TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) hosted its sixth annual Bearcats Go Pro Event Monday, October 8. Through the CPAWS program, SASS is committed to helping student-athletes prepare to be professionals and Bearcats Go Pro is the signature career engagement and professional development event for junior and senior student-athletes.
The evening began inside Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion with over 150 junior and senior student-athletes breaking into groups and attending sessions covering different professional development topics. These sessions provided student-athletes with the opportunity to network with professionals, participate in mock interviews, gain information on graduate/pre-professional school and hear advice on how to have a successful career after UC. Following the sessions, the student-athletes came back together and ended the evening with guest speaker Don McPherson, a former college, NFL and Canadian Football League player who now speaks about the power and appeal of sport to address complex social issues including health masculinity, sexual violence prevention, leadership and mental health awareness.
During the networking session, student-athletes were able to connect with over 20 community partners, business leaders, recruiters and former student-athletes from Cincinnati. The former Bearcats in attendance included Tony Miliano (football), Gabrielle Calderone (track & field), Kyle Curtis (football), Justin Moore (football), Brad Bury (football), Ashley Daniels (women's soccer), Laura Rose (women's soccer), Anne Pace (track & field) and Samantha Wolkoff (swimming & diving). Some of the organizations represented in this session included Northwestern Mutual, Fischer Homes, Sibcy Cline, Cintas, TQL, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
The mock interview sessions gave students the chance to participate in an actual interview and practice their interviewing skills. Faculty and staff members from campus and professionals from TQL, Northwestern Mutual, Halo Communications and Clinical Research Communications were there to conduct these interviews and provide the student-athletes with feedback on both their interview and resume.
The graduate/pre-professional school session provided student-athletes with general information about their respective programs as well as the opportunity to sit down with representatives from their program of interest. Representatives from UC Graduate School, Pre-Professional advising, UC MBA program, Lindner College of Business, UC College of Nursing, UC Sport Administration and UC CECH were all in attendance providing the student-athletes with advice and information about their personal experiences.
Lastly, the career panel session provided student-athletes with advice and insight on life after college and beyond. The professionals that made up the panel were Tarita Preston (The Curated Coach), Mark Stuhlreyer (Contingent Holdings, LLC), two former UC football student-athletes, Craig Carey (Stryker Communications) and Maalik Bomar (Gardner Business Media) and one former UC baseball student-athlete Kerry Byrne (TQL). As current successful professionals, these five spoke about their experiences as college students and student-athletes and the steps they took to get where they are today. The student-athletes also had the opportunity to ask the panel their own questions and speak one on one with these individuals.
The evening began inside Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion with over 150 junior and senior student-athletes breaking into groups and attending sessions covering different professional development topics. These sessions provided student-athletes with the opportunity to network with professionals, participate in mock interviews, gain information on graduate/pre-professional school and hear advice on how to have a successful career after UC. Following the sessions, the student-athletes came back together and ended the evening with guest speaker Don McPherson, a former college, NFL and Canadian Football League player who now speaks about the power and appeal of sport to address complex social issues including health masculinity, sexual violence prevention, leadership and mental health awareness.
During the networking session, student-athletes were able to connect with over 20 community partners, business leaders, recruiters and former student-athletes from Cincinnati. The former Bearcats in attendance included Tony Miliano (football), Gabrielle Calderone (track & field), Kyle Curtis (football), Justin Moore (football), Brad Bury (football), Ashley Daniels (women's soccer), Laura Rose (women's soccer), Anne Pace (track & field) and Samantha Wolkoff (swimming & diving). Some of the organizations represented in this session included Northwestern Mutual, Fischer Homes, Sibcy Cline, Cintas, TQL, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
The mock interview sessions gave students the chance to participate in an actual interview and practice their interviewing skills. Faculty and staff members from campus and professionals from TQL, Northwestern Mutual, Halo Communications and Clinical Research Communications were there to conduct these interviews and provide the student-athletes with feedback on both their interview and resume.
The graduate/pre-professional school session provided student-athletes with general information about their respective programs as well as the opportunity to sit down with representatives from their program of interest. Representatives from UC Graduate School, Pre-Professional advising, UC MBA program, Lindner College of Business, UC College of Nursing, UC Sport Administration and UC CECH were all in attendance providing the student-athletes with advice and information about their personal experiences.
Lastly, the career panel session provided student-athletes with advice and insight on life after college and beyond. The professionals that made up the panel were Tarita Preston (The Curated Coach), Mark Stuhlreyer (Contingent Holdings, LLC), two former UC football student-athletes, Craig Carey (Stryker Communications) and Maalik Bomar (Gardner Business Media) and one former UC baseball student-athlete Kerry Byrne (TQL). As current successful professionals, these five spoke about their experiences as college students and student-athletes and the steps they took to get where they are today. The student-athletes also had the opportunity to ask the panel their own questions and speak one on one with these individuals.