Award Enables Student to Teach in South Africa
KINESIOLOGY & HEALTH PROMOTION
is more than just knowing and delivering the rules . To be successful , you have to be able to do it in such a way that even when you give less than favorable information , the recipient understands your intentions are to protect them and ultimately are in the best interests of the program .
Q : How did you learn compliance rules — is that something taught in college , or is it more something you do on your own if that is the career track you take ?
A : The NCAA manual consists of more than 400 pages and has a database that includes thousands of rule interpretations , best practices , and case precedent . Needless to say , learning the rules is an ongoing process . However , I do think the skills needed to understand , analyze , and communicate rules can be honed through both education and experience . Athletic compliance requires a keen understanding of the “ bigger picture .” There is a rule for everything so it behooves athletic compliance administrators to take in the information for a specific question or situation and be able to see how it connects to all the other aspects of intercollegiate athletics . Whether it is recruiting , scheduling , financial aid , academic services , or eligibility requirements , the common thread through it all is having a sound understanding of athletic compliance .
For me personally , I had zero background knowledge on athletic compliance . But what some would have seen as a detriment , I saw as an advantage . I was a clean slate . My supervisors were able to mold me into the athletic compliance administrator that they needed . Therefore , my success was a direct reflection of their success . Now , I look back on my first year in the profession and can appreciate the patience that my supervisors afforded me , and more importantly , the belief they had in me . That is a leadership lesson we all could use .
Q : In what area is your doctorate ? What was your dissertation ?
A : I recently received my Doctorate of Educational Leadership from the USC Rossier School of Education . My dissertation was titled “ Financial Stability and Sustainability in Online Education : A Study of Promising Practice .” I decided to expand my knowledge base and pursue an area of interest outside of intercollegiate athletics . Ultimately , my professional goal is to be a president of a small college , and given the current financial landscape of higher education , I felt gaining an understanding of alternative revenue sources would be beneficial . ( I was right .)
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
Award Enables Student to Teach in South Africa
University of Kentucky College of Education student Courtney Eaton , who is student teaching this semester in Port Elizabeth , South Africa , is one of 850 undergraduate students from 359 colleges and universities across the United States selected to receive the prestigious Benjamin A . Gilman International Scholarship .
The scholarship offers grants for undergraduate students in the United States to pursue academic studies or careeroriented internships abroad . Eaton , an elementary education major from Louisville , was awarded $ 1,000 to participate in the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching ( COST ) program in South Africa .
“ Being a first-generation college student and paying for my own education meant I had an extremely low chance of studying abroad ,” Eaton said . “ This scholarship , along with a few others , is helping me achieve my dream of studying abroad .”
This congressionally-funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U . S . Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its office in Houston .
Eaton and her class in South Africa
More information on the scholarship is available at www . iie . org / en / Programs / Gilman-Scholarship-Program . Applications for 2017 scholarships opened in January and are due March 7 . Besides external scholarships , students can also apply to several scholarships available through UK Education Abroad .
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