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Anthony Romano
March 26, 2014
Avoiding Foreclosure
Looking back on my own winding career path, I led anything but a static existence. At 16, I was apprenticing part-time in a funeral home; at 24, I was a writer for a newspaper and at 28, I was working for an adoption agency. Perhaps these are paths not traveled by many (or wanted), but they were invaluable experiences, which helped me not to fall into what is known as identity foreclosure.
James Marcia identified some identity states adolescents and young adults go through early on. The first was identity foreclosure - a stage when a person commits to an occupation without really exploring other opportunities. This can be the result of parental influence or other influences in a person’s life. There has been research that says that student athletes tend to be vulnerable to this particular stage of Marcia’s theory. As a result, other areas of their lives may suffer, which includes realistic career planning.
It can be frustrating when someone has his or her heart set on one thing and later find out that something has gone awry. How do you break that rigid thinking pattern which can lead to depression and failed expectations? This is a challenge anyone can face, but with collegiate athletes it seems to be more prevalent.
It is important to look ahead and find things in your life that are important outside athletics. Individuals may find relationships with others, friends and romantic alike, to be extremely positive. It is also important to analyze your own skills, beliefs, values, and interests. What else in your life do you think you are good at? What else is important to you? These are very beneficial questions to ask oneself while on the journey for self-discovery. When things do not work out the way you planned, what do you do? Where do you find strength and support? Developing autonomy, the ability to find your own way of doing things, is very important in moving forward and developing as an individual and in any career.
To have set goals is a good thing; many people start out with a very focused career path. It is also important to realize, more so in today’s society, people start out on one road and wind up taking many exits along the way. Those are not setbacks or anything to be thought of as negative. Quite the contrary. They are steps and with each step, we get closer to a goal. We also bring our experiences with us along the way. I write a lot to this very day, something clearly I brought with me from working as a writer for the newspaper. I also pay very close attention to detail and remember vivid images that help me put things together, yet another skill I developed while working as a funeral apprentice. Avoiding foreclosure and leaving yourself open to change can bring many benefits to your life and to any potential career.
March 26, 2014
Avoiding Foreclosure
Looking back on my own winding career path, I led anything but a static existence. At 16, I was apprenticing part-time in a funeral home; at 24, I was a writer for a newspaper and at 28, I was working for an adoption agency. Perhaps these are paths not traveled by many (or wanted), but they were invaluable experiences, which helped me not to fall into what is known as identity foreclosure.
James Marcia identified some identity states adolescents and young adults go through early on. The first was identity foreclosure - a stage when a person commits to an occupation without really exploring other opportunities. This can be the result of parental influence or other influences in a person’s life. There has been research that says that student athletes tend to be vulnerable to this particular stage of Marcia’s theory. As a result, other areas of their lives may suffer, which includes realistic career planning.
It can be frustrating when someone has his or her heart set on one thing and later find out that something has gone awry. How do you break that rigid thinking pattern which can lead to depression and failed expectations? This is a challenge anyone can face, but with collegiate athletes it seems to be more prevalent.
It is important to look ahead and find things in your life that are important outside athletics. Individuals may find relationships with others, friends and romantic alike, to be extremely positive. It is also important to analyze your own skills, beliefs, values, and interests. What else in your life do you think you are good at? What else is important to you? These are very beneficial questions to ask oneself while on the journey for self-discovery. When things do not work out the way you planned, what do you do? Where do you find strength and support? Developing autonomy, the ability to find your own way of doing things, is very important in moving forward and developing as an individual and in any career.
To have set goals is a good thing; many people start out with a very focused career path. It is also important to realize, more so in today’s society, people start out on one road and wind up taking many exits along the way. Those are not setbacks or anything to be thought of as negative. Quite the contrary. They are steps and with each step, we get closer to a goal. We also bring our experiences with us along the way. I write a lot to this very day, something clearly I brought with me from working as a writer for the newspaper. I also pay very close attention to detail and remember vivid images that help me put things together, yet another skill I developed while working as a funeral apprentice. Avoiding foreclosure and leaving yourself open to change can bring many benefits to your life and to any potential career.
Shannon Schmeding
April 2, 2014
How Many College Athletes Really Go Pro?
Growing up in a household with an older brother, I have seen first-hand the trials and tribulations that student athletes go through. From choosing the best AAU traveling team to making the decision of which high school to go to that will give you the most chances of a D1 scholarship are the huge decisions in the life of a student athlete. The decision becomes exponentially more important once it is time to pick a college, especially if there are scholarships on the table.
For my brother, having 5 division one full ride scholarships was enough for him to make a decision; a decision that changed his life forever. He decided to go just about 700 miles away to a Big Ten school that I had only ever seen on television. Now for him this decision changed his life because he got the necessary support system to complete his degree. I often wonder if he was not a student athlete, would he have completed his degree.
Now my brother lived and breathed and ate football (and at 6’9 he sure did eat a lot!) Football was his life. He had dreamed of being a professional football player in the NFL since he could stand. But my brother got a rude awakening his junior year when he got pretty sick. He was in and out of the hospital for weeks. At that time, he had a discussion with one of his coaches that changed his life forever. His coach asked him what his “backup plan was”. He had never heard of anyone talk about a backup plan before so this was all new to him.
So What’s your Back Up Plan?
If things don’t work out the way you’d like and you don’t go pro, what’s your Plan B? What will your degree be in? What can you do with that degree? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? These are all questions that may be hard to answer if you’ve never thought about this concept before. For those of you reading these questions and answering them fairly quickly, you are some of the lucky student athletes who have thought about these things before. However, not everyone is as lucky as you.
According to an article written by Tony Manfred of businessinsider.com, only baseball had more than 2 % of NCAA athletes go pro. Baseball has the highest percentage with 11.6% of college players playing professionally. There are only 1.7% of college football players that go pro. Men’s ice hockey only sports 1.3% of college players who go on to play pro. Men’s basketball is even smaller than that with 1.2% going pro. And the last of men’s sports, soccer, has a breathtaking 1.0% of college players going on to play professionally. For all you women reading this article don’t worry- we didn’t forget about you. Unfortunately, there are only 0.9% of college basketball players going on to play pro… yes only 0.9%!
Now that we know how many athletes really go pro, and we know it is not a significant number at all; the question becomes what now? If you can’t or don’t make it pro what will your backup plan be? Will you become a teacher? Doctor? Social worker? Entrepreneur? Accountant? Lawyer? Where do you start? Well that is why this website is in place! This website will help you to navigate your personality and potential careers that match your personality type as well as your preferred work environment. So take some time to think about those questions posed before and where you see yourself in five or ten years. I encourage you to really take some time to think about that potential backup plan.
I am here to tell you thinking about those topics is not easy. It is also not easy to find a job in this economy but there are things you can do now to help your future. You can take advantage of things like the career center and utilize your different skills and put them to good use in other areas of life. For my brother, he graduated and was unemployed for about a year before he finally found work doing customer service and managing accounts for a large company. He has been there the past four years and loves it. I am sure it helps that the person who interviewed him for the position was a huge fan of the Big Ten!
So I guess what I am saying is that not many college athletes go pro so think about a backup plan and take steps now to help your future. Build on those transferrable skills from your time management skills to leadership skills and be able to utilize the resources that exist to help get you settled in your next career. Also, take some time to complete the assessments on this website and view those potential career choices. Think about if you see yourself in any of those fields? If you don’t, why not?
Congratulations on getting this far and good luck in going pro or finding out your Plan B!
You can read Tony’s full article here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/odds-college-athletes-become-professionals-2012-2?op=1
April 2, 2014
How Many College Athletes Really Go Pro?
Growing up in a household with an older brother, I have seen first-hand the trials and tribulations that student athletes go through. From choosing the best AAU traveling team to making the decision of which high school to go to that will give you the most chances of a D1 scholarship are the huge decisions in the life of a student athlete. The decision becomes exponentially more important once it is time to pick a college, especially if there are scholarships on the table.
For my brother, having 5 division one full ride scholarships was enough for him to make a decision; a decision that changed his life forever. He decided to go just about 700 miles away to a Big Ten school that I had only ever seen on television. Now for him this decision changed his life because he got the necessary support system to complete his degree. I often wonder if he was not a student athlete, would he have completed his degree.
Now my brother lived and breathed and ate football (and at 6’9 he sure did eat a lot!) Football was his life. He had dreamed of being a professional football player in the NFL since he could stand. But my brother got a rude awakening his junior year when he got pretty sick. He was in and out of the hospital for weeks. At that time, he had a discussion with one of his coaches that changed his life forever. His coach asked him what his “backup plan was”. He had never heard of anyone talk about a backup plan before so this was all new to him.
So What’s your Back Up Plan?
If things don’t work out the way you’d like and you don’t go pro, what’s your Plan B? What will your degree be in? What can you do with that degree? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? These are all questions that may be hard to answer if you’ve never thought about this concept before. For those of you reading these questions and answering them fairly quickly, you are some of the lucky student athletes who have thought about these things before. However, not everyone is as lucky as you.
According to an article written by Tony Manfred of businessinsider.com, only baseball had more than 2 % of NCAA athletes go pro. Baseball has the highest percentage with 11.6% of college players playing professionally. There are only 1.7% of college football players that go pro. Men’s ice hockey only sports 1.3% of college players who go on to play pro. Men’s basketball is even smaller than that with 1.2% going pro. And the last of men’s sports, soccer, has a breathtaking 1.0% of college players going on to play professionally. For all you women reading this article don’t worry- we didn’t forget about you. Unfortunately, there are only 0.9% of college basketball players going on to play pro… yes only 0.9%!
Now that we know how many athletes really go pro, and we know it is not a significant number at all; the question becomes what now? If you can’t or don’t make it pro what will your backup plan be? Will you become a teacher? Doctor? Social worker? Entrepreneur? Accountant? Lawyer? Where do you start? Well that is why this website is in place! This website will help you to navigate your personality and potential careers that match your personality type as well as your preferred work environment. So take some time to think about those questions posed before and where you see yourself in five or ten years. I encourage you to really take some time to think about that potential backup plan.
I am here to tell you thinking about those topics is not easy. It is also not easy to find a job in this economy but there are things you can do now to help your future. You can take advantage of things like the career center and utilize your different skills and put them to good use in other areas of life. For my brother, he graduated and was unemployed for about a year before he finally found work doing customer service and managing accounts for a large company. He has been there the past four years and loves it. I am sure it helps that the person who interviewed him for the position was a huge fan of the Big Ten!
So I guess what I am saying is that not many college athletes go pro so think about a backup plan and take steps now to help your future. Build on those transferrable skills from your time management skills to leadership skills and be able to utilize the resources that exist to help get you settled in your next career. Also, take some time to complete the assessments on this website and view those potential career choices. Think about if you see yourself in any of those fields? If you don’t, why not?
Congratulations on getting this far and good luck in going pro or finding out your Plan B!
You can read Tony’s full article here:
http://www.businessinsider.com/odds-college-athletes-become-professionals-2012-2?op=1
LeeAndrea Kirkland
April 15, 2014
So You Don’t Want to Play Sports Anymore …
It’s the end of your junior year of undergrad and you have never been more confused in your life. Your friends are either going pro (or semi), preparing for Olympic athletic training, or for their professional careers. The good news is, this confusion you feel is very common, and for all undergraduate juniors and seniors, not just student-athletes like yourself.
This transition in your life can be especially stressful; considering that you have probably been an athlete for the majority of your life. The best thing you can do for yourself is research and prepare. You’ve already made the first step by realizing that unlike most of your teammates and athlete-friends, you don’t want to be an athlete anymore. Maybe for you, playing sports was a family tradition, a hobby, an activity you kind of fell into, or merely a means to finance your tuition and college expenses. Nonetheless, the athlete in you is ready to retire and you have no idea what to do next.
Again, the best thing to do is research and prepare. Besides playing a sport for the past three or so years, you must have been taking courses in some field of interest (hopefully). The next question is: “Do you want or need to pursue a post-baccalaureate degree or certificate or do you want to dive right in and begin your professional career?” In addition to seeking professional assistance with answering these questions, there are resources available to assist in this process. The really important question is: “What do you want to do?” and the answer will launch the next leg of your educational/professional journey. Depending on the career/job, you may or may not need a master’s degree; especially considering in this day and age, more employers are supplementing degrees for years of experience.
The key to your success is utilizing the resources you have; while you still have them. Idealist.org has an article outlining great tips for undergrad students to prepare for grad life. The article advises students to do great in your classes, use the relationships you’ve made with coaches, professors and advisors and set goals for yourself. Networking is an invaluable asset, so start asking your coaches and advisors what jobs you can get in to that may be of interest. Maybe they can “hook you up” with an internship, or even a job. Hopefully they can assist you with answering the “do I need to go to grad school” question.
Overall, preparing for life after undergrad is as confusing and stressful for you as it is for the general undergrad population.
Don’t worry.
It will all come together, one way or another, just like it did for the rest of us.
If your journey is anything like mine, in a blink of an eye, and totally by accident and divine intervention, you’ll be well on your way by this time next year.
Begin your research by reading the complete article: http://www.idealist.org/info/GradEducation/Resources/Preparing/Success
April 15, 2014
So You Don’t Want to Play Sports Anymore …
It’s the end of your junior year of undergrad and you have never been more confused in your life. Your friends are either going pro (or semi), preparing for Olympic athletic training, or for their professional careers. The good news is, this confusion you feel is very common, and for all undergraduate juniors and seniors, not just student-athletes like yourself.
This transition in your life can be especially stressful; considering that you have probably been an athlete for the majority of your life. The best thing you can do for yourself is research and prepare. You’ve already made the first step by realizing that unlike most of your teammates and athlete-friends, you don’t want to be an athlete anymore. Maybe for you, playing sports was a family tradition, a hobby, an activity you kind of fell into, or merely a means to finance your tuition and college expenses. Nonetheless, the athlete in you is ready to retire and you have no idea what to do next.
Again, the best thing to do is research and prepare. Besides playing a sport for the past three or so years, you must have been taking courses in some field of interest (hopefully). The next question is: “Do you want or need to pursue a post-baccalaureate degree or certificate or do you want to dive right in and begin your professional career?” In addition to seeking professional assistance with answering these questions, there are resources available to assist in this process. The really important question is: “What do you want to do?” and the answer will launch the next leg of your educational/professional journey. Depending on the career/job, you may or may not need a master’s degree; especially considering in this day and age, more employers are supplementing degrees for years of experience.
The key to your success is utilizing the resources you have; while you still have them. Idealist.org has an article outlining great tips for undergrad students to prepare for grad life. The article advises students to do great in your classes, use the relationships you’ve made with coaches, professors and advisors and set goals for yourself. Networking is an invaluable asset, so start asking your coaches and advisors what jobs you can get in to that may be of interest. Maybe they can “hook you up” with an internship, or even a job. Hopefully they can assist you with answering the “do I need to go to grad school” question.
Overall, preparing for life after undergrad is as confusing and stressful for you as it is for the general undergrad population.
Don’t worry.
It will all come together, one way or another, just like it did for the rest of us.
If your journey is anything like mine, in a blink of an eye, and totally by accident and divine intervention, you’ll be well on your way by this time next year.
Begin your research by reading the complete article: http://www.idealist.org/info/GradEducation/Resources/Preparing/Success
Tamika Quick
April 28, 2014
Networking is in Your Favor
At what age did you begin playing sports? Was it little league? Middle School, High School, or maybe even College. No matter when you began your athletic career think back to all the coaches, trainers, teammates, and parents you've had the opportunity to meet. Now you have reached the crossroad where you are being seen as a former athlete. What can any of these people do to help you now? Well I'm glad you asked.
It it time for you to realize how important networking can be as you now consider an alternative career option. Your coaches, trainers, and teammates were your immediate source of network that you relied on everyday. However there are many others you could include who can assist you with your next career choice including co-workers, friends with similar interests, alumni from your university, and family members. Even if someone cannot help you in your career now, you never know what the future may hold. Take the time to reach out to several people; find out where they are in their career and what it took for them to get there.
Networking can even help with more than just job leads. If a part of you still thinks there is a chance to go pro, networking can provide you a new perspective on your industry, offer insider insight into a particular career path, and even help you build professional skills. Networking has the possibility of opening endless opportunities that you may have never knew existed.
April 28, 2014
Networking is in Your Favor
At what age did you begin playing sports? Was it little league? Middle School, High School, or maybe even College. No matter when you began your athletic career think back to all the coaches, trainers, teammates, and parents you've had the opportunity to meet. Now you have reached the crossroad where you are being seen as a former athlete. What can any of these people do to help you now? Well I'm glad you asked.
It it time for you to realize how important networking can be as you now consider an alternative career option. Your coaches, trainers, and teammates were your immediate source of network that you relied on everyday. However there are many others you could include who can assist you with your next career choice including co-workers, friends with similar interests, alumni from your university, and family members. Even if someone cannot help you in your career now, you never know what the future may hold. Take the time to reach out to several people; find out where they are in their career and what it took for them to get there.
Networking can even help with more than just job leads. If a part of you still thinks there is a chance to go pro, networking can provide you a new perspective on your industry, offer insider insight into a particular career path, and even help you build professional skills. Networking has the possibility of opening endless opportunities that you may have never knew existed.