Theta Chi Alpha is for student-athletes at two-year schools.
Schoolcraft College has reinforced its commitment to student-athlete academic excellence with acceptance into the National College Athlete Honor Society as the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Theta Chi Alpha.
Theta Chi Alpha recognizes student-athletes from two-year institutions who excel in both the classroom and competition.
“We’re pleased to join the membership of Theta Chi Alpha,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics for Schoolcraft College. “Academics always come first for our student-athletes, and being a part of Theta Chi Alpha will provide an excellent avenue to showcase their achievements in the classroom and in their sports.”
The National College Athlete Honor Society, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1996 by then DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. His goal was to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime.
“Academics always come first for our student-athletes, and being a part of Theta Chi Alpha will provide an excellent avenue to showcase their achievements in the classroom and in their sports.”
Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics
In order to be inducted into Theta Chi Alpha, a student-athlete must attend a two-year college that is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) or similar governing body. Honorees also must complete at least three full time semesters and must have achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average of a 3.4 (on a 4.0 scale), while also participating in their varsity sport.
Amy Proctor, Student Athlete Support System (SASS) Coordinator, will serve as advisor for Schoolcraft College’s chapter of Theta Chi Alpha. Schoolcraft College will hold its first induction ceremony during the Winter 2022 semester.
Schoolcraft College’s Student SASS program is one of the most comprehensive among community colleges, serving as both a checkpoint and a way to get students back on track.
Dr. Michael Oliver, now Associate Dean of Career Services, helped form SASS in 1997 to help student-athletes succeed.
“Many student athletes struggled academically due to the demands of their sport, demands on their time and their academic load,” he said. “Therefore, to help student athletes be successful academically and graduate with a degree, certificate or successfully transfer, Schoolcraft took ownership and proactively developed a comprehensive academic support program aimed at holding student-athletes accountable for their academics and at the same time provide them with the support needed for them to be successful academically while recognizing the importance of their sport.”
As SASS Coordinator, Proctor is the liaison among instructors; coaches; Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics; and the students. Faculty report to her six times a semester (about every two weeks) on the following:
- Attendance
- Passing
- Borderline
- Failing
“SASS is here to help student-athletes academically,” Proctor said. “If a student is on the SASS report, coaches, the AD and the student are notified.”
From there, the focus is on finding the root cause of the issue and tailoring an individual solution.
“I work with the student to find out what they need help with,” Proctor said. “Do they need tutoring? An academic coach?”
Proctor generally works to help students improve in five key areas:
- Time management
- Textbook reading
- Memory
- Note-taking
- Test taking
“We’re committed to helping the students stay on track to get their Associate Degree,” Proctor said. “Generally speaking, if they hit their deadlines, they’ll be OK.”
To help positively reinforce academic excellence, SASS and the Department of Athletics has begun recognizing student-athletes of the month and also held a drive-through student-athlete academic honors celebration in July.
In addition, Schoolcraft College was named the 2020-21 National Junior College Athletic Association Academic Team of the Year in Women’s Bowling for achieving the highest grade point average in their sport. As a team, Schoolcraft compiled a 3.59 GPA.