Their lives are often measured in statistics and wins and losses, but eight student-athletes at West Virginia University will reveal a small piece of their soul Thursday, April 9, as part of a unique speech class.
Each student, a representative of a WVU sports team, will deliver a five-minute motivational speech in front of coaches and fellow students, teammates and others from 1-2 p.m. in the Jerry West Mountaineer Room of the WVU Coliseum.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of Carolyn AtkinsSpeaking to Communities course in the College of Human Resources and Education. The presentation is also known as SASO , or Student Athletics Speak Out.
Speakers, listed with their sport and speech title, are:
- JaTavious Miller (football):Letting Go of the Ones You Love
- Bonnie West (volleyball):Rejecting the Implant
- Brandon Hogan (football):Keep Going
- Meghan Lewis (soccer):Learning from Ali
- Robert Sands (football):Complete Dedication
- Blake Miller (soccer):Bearing Gifts
- Mike Rowe (wrestling):The �€~VacationlessClass
- Jon Walko (football):Not a Finished Product
Atkins, a speech pathology and audiology professor, is an award-winning educator. Shes a past West Virginia Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Atkins used her talents and creativity to conceive the course in 1990. She geared her class to athletes, she said, because theyre among the most visible members of the University population.
Each student is charged with developing and delivering a five-minute speech. The original focus was to hone their speaking skills, but the event has evolved into a unique window into studentslives. In many cases, the student-athletes reflect on their backgrounds and the experiences that delivered them to Division I athletics.
Some of our kids come from rough circumstances,Atkins said.They grow up in poverty in rural towns and the inner city. Some watch their single parents work multiple jobs to provide for them, and some grow up in solid, middle-class homes where they see their moms and dads making sacrifices and doing everything they can for them.