DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Bethune-Cookman University Office of Student-Athlete Support officially introduced the new renovations to the world on Tuesday, April 25, as members of the University Council and other dignitaries toured the facility for the very time.
 
Under the watchful eye and guidance of Reginald Thomas, BCU Assistant Athletic Director for Athletics Compliance, the Office of Student-Athlete Support received a grant from the NCAA to undergo several renovations so that BCU student-athletes have the best of the best when it comes to competing in the classroom.
 
"We've really tried to utilize the space that we have and also create a space that will be an awesome learning environment," said Thomas. "It's exciting to see such a commitment by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and Bethune-Cookman University in putting our student-athletes' individual well-being at the forefront of their athletic and academic experience here at BCU.
 
"Our student-athletes have competed and succeeded at an exceedingly high level. The newly renovated Academic Investment Center in the Office of Student-Athlete Support will be a staple to our recruits and current student-athletes of the importance of academics at Bethune-Cookman University, and will show that we are committed to giving them every tool necessary in order to be successful, whether in the classroom, community or industry."
 
In 2016-17, the NCAA awarded more than $500,000 in grants to seven (7) Division I schools to support academic programs that help student-athletes earn their degrees. In addition to Bethune-Cookman University, the seven schools awarded included Saint Peter's University, the University of South Carolina Upstate, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Idaho State University and University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff.
 
The grants help schools improve the academic success of their student-athletes by supporting their efforts to meet the requirements of the Division I Academic Performance Program, which was developed to ensure schools provide an environment that supports education while enhancing the ability of student-athletes to earn a degree. Previous recipients of the grants have used the funds to provide laptops that student-athletes can take on the road to keep up on lectures, or to improve facilities to give student-athletes more space for study halls.
 
Schools eligible to apply for the program are Division I institutions that are not in the Football Bowl Subdivision and whose resources - as determined by per capita institutional expenditures, athletics department funding and Pell Grant aid - rank among the division's bottom 10 percent. Also eligible are institutions in non-FBS conferences in which at least 60 percent of the schools in that conference are in the bottom 10 percent of resources of active Division I members.
 
"For years, we have dreamed of a facility which would inspire and empower our student-athletes to compete at the highest level," stated Thompson. "I am proud to say that the realization of those dreams can be found in our newly renovated Academic Investment Center in the Office of Student-Athlete Support at Bethune-Cookman University."
 
The announced awards mark the fourth round of Accelerating Academic Success Program funding distributed by the NCAA.
 
"The NCAA grant made it possible for us to make timely improvements to the Wildcats Academic Investment Center for Student-Athletes," remarked Dr. Earnest Fingers. "This is a monumental step in our vision for upgrading our efforts to fully support our student-athletes in a setting that will spark learning and positive energy.  For me, this symbolizes that we, as an athletics program, are moving in alignment with and in a direction that reflects the institution's aim to 'ascend to greatness' now and for the future."
 
The one year grant initiative would provide a significant portion of the additional funding needed to assist with covering the costs for technology integration and renovations to our student-athlete academic support center. As indicated in the overview, the academic area identified for our student-athletes was originally designed to accommodate 100-175 students. Within the last four years, the athletics department has grown to an average of 300 student-athletes per year. The former conditions of the computer lab could only accommodate 18-20 student-athletes at any given time."
 
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