Teaching by Day, Competing by Night
Photo provided by Rampage student photographer Savannah Thompson.
As one of his first initiatives as the new provost and chief academic officer at Bluefield University, Dr. Jason Craig introduced a new mentor program designed to strengthen relationships between faculty members and student-athletes.
The program was created to provide a bridge between the classroom and the athletic venue, helping professors develop relationships with student-athletes outside of the academic environment while serving as representatives of athletic teams on campus.
“It (the mentor program) is there for the students to feel supported and that they have a bridge between the classroom and the sport they play,” Dr. Craig said. “It also gives them someone to talk to that is not their coach or professor so they can perform to the highest standard.”
The program provides a neutral person to whom the student-athletes can go if they ever need help, and it is designed to give student-athletes someone else on campus to help them in every way possible.
Dr. Jessica Sykes has joined the new mentor program. She is a big personality on campus who many people rely on for advice. She has taken on a mentor role for the women’s volleyball team and says she is loving it.
“I thoroughly believe each and every one of us are created with a gift, call and purpose from God,” Dr. Sykes said. “I hope that I can be an anchor of kindness and wisdom to help these amazing young women to grow into the leaders God created them to be. I enjoy taking the journey with them on and off the court.”
Her involvement with the women’s volleyball team is already having an impact.
“Dr. Sykes has helped massively in this program,” said a member of the women’s volleyball team. “It is always nice to have someone to go to if I have had a bad practice or if I am ever stuck on an assignment.”
Another faculty member taking part in the program is Dr. Olivia Andrews. Dr. Andrews is new to Bluefield University, so she saw this as an opportunity to get to know more students. She is a mentor for the football team and the men’s and women’s track teams.
“I have always been an athlete and have always enjoyed being around sports,” Dr. Andrews said. “I chose track because while I never actually competed in track myself, I got into running during college and graduate school, and it has become a big part of my everyday life. I chose football because I am a huge football fan – both college football and the NFL – so it felt like a natural fit for me.”
Dr. Craig’s new mentor program not only gets faculty more involved in attending BU sporting events, but also provides student-athletes extra support and more people cheering them on. The faculty members already involved in the program demonstrate their dedication to the university and to seeing student-athletes succeed both in the classroom and on the court.