Rice SOAR Office Fall 2023 In Review
12/21/2023 4:47:00 PM | R Association
The SOAR (Student-Athlete Opportunities for Advancement Through Rice Values) Office is responsible for prioritizing and providing the holistic support that Rice student-athletes need to thrive in, through, and beyond the hedges. Throughout the Fall 2023 semester, the offices' impact and dedication to continually enhancing the student-athlete experience remained a priority. Additionally, through ongoing collaboration with the "R" Association, Rice letterwinner engagement remains at the forefront of their day-to-day operations and overall mission. By successfully implementing a comprehensive plan dedicated to the holistic development of each student-athlete, the SOAR Office accomplished the following during the Fall 2023 semester:
"Relaunching our Flight Plan program, which is focused on the holistic development of student-athletes, has allowed the SOAR office to work with our exceptional letterwinners, campus colleagues, and Houston community members to educate and support our Rice Owls," said Brian McDevitt, Assistant Athletic Director of SOAR and Director of the "R" Association. "I am continually impressed by our student-athletes' passion as they invest in their personal, professional, and community development while striving for excellence athletically and academically at the highest level."
Programming for the Fall semester focused on practical life skills in the areas of leadership development, career preparation, financial literacy, mental health/wellness, and senior transition. Student-athletes were able to participate in events such as the 'Understanding Your PersonOWLity' DISC Assessment workshop, ProfessionOWL Development Week, Wealth/Budgeting 101 sessions (presented by Wellby Financial), Powerful Minds Yoga Night and Overcoming The Fear of Adulting, a panel where past Rice letterwinners were invited back to share advice and perspective with current senior student-athletes.
The SOAR office works daily to ensure student-athletes gain the tools they need to prepare for life at Rice and beyond, collaborating with campus partners such as the Center for Career Development, Wellbeing and Counseling Center, and the Doerr Institute to enhance these programs with ongoing cross-campus relationships.
In addition to student-athlete development programming, the SOAR office collaborates with the "R" Association, which represents and provides support for all Rice University letterwinners (former student-athletes). Throughout the Fall 2023 semester, the "R" Association organized 12 letterwinner reunions and events, including the Huddle Up Football Alumni Reunion where the 2013 C-USA Championship team was honored. Unique engagements like "R" Association Letterwinner Spotlights provide opportunities for letterwinners to share their journeys at Rice and beyond. Another key program that has allowed Rice letterwinners to give back is the inaugural "R" Association Mentorship program, where they are paired with a senior student-athlete and provide additional support to their personal and professional experiences.
"Our office's unique dynamic where student-athlete development is coupled with letterwinner engagement has allowed us to accomplish some really great things this semester," Alexis Garrett, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development and Letterwinner Engagement commented. "These former student-athletes have found success in their own individual ways after their time at Rice and are eager to pay it forward. As a result, we've welcomed them back to assist with mentorship, career programming, and leadership development initiatives."
As the SOAR Office reflects on the 2023 year and prepares to continue the momentum as student-athletes return in the spring of 2024, the mission remains the same: to equip and empower Rice student-athletes with the training needed to thrive within and beyond the hedges through the program's core values of grit, curiosity and teamwork.
- 62 total programs (100+ hours) with 100% sport participation across the department
- 5 SAAC Meetings and 10 affinity group meetings.
- 1600+ community service hours (community service partners include Hermann Park Centennial Gardens, HISD, Creative Dreams Outreach Center, Bread for Life, and the Houston Food Bank).
"Relaunching our Flight Plan program, which is focused on the holistic development of student-athletes, has allowed the SOAR office to work with our exceptional letterwinners, campus colleagues, and Houston community members to educate and support our Rice Owls," said Brian McDevitt, Assistant Athletic Director of SOAR and Director of the "R" Association. "I am continually impressed by our student-athletes' passion as they invest in their personal, professional, and community development while striving for excellence athletically and academically at the highest level."
Programming for the Fall semester focused on practical life skills in the areas of leadership development, career preparation, financial literacy, mental health/wellness, and senior transition. Student-athletes were able to participate in events such as the 'Understanding Your PersonOWLity' DISC Assessment workshop, ProfessionOWL Development Week, Wealth/Budgeting 101 sessions (presented by Wellby Financial), Powerful Minds Yoga Night and Overcoming The Fear of Adulting, a panel where past Rice letterwinners were invited back to share advice and perspective with current senior student-athletes.
The SOAR office works daily to ensure student-athletes gain the tools they need to prepare for life at Rice and beyond, collaborating with campus partners such as the Center for Career Development, Wellbeing and Counseling Center, and the Doerr Institute to enhance these programs with ongoing cross-campus relationships.
In addition to student-athlete development programming, the SOAR office collaborates with the "R" Association, which represents and provides support for all Rice University letterwinners (former student-athletes). Throughout the Fall 2023 semester, the "R" Association organized 12 letterwinner reunions and events, including the Huddle Up Football Alumni Reunion where the 2013 C-USA Championship team was honored. Unique engagements like "R" Association Letterwinner Spotlights provide opportunities for letterwinners to share their journeys at Rice and beyond. Another key program that has allowed Rice letterwinners to give back is the inaugural "R" Association Mentorship program, where they are paired with a senior student-athlete and provide additional support to their personal and professional experiences.
"Our office's unique dynamic where student-athlete development is coupled with letterwinner engagement has allowed us to accomplish some really great things this semester," Alexis Garrett, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development and Letterwinner Engagement commented. "These former student-athletes have found success in their own individual ways after their time at Rice and are eager to pay it forward. As a result, we've welcomed them back to assist with mentorship, career programming, and leadership development initiatives."
As the SOAR Office reflects on the 2023 year and prepares to continue the momentum as student-athletes return in the spring of 2024, the mission remains the same: to equip and empower Rice student-athletes with the training needed to thrive within and beyond the hedges through the program's core values of grit, curiosity and teamwork.
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