Thete Chi Alpha

A total of 23 Ocelots from 6 sports will be recognized

Schoolcraft College’s inaugural class to be inducted to the Michigan Alpha Chapter of Theta Chi Alpha, the National College Athlete Honor Society, includes 23 student-athletes representing all 6 sports the Ocelots currently compete in.

To qualify, student-athletes must have completed three full-time semesters with a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or above. The Athletic Department will hold an induction ceremony later this semester.

Computers against a wall next to a trophy case — Dedicated space in the Physical Education building is available to help student-athletes with their studies.

“We’re pleased to recognize the excellent work our student-athletes are doing in the classroom and welcome our inaugural class of 23 Theta Chi Alpha inductees,” said Cali Crawford, Director of Athletics. “It’s a testament to the dedication of our student-athletes and our coaches to ensure that academics always comes first.”

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.

Amy Proctor, Student Athlete Support System (SASS) Coordinator, serves as advisor for Schoolcraft College’s chapter of Theta Chi Alpha.

Members of Schoolcraft College’s inaugural Theta Chi Alpha class are:

Student-athlete	Sport
Natasha Carter Jack Cronyn John Evangelista Mohamed Hammoud Emma Hughes Allison Little Miranda McIntosh Kiersten Metz James (Alex) Neville Erin O’Neil Autumn Reed Jon Sabuda Jacob Saez Adriana Sapia Brandon Strickland Justina Szalkowski Drew Tappen Andrew Weiss	Women’s Basketball Baseball Men’s Soccer Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Women’s Bowling Women’s Soccer Softball Men’s Soccer Women’s Soccer Softball Baseball Men’s Bowling Women’s Soccer Baseball Women’s Basketball Men’s Soccer Baseball

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.”

“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.

Dedicated space in the Physical Education building is available to help student-athletes with their studies.

“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.