Michigan Tech Athletics Leadership Academy

Our Mission

Michigan Tech Department of Athletics and Recreation supports the University by providing nationally recognized programs that serve our community, promote academic excellence, and develop leaders.

Our Vision

The Department of Athletics and Recreation will further enhance Michigan Tech in becoming a national university of choice academically and athletically. Michigan Tech Athletics is committed to developing leaders; as such we have developed the four-part Leadership Academy for student-athletes in order to achieve specific themes in our strategic plan.

Core Values

  • Graduate our Student-Athletes
  • Build Loyalty and Tradition
  • Passionate about all that we do through Teamwork and Innovation
  • Service to Our Communities
  • Commitment to Excellence and Integrity
  • Cultivate Leaders

Themes to Achieve our Mission and Vision

  • Academic Excellence
    • Meet or exceed graduation rates, academic success rates, and annual grade point averages by team and as a department.
    • Enhance and develop programming for student-athletes that provides them with the skill sets necessary to be successful in school, athletics, and beyond.
  • Athletic Excellence
    • Attract and retain student-athletes through skill and leadership development and a life-shaping academic and athletic experience that prepares them for their future.
    • Position the athletic programs to achieve annual conference, regional and national success.
  • Student-Athlete Well-Being
    • Provide a whole person approach for health care and performance for student-athletes that produce positive outcomes for both mind and body.
    • Provide educational opportunities to all student-athletes that develop the whole person. Focus on the overall development of well-being, leadership, and realization of potential that can be incorporated into their athletic, academic, personal, and professional lives. 
  • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Educate on relevant diversity and inclusion topics and encourage all to practice inclusive behaviors on a daily basis.
    • Foster a sense of belonging within and between teams, while also promoting leadership values and initiatives that allow student-athletes to instill inclusive practices in their teammates and peers.

Leadership Academy Structure

Year 1

Participation
All freshmen and transfer student-athletes attend. 

Description

All first year and transfer student athletes are enrolled in Student-Athlete 101 during their first fall semester. This course is intended to help with the student-athletes’ transition from high school to college and navigate through all of their new decisions, challenges, and situations that arise during their college years and beyond.  Many demands will be placed on student-athletes that they may not have experienced previously by professors, coaches, teammates, friends, and family.  The course is designed to prepare student-athletes with methods and best practices to manage these new responsibilities and covers topics that contribute towards whole-person well-being and development. 

Goals

  • Promote student-athletes’ ownership of their academic, athletic, career, personal and community responsibilities.
  • Meet the changing needs of student-athletes.
  • Promote respect for diversity, inclusion, and sense of belonging among student-athletes.
  • Assist student-athletes in identifying and applying transferable skills.
  • Foster an environment that encourages student-athletes to effectively identify and access campus resources.
  • Encourage the development of character, integrity, and leadership skills.

Year 2

Participation

Selected student-athletes; nominated by coaches for participation. 

Description

Select student athletes are nominated by coaches for participation in further programming designed to enhance leadership ability and positively impact those around them. The focus is to develop individual skills and give selected athletes the tools to become effective leaders who drive success within our athletic programs, and into their careers once they graduate from Michigan Tech. Teammates of selected student athletes are encouraged to attend department wide events & engage with selected teammates for peer-led discussions about content learned. 

Goals

  • Student-athletes will develop a personal leadership philosophy that will enhance their ability to lead both vocally and by example.
  • Student-athletes will gather and process information and use that data to respond ethically and appropriately to difficult, real-life situations.
  • Student-athletes will develop skills to communicate effectively with teammates, coaches, and administration.
  • Student-athletes will increase their confidence applying leadership skills from this course into their athletic, academic, and professional lives. 
  • Student-athletes will recognize impacts of personal, social, and world issues on the well-being and experience of their peers and take appropriate action to provide assistance. 

Year 3

Participation

Selected student-athletes; nominated by coaches for participation. 

Description

Student athletes who completed first year of supplementary programming (i.e. Y2) continue in their cohort to complete a second year of selected programming and skill development. Teammates of selected student athletes are encouraged to attend department wide events & engage with selected teammates for peer-led discussions about content

Goals

  • Student-athletes will develop a personal leadership philosophy that will enhance their ability to lead both vocally and by example.
  • Student-athletes will gather and process information and use what they learn to respond ethically and appropriately to difficult, real-life situations.
  • Student-athletes will communicate effectively with teammates, coaches, and administration.
  • Student-athletes will increase their confidence applying leadership skills from this course into their athletic, academic, and professional lives.
  • Student-athletes will recognize impacts of personal, social, and world issues on the well-being and experience of their peers and take appropriate action to provide assistance. 

Year 4

Participation

All graduating and outgoing student-athletes.

Description

All outgoing student athletes are required to attend specific programming that has been developed to assist with the transition out of sport. Information is presented on a variety of concerns that often face student-athletes and relate to their physical, mental, and financial health as well as other topics that contribute to whole-person well-being. 

Goals

  • Student-athletes will increase awareness of common concerns for athletes transitioning to life after collegiate sport.
  • Programming will increase athletes’ knowledge of targeted areas and introduce athletes to resources that they can utilize beyond graduation, and additionally how to learn more or get connected with additional resources.
  • Engage in dialogue to increase understanding of challenges, shared experiences, and promote help-seeking behaviors.
  • Give athletes skills and knowledge that they can apply to their personal and professional lives beyond graduation.