Arkansas State promises ‘100 percent’ job placement for graduating athletes

Arkansas State is taking a bold new step in ensuring its student-athletes are successful after they leave campus.

On Thursday, the university announced a plan guaranteeing 100 percent job placement for all of its graduating student-athletes.

Wow, that’s quite a guarantee.

“You have to look at the big picture, and truly say ‘in the end, what is our purpose here?’” athletics director Terry Mohajir said via the school’s website. “Yes, we want our student-athletes to be successful in competition and win championships. However, it all comes down to making sure they graduate and leave here in the best position possible to succeed in life after college. This is about personal and professional development – gaining experiences that otherwise couldn’t be obtained to enrich their chances for more job opportunities.”

To accomplish this lofty goal, Arkansas State has established the Red Wolves Leadership Academy, which has started a study abroad program to help with job placement.

This month Arkansas State student-athletes are taking part in the first study abroad program offered by any university and their athletics department in the nation. The program goes hand-in-hand with the Red Wolves Leadership Academy, designed with the sole purpose to obtain 100 percent job placement for ALL student-athletes upon graduation.

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The Red Wolves are taking a ground-breaking step by sending the group of student-athletes to London on a faculty-led academic program. For Mohajir, this is just one of the many ways it all comes back to providing the Red Wolves with the most comprehensive experiences possible to be successful in life.

According to a recent CNN article (2014), titled “Studying abroad could give you an edge in the job market,” only one percent of U.S. college students manage to study abroad. The author can now count these and future Red Wolves among that one percent.

Student-athletes from seven different sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s golf and women’s tennis, will participate in the inaugural study abroad venture which leaves for London on May 11.

“I’m looking forward to exploring a new culture and enjoying the interaction with some of the international sports like rugby and soccer,” said receiver Booker Mays, a junior who is best known for his role of playing dead on a awful and hilarious fake punt. “I want to experience that atmosphere and see how it all kind of ties us together as a society.

“I believe this kind of trip is definitely an investment into your personal future and gives you an edge in the job market. Some of the things that stand out for me are that this not only makes you more culturally diverse, it puts you in a situation where you are taking on and completing a major assignment. This could be a life-changing experience, and it is also a great opportunity to be an ambassador for the University.”

It will be interesting to see if Arkansas State can hold true to its promise and how many more recruits choose the Red Wolves because of this new program.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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