Robin Glynn – General Assignment Reporter –
This past semester, student athletes have had the opportunity to give back and influence a younger group of students at Beech and Clinton Avenue schools.
“We have been involved in some capacity with the Beecher School since 2007-2008 academic year,” said Michael Kobylanski, Assistant Director for Athletics and Communications. “For the past several years, we have instituted a weekly academic program where I student athletes go over and assist in the academics.”
Kobylanski said there are a few reasons to have athletes volunteer with elementary schools.
“First and foremost, it gives our student athletes to opportunity to give back to the community to which they attend school,” said Kobylanski. “It is also important to support the university’s mission to help impact the community that which we attend school or work in.”
Kobylanski said there was an alumni component to having athlete’s volunteer. A former field hockey athlete works at Beecher School.
Once a week, athletes will help students with their academics or with sports clinics. Kobylanski said that having students volunteer in the classroom is a good thing for the teachers.
“It is another set of eyes and ears,” said Kobylanski. “We see the enjoyment the players have.”
According to the athletic department, the program is an example of the community outreach events that SCSU student-athletes will take part in as part of the Tim Greer Insurance Agency Community Service Cup.
According to The Time Greer Insurance Agency Community Service Cup, the program provides a competitive format that allows student-athletes to gain an enriched experience through engagement with the on-campus and local communities by supporting ventures of traditional citizens, campus community members and peer students and student-athletes. SCSU student-athletes have volunteered nearly 15,000 hours of their time to numerous outreach efforts, both on-campus and in Greater New Haven, since the start of the 2007-08 academic year.
