The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Student-athletes prepare for future with Longhorn Career Day
11.08.2007 | Texas Athletics
The UT Athletics Department and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee are hosting the ninth annual Longhorn Career Day at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 13 at The University of Texas Club on the east side of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
The career fair will allow sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes to network with representatives from over 30 organizations and companies.
"The organizations that will be represented cover the gamut of the real world," said Dr. Michael Sanders, the Director of Career Development for UT Athletics. "They are a good cross-section of companies from fields like education, technology, allied health, etc., and it provides an outstanding opportunity for our student-athletes to practice their job search skills."
Many of the companies will remain on campus to conduct interviews for positions the following day.
"This is a unique situation," Sanders said. "Seven companies will be conducting interviews for full-time positions on Wednesday. If our student-athletes are able to present themselves in a professional manner during their interview opportunities, it can open doors for their future. It's something you don't get at most other job fairs."
Many of UT's freshmen student-athletes will attend a 'Playbook For Life' seminar presented by the NCAA. The program, featuring women's basketball legend Nancy Lieberman and former collegiate golf coach Bill Poutre, emphasizes personal finance and education. A trailblazer for women's basketball and a worldwide superstar, Lieberman has become a natural mentor to athletes at the collegiate and professional level. She is currently a basketball analyst with ESPN and NBA TV. Poutre is co-chairman and principal of Massachusetts-based Prime Financial, Inc., and currently serves as men's golf head coach at the University of Hartford. Both will emphasize learning basic money concepts and making sound investment decisions.
Longhorn Career Day serves as another reminder how the UT Athletics student services department is committed to the total student-athlete experience. Taking care of the student involves more than making academic counselors, tutors and mentors available and conducting study halls. It also entails steering the student-athlete down the path toward a successful career.
Longhorn Career Day is only a small part of the Longhorn PRIDE program that encourages the student-athlete to develop and pursue career and life goals. The PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Developing Excellence) program has five major components that are designed to identify and meet the needs of student-athletes. Career development is only one of five components that make up the program, with academic excellence, athletic excellence, community service and personal development rounding out the program.
