New WTE offered to student-athletes

With little free time in their schedules, student-athletes are finding it hard to complete the Washburn Transformational Experience.

There are many options to choose from when trying to decide on a WTE but a lot of these options can take a long time to complete. Some can even take as much time as a student-athlete spends playing their sport. So, it can seem like an impossibility for a student-athlete to complete the WTE. And this is why the Washburn Student Government Association, the leadership department and the athletic department are teaming together to create a unique WTE for Washburn student athletes.

“We are trying to accommodate the student-athlete in a way that they will still be able to complete a leadership and community service project, while competing at the highest level,” said Loren Ferre´, the Washburn athletic director.

The main part of completing the WTE through athletics would be by taking a specifically designed leadership class created around different athlete leadership roles, such as being a captain, helping coach at camps and being a rep for the Student Athlete Activity Committee. Each WTE would be created around the athletes specific skills and abilities.

“What we want to do is makes this requirement of the WTE easier to fulfill, but still a very meaningful experience. This class will help give the student athlete a proactive mindfulness of what they're doing for their WTE,” said Garrett Love, WSGA president.

Love has first hand perspective on what it is like to be a student-athlete because he has been on the men’s basketball team for the last three years. “I think would be a good step for WTE as collegiate athletics oftentimes is a very transformational experience,” said Love.

As of now, there are two football players in the “pilot program” and they are actively looking for different things student-athletes would like to see in the class. Making WTE customized to student-athletes is just one step in making the WTE something students will enjoy more and stress about less.

“This is one of many steps we would like to take in the direction of a more user-friendly WTE,” said Love.