Student-Athlete Laptops: Gold Standard for Big Red

Nebraska Athletics continues to lead the nation in academic support services for student-athletes. The latest addition to Nebraska's world-class services includes making available a Macbook Air laptop computer for every athlete on NU's roster.

 

Randy York N-Sider
Official Blog of the Huskers

Last summer, Nebraska took a strong step to continue to lead the way in academic success across college athletics, making a 13-inch MacBook Air laptop computer available to every student-athlete listed on an NU roster. 

These laptops are not kept in a computer lab, but distributed to the student-athletes to take to class, home and on the road while competing for the duration of their time as a Husker.

“Welcome to Nebraska Stanley! We're going to help you study like everyone should study.” – Stanley Morgan, Freshman, Football

The move was made possible because of NCAA legislation that enables Nebraska Athletics to provide student-athletes tools to be successful in the classroom. Nebraska decided to make an even bigger committment to the student-athlete.

“It’s a game-changer,” said Amanda McClanahan, a sophomore forward/defender on the Nebraska soccer team.

It’s a game-changer that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Nebraska has always provided student-athletes with the tools necessary for world-class academic success. Those tools, plus unparalleled academic support, first-class facilities and now laptops have helped Nebraska lead the nation with 320 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-Americans. 

 

 

 

 

A Freshman First Thought: 'Welcome to Nebraska, Stanley'

 

Stanley Morgan Jr., a freshman wide receiver from New Orleans, could not have been more excited than he was shortly after he arrived on the University of Nebraska campus.

“Coming from my family, that was just too expensive for my mom to buy something like that,” Morgan said. “For Nebraska to give this to me is a true blessing.”

Stanley Morgan Jr. was one of the first student-athletes to receive a laptop for academic use while a student at NU. Nebraska Athletics has taken an initiative to make laptops available for every student-athlete on NU's roster.

Morgan was so excited after receiving the laptop that he immediately wanted to show it to his mom. “She was even more excited than I was,” he said. “We couldn’t think of anything that would be cooler.”

“I didn’t have any idea at all that I was going to get something like this,” Morgan said. “I was so excited, I didn’t know what to say, but I know what I said to myself after getting one – ‘Welcome to Nebraska, Stanley! We’re going to help you study like everyone should study.’”

Nebraska’s commitment to academic success has a long history and a strong financial investment to match. In total, Nebraska spent $16.2 million in 2014-15 for tuition and services provided by the academic support programs.

All of that is housed in the Dick and Peg Herman Family Student Life Complex, which is open 122 hours each week. Staffed by 14 full-time workers, the academic support services are committed to supporting student-athletes to succeed in the degree major of their choosing.

Nebraska has benefitted in the past by giving student-athletes access to a state-of-the-art computer lab. Located inside the Student Life Complex, the computer lab has made laptops available to check out for team travel.

“I went with Nebraska because it's what I needed most. I already know I made the right choice.” – Stanley Morgan, Freshman, Football

The opportunity for all student-athletes to receive a MacBook Air laptop provides  another valuable tool to assist student-athletes in finding optimal success in the classroom.

“I wasn’t really big on school in high school,” Morgan said about his transition to college. “I made good grades, but somebody always had to push me. I knew I needed the kind of rigor that Nebraska has.”

When it came down to his final choice, Morgan was torn between Nebraska and LSU. “I went with Nebraska because it’s what I needed most, and I already know I made the right choice.”

 

 

 

 

In a Nutshell, Computer Just Makes Everything Easier

 

Jessica Shepard, a freshman forward on the women’s basketball team, thought about getting her own computer before coming to college.

Amanda McClanahan calls the student-athlete issued laptops a "game-changer." Teammates have used the laptops for note taking in class as well as completing projects such as short movie presentations.

“So I was excited when they told us we were all getting new computers,” she said.

“At Nebraska, it’s not just athletic performance,” Shepard pointed out. “They’re trying to make everything as easy as possible, so we can succeed just like we succeed in athletics.”

“The way I think of it,” senior men’s golfer Aaron Wong told me, “this gesture clearly shows how far the University of Nebraska is willing to go to give us the best chance and opportunity to succeed in the classroom.”

For many student-athletes, that chance means a world of motivation. “Knowing that,” Wong said, “I feel as though I owe it to the University to work hard and use everything the computer is capable of doing to help me in every class.”

Wong said he uses the laptop every day, in every class. He downloads all his class documents on it and takes all of his in-class lecture notes as well.

McClanahan appreciated the laptop being outfitted and ready on day one. “If you had a class with a special program that you needed for the class, it was already on there or they would help you get it installed,” she said. “Some of my teammates have even used it to make movies for some of their classes.”

“Everyone is there to help you and make you the best that you can be.” – Jessica Shepard, Freshman, Women's Basketball

Morgan is another student-athlete that has used the computer to make movies for class. “I had an English 101 class where I made a mini-movie on my computer,” Morgan said. “It was a video about athletes and social media. We focused on the ways that athletes use social media.”

The final result? “I did it in a good way and got an A on it,” he said, grinning from ear to ear.

For Shepard, a Fremont, Neb. native, Nebraska was the only choice she considered before committing to NU as a high school freshman. “Nebraska was my dream school,” she said. “I came here because I’ve always wanted to represent my school, my community and my home state.”

Now that her dream is becoming a reality it’s time to set the next set of dreams, dreams that culminate for most student-athletes by walking across the stage to receive their diploma. That’s the ultimate dream that Nebraska continues to make a reality by providing an exceptional experience for student-athletes.

The environment is definitely first class. Sentiment from current student-athletes echoed by Shepard. “It’s great every day,” she said, “just because everyone is there to help you and make you be the best you can be.”

 

 

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a monthly series highlighting the Nebraska Student-Athlete Experience

Student-Athlete Experience 1: Guatemala Opens Minds

Student-Athlete Experience 2: New Complex Delivers B1G Student-Athlete Benefits

 

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