Putting Athletes in Winning Situations

    The PAWS program was designed to assist new student-athletes with their transition to SIUC. The first year of college is, for many, the most challenging and stressful year of a young person's life. This transition from high school includes concerns relating to academic, athletic, career, social and personal issues.

    Through the PAWS program, seminars are presented during the Fall and Spring semesters. All new student-athletes are required to attend these presentations. Seminars are presented on the following topics:

  • Time Management (day planner provided to each new student-athlete)
  • Drug and Alcohol Awareness
  • Sexual Assault
  • NCAA Rules
  • Stress Management
  • Choosing a major/career

    These presentations provide the student-athletes with helpful information, as well as allowing them to interact with the academic support staff and individuals on campus.

    When appropriate, the PAWS program matches new student-athletes in a mentoring relationship with peer advisors. Solid role models are more important now than ever, especially for student-athletes who face a unique set of pressures and responsibilities the minute they arrive on campus.

      Goals:

      • To enhance the educational and personal development of new student-athletes in the context of this "mentoring" relationship with peer advisors

      • To help ease the transition from high school to college and promote a successful adjustment to life and study at SIU for new student-athletes.

      • To provide support for new student-athletes throughout their initial year.

      • To help identify problems faced by new student-athletes and offer solutions to these problems.
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