mentors are dedicated to the idea of building a positive connection between the academic, athletic and social cultures of our campus.
The Objectives
- To offer student-athletes and faculty members the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for the educational mission and its application in intercollegiate athletics.
- To provide student-athletes with an additional opportunity to receive faculty mentoring.
- To allow faculty members an "inside look" at the responsibility that student-athletes must adopt to succeed – academically, personally and athletically.
Faculty Mentors
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Faculty Mentors are individual faculty members who:
- Believe that athletics play an integral role in the mission of the college, and that athletic participation is a meaningful and valuable educational experience.
- Are interested in the integration of student-athletes within the life of the college
- Provide another resource for student-athlete and coaches as they work to balance achieving success in academics and athletics.
- Are role models who can connect with student-athletes to provide support and engagement in academics and life as a college student.
- Communicate to other faculty and staff members a deeper understanding of how participation in varsity athletics advances the mission of a liberal arts education.
- Support teams in the best way they can and provide an added resource on critical times.
Role of the Faculty Mentor
The role of each faculty mentor will vary depending on the relationship style of each team, coach, and faculty mentor. Each faculty mentor will have their own style and way of interacting with the student-athletes and coaches. The amount of time spent with the team will vary from mentor to mentor. They are there to create a partnership between faculty, student-athletes, and coaches. It is not necessary for the mentor to be an expert in the sport field. Each faculty mentor will have his or her own style of mentoring, but may want some or all of the following opportunities as guidelines to facilitate interactions with the team and coaching staff.
Examples of Opportunities for Faculty Mentors
- To support the academic development of the student-athletes
- Serve as an informal adviser to team members
- To promote understanding and communication between faculty, athlete, and student athletes
- Provide coaches an additional resource to help advise student-athletes with academic matters.
- Be a resource and/or counsel the student-athlete on their well-being
- Build strong relationships with student-athletes and coaches
- Advise and help freshmen adjust to life as a college student athlete
- Attend practices and games.
- Attend special team function, cook-outs, dinners, lunches, adventure activities, runs.
- Collaborate with other faculty mentors and coaches to bring together academics and athletics in more concrete ways.
- Meet with and serve as a resource for prospective student athletes
- Get to know parents of student-athletes
- Eat pre-game meal with the team
- Attend a team meeting to discuss ways to balance participation on an athletic team and achieve academic success
- Attend end of the season banquet/celebration
- Participate in team's service projects(s)
- Be the team's biggest and most supportive fan
Selection of the Faculty Mentor
The Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), in consultation with the student-athletes and the Athletics Director contacts the head coach to see if their team are interested in having a Faculty Athletics Mentor and generates with them a list of potential mentors. The FAR then consults with the faculty members and completes the pairings.
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