Student athletes at Moorpark College have thrived in the classroom in recent years completing their Associates Degree at a higher rate over regular full time students.
Former student athlete Michael Roe came into Moorpark College as a baseball player with high hopes of transferring in two years to a university.
“As any college student, my goal was to graduate college in four years. I had peer pressure every single night to go out and party with my friends, but since I knew I had practice the next day and two games a week. I really had no time to slack,” Roe said.
Athletes in college must balance their time between school and their sport. With outside pressures from peers, athletes to focus on school knowing they must complete their degree and remain successful in order to further their career in their sport.
In the past years, student athletes have had much success in completing their degree in the two years while at Moorpark College.
“We have data over several years that shows student athletes at MC complete their degree at approximately a 3-to-1 rate over other first-time, full-time students,” Moorpark College Athletic Director Howard Davis said.
From 2004 to 2011, 26.5 percent of Men’s Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track completed their degree in just two years. In those same years, 8.6 percent of regular full-time student completed their degree within two years.
Student athletes at Moorpark College have access to their own counselor, while regular students do not have one personal counselor. Traci Allen, the Sports Counselor at Moorpark, allows for student athletes to have one on one conversation about what is going on with school and future plans.
“The Academic Counselor for student athletes, Traci Allen, is the best athletic counselor in the state. She provides tremendous service to student athletes with her superior knowledge of graduation requirements, admission standards at so many 4-year colleges and the extensive NCAA eligibility requirements,” Davis said.
Student athletes benefit from having a strong support staff allowing a high percentage of athletes to complete their two year degree within two years. The athletes have resources that allow them to strive and manage their time as needed.
Moorpark College athletic staff requires the student athletes to have at least a 2.5 grade point average or better. The support from staff is crucial to the athlete’s success in the classroom.
“Student athletes do have a support network of faculty and staff that are here to ensure the student athletes are successful academically, athletically, physically and personally,” Allen said.
As of 2012, student athlete degree completion information is not available.
