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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Guest editorial - School choice offers balance
College athletics have opened up many doors I never knew existed.
The importance of getting an education was instilled in me at an early age. Youth-league coaches advised me to use athletics as a tool to get where I wanted to go, with the underlying message being that education is the most important thing to achieve. I took heed of what they were saying, and that has been my approach as a student-athlete since — to be the best I could be on and off the court.
My athletics accomplishments in the Philadelphia Public League led me to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where my life was headed for changes that would improve me academically, personally and professionally.
Through the entire college search and recruiting process, I observed themes that were consistent at the different levels of competition. The Division III schools highlight how prestigious they are academically, but I did not feel like competition in sports was stressed enough. Division I schools are known for strong competition, but the classroom sizes were too big for what I needed to succeed academically. I needed to find a balance that fueled my competitive spirit and also stimulated me intellectually.
East Stroudsburg seemed to be the perfect fit for me. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, which is one of the biggest Division II conferences in the country. I also liked the idea of having a faculty and staff that are readily accessible to the students. Small classroom sizes and a challenging academic schedule were things that appealed to me as a student-athlete. Division II is where the balance is found.
My love for sports led me to choose sport management as my major. I quickly learned the importance of time management when it came to being a student-athlete. If I was going to be the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year university, there was no time to slip academically. I finished with a bachelor’s degree in four years.
Due to a caring faculty member who offered a graduate assistantship and a redshirt sophomore year, I also gained the opportunity of a lifetime — to obtain a master’s degree in a one-year program and also use the remaining year of my eligibility. The small learning environment of this Division II college atmosphere and the ability to establish personal relationships with faculty demonstrates that faculty care about your well-being beyond teacher-student relationships. The support that I received from this institution was incredible.
The university supported me when I was selected to attend the 2006 NCAA Leadership Conference. I feel like I was nominated by people who believed in me. That support also carried me into my first year of graduate school.
Academically, I was taking 15 credits during the 2006 fall semester while playing varsity basketball, often waking at 6 a.m. to train. I also worked as a graduate assistant during the day and often attended classes at night, ending at 10 p.m. These long days — often between 13 and 16 hours — helped my time-management skills and also built character within me that taught me that I could handle any situation.
I am currently finished with my course work for graduate school. I am on schedule to accomplish my goal of finishing in one year, after I complete an internship.
There is no better level than Division II. In my college experience, I now know where Division II fits. It fits by shaping and building people who strive to be well-rounded individuals and who seek institutions that provide strong support systems. So I stand very proud when I say, “I Chose Division II.”
Murvin English recently completed his basketball eligibility at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he is a graduate student in sports management.
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By Murvin English
The NCAA NewsEast Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
The NCAA NewsEast Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
College athletics have opened up many doors I never knew existed.The importance of getting an education was instilled in me at an early age. Youth-league coaches advised me to use athletics as a tool to get where I wanted to go, with the underlying message being that education is the most important thing to achieve. I took heed of what they were saying, and that has been my approach as a student-athlete since — to be the best I could be on and off the court.
My athletics accomplishments in the Philadelphia Public League led me to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where my life was headed for changes that would improve me academically, personally and professionally.
Through the entire college search and recruiting process, I observed themes that were consistent at the different levels of competition. The Division III schools highlight how prestigious they are academically, but I did not feel like competition in sports was stressed enough. Division I schools are known for strong competition, but the classroom sizes were too big for what I needed to succeed academically. I needed to find a balance that fueled my competitive spirit and also stimulated me intellectually.
East Stroudsburg seemed to be the perfect fit for me. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, which is one of the biggest Division II conferences in the country. I also liked the idea of having a faculty and staff that are readily accessible to the students. Small classroom sizes and a challenging academic schedule were things that appealed to me as a student-athlete. Division II is where the balance is found.
My love for sports led me to choose sport management as my major. I quickly learned the importance of time management when it came to being a student-athlete. If I was going to be the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year university, there was no time to slip academically. I finished with a bachelor’s degree in four years.
Due to a caring faculty member who offered a graduate assistantship and a redshirt sophomore year, I also gained the opportunity of a lifetime — to obtain a master’s degree in a one-year program and also use the remaining year of my eligibility. The small learning environment of this Division II college atmosphere and the ability to establish personal relationships with faculty demonstrates that faculty care about your well-being beyond teacher-student relationships. The support that I received from this institution was incredible.
The university supported me when I was selected to attend the 2006 NCAA Leadership Conference. I feel like I was nominated by people who believed in me. That support also carried me into my first year of graduate school.
Academically, I was taking 15 credits during the 2006 fall semester while playing varsity basketball, often waking at 6 a.m. to train. I also worked as a graduate assistant during the day and often attended classes at night, ending at 10 p.m. These long days — often between 13 and 16 hours — helped my time-management skills and also built character within me that taught me that I could handle any situation.
I am currently finished with my course work for graduate school. I am on schedule to accomplish my goal of finishing in one year, after I complete an internship.
There is no better level than Division II. In my college experience, I now know where Division II fits. It fits by shaping and building people who strive to be well-rounded individuals and who seek institutions that provide strong support systems. So I stand very proud when I say, “I Chose Division II.”
Murvin English recently completed his basketball eligibility at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where he is a graduate student in sports management.
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