Improving Student-Athlete Academic Success: Evaluation of Learning Support Tools Utilized by Academic Advisors for Athletics

Abstract

In higher education today academic support staffs are presented with a toolbox from which they must determine how to best support the academic goals of the student-athlete (Comeaux, E., & Harrison, C. K. (2011). A conceptual model of academic success for student-athletes. Educational Researcher, 40, 235-245). There are multiple ways to approach the individual academic challenges presented by student-athletes, however what is not known is what the best approach to remedy the academic shortcomings of the at-risk student-athlete. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of learning support tools used by academic advisors for athletics by measuring the impact on semester and cumulative GPA when study tables, weekly academic advisement meetings and objective based learning were implemented. The secondary purpose of the study was to devise a model to assist Division I athletic departments that have at-risk student athletes on teams that are predicted to score below a multi-year 930 APR, so that they may score at or above 930 in future years.

Keywords:

• at-risk student-athletes
• GPA
• academic support services
• points of contact
• academic performance plan

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Notes on contributors

Jeff Grandy

Jeff J. Grandy is a former graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Las Vegas. He holds a Master of Education and previously served in the roles of academic advisor for athletics, sport agent advisor and university advancement. Research interests include student-athletes, academic success, underserved populations, access to higher education and community development strategies.

Nancy Lough

Dr Nancy Lough is a Professor in the Higher Education graduate degree program at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Las Vegas. Her research interests include gender equity, sport marketing and sponsorship, advancing women in higher education, college sport leadership and sport for health.

Chyna Miller

Chyna J. Miller is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Las Vegas. She holds a Master of Science in Mathematics and has created and coordinated several academic success programs that serve a diverse population of students. Her research interests include mathematics and statistics education, diversity in STEM, student employee development and training, and tutoring pedagogy.