Kansas City, Kan. (April 21, 2010) - The Ohio State University Athletics recently agreed to a multi-year partnership with Career Athletes. The partnership provides a national representation of unique career development resources for The Ohio State current and alumni athletes. The athletic department now has the ability to enhance fundraising and recruiting efforts while securing thousands of meaningful career opportunities for alumni athletes nationwide. Former Ohio State volleyball player, Maya Mapp shares, "I would like to thank the OSU athletic department for taking a stance in the career education of all Buckeye student-athletes, current and former. I encourage all OSU alumni athletes to register as mentors to assist and guide other Buckeyes in all aspects of career development. As a mentor in the OSU community Network, I encourage all current students to reconnect with me for any questions you may have about life outside of SASSO, Jesse Owens Stadium, St. John Arena, Ohio Stadium, and the Schottenstein Center. Thank you OSU for thinking of us and go BUCKS!"
This Online Career Community Network will provide benefits such as mentoring, professional networking, virtual career coaching and 12 years of best practices from the leading and largest career services organization assisting athletes, athletic departments and campus career centers. The Ohio State University "Community Network" consists of current and alumni athletes from the institution as well as local, regional and national employers all managed and monitored by Career Athletes at its home office in the Kansas City area. "The athletic department at OSU exemplifies the type of focus and commitment every institution should have during a tough economy. Personnel from the varsity club, office of compliance, and student-athlete support services are truly dedicated to this partnership and that is what makes our relationship with this athletic department so special", explained DJ Washington, Vice President for Career Education and Training at Career Athletes.
Each year many school partners of Career Athletes are consistently recognized as leading institutions of their respective athletic conference by reaching success on the court and field. It is also important that these same institutions are recognized for the success achieved outside the athletic setting. The Ohio State University has shown a rich tradition toward academic success and is no stranger to it as indicated by additional achievements during the 2009-2010 academic year.
• Sixty-five student-athletes were named to the Winter Academic All-Big Ten Team
• Twenty-four current and former student-athletes graduated during 2010 Winter Commencement ceremony
During the spring 2009, student-athletes at The Ohio State University held a "Buckeyes Got Talent" event that helped raise money for the Boys and Girls Club. In previous years, student-athletes have been involved with readying to youth at local schools, organizing a Mother's Day 5K and raising donations to increase cancer awareness.
The Ohio State University ranks 18th among the top 25 national public universities according to U.S. News & World Report's 2010 "America's Best Colleges". The institution has a total enrollment of over 60,000 undergraduate and graduate students and approximately 465,000 living alumni. The Ohio State is home to the largest self-supporting athletics program in the country and in 2009-2010, the department of athletics transferred nearly $29 million to support university initiatives.
Career Athletes is the leading and largest career services organization assisting athletes and expects to team up with university career centers, athletic departments and varsity clubs, particularly, during the economic downturn.
