Student Development

Associate Athletic Director, Student Development Mary Pat Beirne

The Student Development Program, started in 1990, is designed to enhance the college experience of the St. John's student-athlete and prepare them for the world outside of intercollegiate athletics upon graduation. The major components in the program include: Life Skills (as well the NCAA program), Leadership, Career Development and Community Service. Specific programming includes the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Project R.A.R.E. (Red Storm Athletes Reach Everyone) and VITAL (The Vincentian Initiative to Advance Leadership).

Services
The Student Development office serves as advocates for all student-athletes and support group members through the use of seminars, workshops and individual sessions, the staff educates student-athletes, coaches and administrators regarding current issues.

Programming is provided to support the transition to college life while educating student-athletes by offering Athletic Department orientations, nutrition seminars, study skills, academic planning sessions, an Alcohol & Drug Education series and extensive career development training.

Strengths
The office of Student Development:

• Helps student-athletes maintain fitness and steers them from addictions.
• Educates student-athletes on proper nutrition and assists in making proper food and drink choices.
• Assists with academic success.
• Assists with development of communication skills:
  • Interpersonal: speaking and hearing
  • Presentation skills
• Places an emphasis on service in the community.
  • This is essential to the growth of the student-athlete
• Develops leadership skills and tests the student-athletes by empowering them to make effective change in their lives.
• Selects a career path that is right for each individual and supports not only the opportunity for internships and full-time positions, but also the skills needed for success.

Leadership

Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC):
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee, composed of two student-athletes from each varsity team, commits itself to making positive changes in the lives of all St. John's student-athletes.

The committee elects officers, generates agendas, maintains minutes and follows up with action steps during their once-a-month meetings.

SAAC was named a St. John's student organization, allowing a representative to attend Student Government meetings and receive funding from the Student Government activities budget.

Life Skills Program
All student athletes successfully complete the Life Skills program. These workshops are mandatory for all new student-athletes to the program (freshman and transfer).

Student Development Calendar in PDF Format
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Career Development Program
The Career Development Program works collaborately with the University Career Center and the office of Student Development. This program guides our student-athletes through career enhancing choices, declaring a major and concentration of study, grasping at internship opportunities that fit and seeking employment in a chosen field.

Student-athletes receive assistance from University Career Center representatives that are assigned to the Athletic Department. This representative assists all student-athletes in the art of resume' writing, resume' distribution (through the Student-Athlete Resume' Guide) and preparation for successful interviewing.

Community Service

Project R.A.R.E. (Red Storm Athletes Reach Everyone)
Student-athletes are trained to speak to young students through Project R.A.R.E (Red Storm Athletes Reach Everyone). The target audience is fourth through sixth grade students. Project R.A.R.E. reaches approximately 5,000 youths throughout the community. All St. John's student-athletes take part in some form of community service during their four-year career.

TEAM Services
St. John's Athletic Teams donate their time by serving food to the homeless at The St. John's Bread and Life Soup Kitchen, reaching out to the community in their Adopt-a-Family program or by bagging toys and food to those less fortunate during the holiday season.

The St. Nicholas of Tollentine Shelter is another organization that the St. John's athlete embraces during the school year. Teams deliver food, share companionship and develop relationships with those less fortunate or those in need of a friend.

VITAL (The Vincentian Initiative to Advance Leadership)
VITAL (The Vincentian Initiative to Advance Leadership) is "a leadership program based on service, spirituality and values" initiated by Associate Vice President of Campus Ministry Pamela Shea-Byrnes in 1999. The Catholic Bishops of America encouraged campus ministers to empower effective Catholic leaders for the future.

VITAL goals were to bring together the best of the leadership training models and give students the opportunity to experience challenging programs around diversity and having their values inform their choices in a safe environment.

Students are given the chance to experience these leadership training opportunities and structured experiences in the context of a group where there is great trust and support. The students have the added security of built-in mentors in the campus ministers who help shepherd them through these experiences.

The VITAL program has grown steadily. It is a four-year intensive program and the first graduates from that class were recently commissioned. Each year has a specific goal, and there are programs and discussions geared toward students and where they are at in their faith journey.

In an effort to enhance leadership development with our student-athletes, the Athletic Department in collaboration with Campus Ministry has required each of our athletic teams to be represented in Project VITAL. This requirement is reflected in each of our coaches' Partnership for Performance Objectives for 2003-04. They will be participating in the spring. To date the VITAL Program has 155 students of which 35 are student-athletes.

Each group has a VITAL night six times a year. Students go from being assigned to a service site the first year to designing their own service plan by Year Four.