Document Type
Honors Thesis
Publication Date
5-2012
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the role of the academic institution on the self-identification of Division I student-athletes. While acknowledging the importance of various forms of socialization for the development of the self, this study focuses on the importance of the academic institution as an external force on the student-athlete experience. A voluntary online survey, powered by Qualtrics, was administered to all 410 student-athletes at the University of Maine. A basic analysis of the survey results revealed that particular conduits of the academic institution may play an important role in the balance between “student” and “athlete,” including professors’ and coaches’ academic expectations, school-sanctioned organizations and peer interaction, and Honors College enrollment. Also, future plans to attend graduate school were highly correlated with student-athlete self-identification. The use of this information has the potential to enhance the balance between the dual roles of “student” and “athlete” so as to best achieve the athletic and academic goals of the Athletic Department.
Recommended Citation
Sacco, Helaina, "Between “Student” and “Athlete”: The Academic Institution’s Role in the Self Identification of Division I Student-Athletes" (2012). Honors College. 78.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/78