April 4 is Shadow A Student Athlete Day at Tulane
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March 20, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Tulane University will sponsor its annual "Shadow a Student-Athlete Day" on Wednesday, April 3rd from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tulane student-athletes representing every sport will pair up with 80 sixth-graders from Lafayette Elementary School for what has become one of the most popular community service events of the year.
The elementary school students arrive at the Wilson Center in time to meet up with "their" assigned student-athlete. After a brief introductory session, the pair is then together for rest of the day -- whether in class, at practice, working out in the weight room, stopping by the dorm, or eating lunch at Bruff Commons.
"The goal is to try to create an opportunity for these children to come in and see life as a student-athlete," said Tulane women's soccer player Emily McArthur, who will be participating in her third Shadow a Student-Athlete Day. "For some of these children, these are their dreams. They look up to these athletes. When they come to our school and follow us around, it makes them realize that their dreams can come true. They get to see that we are real people as well, we have to go to class, and we learn to create a balance.
"It is good for us too. It is not just for the children. It gives us perspective and let's us know that there are little kids that look to us as role models. We need to learn to be positive role models for everyone."
The event is coordinated by the Tulane Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) in conjunction with Tulane's "For The Children" Community Outreach Reading Program. SAAB is a group of Green Wave student-athletes from all sports which is assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience and to offer input on the rules, regulations and polices that affect student-athletes' lives. They are also heavily involved with community service activities on the Tulane campus.
