Jane Fulton Leads Teaching Redbird Student-Athletes To Train For Life

People in Red - Shelly Schmidt April 4, 2006

Normal,Ill.­MostfacultyandstaffatIllinoisStatefocusonhelpingstudentsfindsuccessduringtheirfouryearsattheuniversity.NotJaneFulton.Sheprojectsthelivesofstudentsalittlefurtherdowntheroad."It'snotaboutthefouryearsthey'rehere,it'saboutthe40thatthey'renot,"saidFulton,assistantathleticsdirectorforacademicsandlifeskillsatIllinoisState."Wearetryingtohelpstudent‐athletesgettheskillstobesuccessfulinlife."Fulton'sleadershipsetsthepaceattheKarinBoneAthleticStudyCenter,whichhelpsallofthemorethan350Redbirdstudent‐athleteswiththeiracademiceffortsandcareerplans.Somestudent‐athletesjustgotostudyinawelcoming,comfortableenvironment.Asonewhobelievesthesameteamworkthatwinsinsports,winsinlife,FultonshiesawayfromtakingcreditforcreatingtheLifeSkillsprogramthathashelpedrankIllinoisStateUniversityabovethenationalaverageforgraduationratesforstudent‐athletes,helped18student‐athletesearnBoneScholarships(thehighesthonoranISUundergradcanreceive)andhelped26student‐athletesreceiveacademicall‐Americahonors.FromtheKarinBoneStudyCenter...tothathighgraduationrate...torecord‐breakingpublicserviceeffortsbystudent‐athletes,IllinoisStatehasastudent‐athletesupportsystemotheruniversitiestrytoimitate."Noonecandothisaloneandithastakeneveryone‐‐coaches,student‐athletesandstaff‐‐togettowherewearetodaywithourprogram,"Fultonsaid.Since1992,FultonhasbeenthehubofthewheelindevelopingIllinoisState'slifeskillsprogramforstudent‐athletes.Shemayberightthattheprogramcouldn'tbewhereitistodaywithoutateam,butshehasbeentheconstant,persistentforceatthecenteroftheeffort.Herteamincludestalentedyoungpeoplewithplentyofenergy,includingstuffycenterdirectorTimSchlosser,systemsanalystMark

Walcott,academicservicescoordinatorBrianneRucksandlifeskillscoordinatorReedMcCluskey.Additionally,student‐athletesgetpersonalsupportfourgraduateassistantsandthreeprofessionalacademicadvisors‐‐allofwhomwerecollegestudent‐athletesthemselves.TheLifeSkillsprogramoffersmorethanjusthelpwithacademics,itgivescomforttothestudent‐athleteswithanyproblemtheymayhave,whilehelpingthemfindsolutionsthatwork.Ithelpsstudent‐athleteslearntobalancelife.JuniorIllinoisStateswimmerCaseyMcKittricklearnedaboutthesupportrightaway."WhenIwasafreshmantheymadesuretotellus,`Thisisyoursecondfamilycomewithanyproblemyoumayhave,'"McKittricksaid."Theywereright."Theprogramhasinspirednotonlystudent‐athletestoachievemorebutvolunteerstojoinaswell.Dr.JimJohnson,aretiredIllinoisStatepsychologyprofessorwhohasbeenavolunteerconsultantattheStudyCentersince2003,believesFultonisthehubofastrongwheel."Janedevelopedthewholething,"Johnsonsaid."Theystartedoutwithaverysmalldepartmentandthenitbecameevidentthatthekindofhelpthattheywereprovidingwasverypositiveforstudent‐athleteslives."Communityserviceispartoftheprogram,whichhasevolvedonitsownandisnowalmostruncompletelybystudent‐athletesthroughtheStudent‐AthleteAdvisoryCouncil(SAAC).EachRedbirdteamchoosesacommunityorganizationtheywanttosupport,theythenvolunteertheirtimetohelpachievethegoalsofthatorganization."Since2000,we'vealwayshad1,000hoursormoreofcommunityservice,"Fultonsaid."Ourathletesareincrediblenowatwhatwe'redoingandhowmanyhourswegivebacktothecommunity."Thisyear,Redbirdstudent‐athletesflewpastthatannualgoalof1,000hoursinjustonesemesterbysupportinglocalcausesandtakingupbroaderonestoo‐‐liketheLouisianahurricanevictims.WhenFultonbegantheRedbirdLifeSkillsprogram,itwasanotherapioneeringopportunityforIllinoisStateAthletics,justascoachJillHutchisonwasaninnovatorindevelopingwomen'sbasketballandcoachWillRobinsonpavedthewayforAfrican‐Americancollegebasketballcoaches‐‐bothinthe1970s.ThistrendofinnovationandpioneeringcontinuesasIllinoisStatewillbeapilotschoolforScholarBaller,anNCAA‐sponsoredprogram.TheScholarBallerprogrammotivatesISUfootballplayerstocompeteforpointsineducationalandcommunityserviceactivities.TheprogramalreadyhasbeenahugesuccessinternallyatIllinoisState,leadingtothehighestteamgradepointaverageinRedbirdfootballhistory."Wewillbeoneofthefewschoolsinthecountrythatwillbeinthisstudy,"saidFulton."Sowereprettyexcitedaboutthatanditmakesacademicscompetitiveandfunandwereprettyexcitedaboutthattoo."Fulton'scompassionforthesuccessofstudent‐athletesatIllinoisStateisunmistakable.Schlosserbelievesthatthestudent‐athletesreallylookuptoFulton,whichisanotherreasontheprogramissosuccessful."StudentathletesatIllinoisStateknowtheyhaveafriendandaleaderthatwillalwayschampiontheircause,"Schlossersaid.McKittrickmetFultonherfreshman

yearandinstantlysawguidance."Shealwayswantstoreachouttothestudentsandmakesurethey'regettingalongwiththeirclassesandthingsaregoingwell,"McKittricksaid.Inorderforthingstogowell,thestaffatthestudycenterguidesstudent‐athletesbyteachingresponsibility."Iamheretotryandhelpstudentsbecomegoodindividuals,"saidFulton."Andit'saboutethicsandintegrity‐‐andtheminutethatyoubreakthatyourselfthenyou'renotteachinganything."ForbothFultonandJohnson,amajorrewardoftheirjobisseeingstudent‐athleteswhostruggleatthestartoftheircollegecareers,obtaintheskillsandsupportnecessarytoearnanIllinoisStatedegree.Johnsonespeciallyenjoyswatchingthestudent‐athleteshehelpssucceed,buthealsoenjoyssimplyworkingwiththestaffintheStudentStudyCenter."Everyonehereisgoodpeople,andJane'scriteriabasicallyhavefosteredthat,"Johnsonsaid."Janeisagreatexampleofaleader,shedoesn'taskanyonetodosomethingthatshe'snotwillingtodo."Theclose‐knitrelationshipsattheKarinBoneAthleticStudentStudyCenterhelpmakeitsosuccessful.Fulton'sdrivetomotivate,inspireandnurtureisjustthebeginningofthestudent‐athletes'accomplishmentsinlife...thelifethatextendsdecadesaftercollegelife.

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