Six CCBC Student-Athletes Achieve WPCC All-Academic Honors

Monaca– Six Community College of Beaver County student-athletes earned a place on the Fall 2015 Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (WPCC) All-Academic Team. Four women’s volleyball players and two men’s basketball players were regionally recognized for achieving honors or high honors in the classroom. To earn the honor award, student-athletes must achieve a 3.0 to 3.49 GPA. To earn the high honors award, student athletes must achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher.

“Through the combined resources of the new Titan Learning Center and a new Student-Athlete Academic Success Facilitator, Lauren Susan, we are already seeing the positive impacts these approaches can have on the academic success of our student-athletes,” John Ashaolu, Director of Athletics and Student Programs, said. “As a community college, CCBC is unique in offering these resources specifically to their student-athletes. The combined efforts will also help our students with transitioning to four-year institutions if they choose to further their education.”

For women’s volleyball, Emily Bilheimer, a specialized studies major from Midland, achieved high honors; Jessica Palak, a nursing major from Baden, achieved high honors; Sabrina Peroni, a nursing major from Baden, achieved honors; and Shania Short, a specialized studies major from New Brighton, achieved high honors.

For men’s basketball, Tony Gates, a liberal studies major from Monaca, achieved high honors and Ryan Skovranko, a specialized studies major from Baden, achieved honors.

CCBC’s Student Athlete Retention Program is a collaboration between counseling, academic affairs, and the athletes. The goals of the program are to assist every student-athlete in attaining academic success and to ensure every student-athlete is successful on the field or court.

The Student Athlete Retention Program offers counseling services, study halls, workshops, mentors, Titan Tutors, student educational plans and progress report monitoring. The Titan Learning Center was created in fall 2015 to provide a quiet study space for student-athletes as well as a place to receive tutoring and mentoring.

Susan works with all athletes and their coaches to chart the athletes’ progress in the classroom. Additionally, she meets with the student-athletes to provide different workshops once a week and offers one-on-one mentoring.

“At the workshops, we cover topics such as study skills, time management, money management, resources on campus, team building, leadership styles, life after sports, and networking and community building,” Susan said. “The mentoring focuses on academic planning, including developing long term academic and career goals and identifying courses at CCBC to help accomplish the goals.”

Additionally, Susan provides progress reports to all student-athletes’ professors.

“The CCBC Student Athlete Retention Program is helping us academically support all of our athletes every semester and not just when they are in season,” Susan said. “The program is keeping our student-athletes on top of their game both in the classroom and on the playing field.”

To learn more about CCBC athletics, visit www.ccbc.edu/Athletics.