UVa-Wise and the department of athletics is committed to promoting community engagement activities and creating a positive game environment. The department of athletics recognizes that it is our responsibility to promote sportsmanship, respect, civility, and teamwork among our student-athletes, coaches, and fans. In order to do everything in our power to ensure a positive game environment the department of athletics will:
- Conduct a pregame read that clearly explains the standards for fan behavior and sportsmanship.
- Include fan behavior and sportsmanship standards in our media guides and on our website.
- Clearly explain the sportsmanship expectations to our coaches, staff, and student-athletes.
- Assign an on-site administrator whose responsibility will be the promotion of a positive game environment.
- Have assigned adequate security to each event.
By hosting diverse demographics on campus for a variety of events, having staff and students provide a presence in the local schools, and formally defining our community engagement efforts, UVa-Wise demonstrates our commitment to and praxis of learning from shared experience. Community engagement activities are incorporated into the culture of UVa-Wise and are the aspect of our service and outreach initiatives aimed at enhancing interactions between the athletic department and the broader community, including parents, students, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors. UVa-Wise is committed to building a strong relationship with constituents of the region.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) is central to community engagement initiatives at UVa-Wise. Continued establishment of the SAAC as an activator of ideas and motivator of student-athletes leads to student-created and student-led events and projects. This group of student-athletes developing a formal program that mixes community engagement activities with service projects incorporates our goals of making UVa-Wise a transformational experience, building strong ties to the community, and fortifying a leadership foundation for the region.
Guidelines for UVa-Wise Athletics Community Engagement
- Each team will participate in a minimum of one community service project per semester.
- SAAC will sponsor one community engagement event per academic year in which all teams participate.
- SAAC will sponsor a Make-A-Wish fundraiser annually.
- The Athletic Department will sponsor "Kid's Day" annually during basketball season.
- Student-athlete and department staff will actively particpate in the College's Day of Service each spring.
Kendall Rainey, Associate AD/SWA, is responsible for coordinating community involvement through SAAC. She can be contacted at 276-376-4584 or kmr7n@uvawise.edu.
