Business Commons^™

A Community U-Knighted: Developing A Community Engagement Program For Student-Athletes, Jensen Kitrel

Undergraduate Theses

Student-athletes are expected to fill multiple roles and balance both athletic and academic responsibilities while facing other stressors. In some cases, student-athletes are further tasked with engaging with their communities as university representatives. Past research has shown that the motivation to participate in these initiatives is low due to lack of time and has acknowledged burnout among college athletes (Martin, 2019; Huml, 2019). However, few studies have taken a creative approach to address this important challenge. Utilizing functionalist theory and marketing strategies, the current research develops a program to increase volunteerism and community engagement among collegiate athletes.