Student-athletes attended networking night on Monday at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex
#ItJustMeansMore: Successful Networking Night
February 18, 2019 | Cross Country, Football, Athletics, Soccer, Volleyball, Student-Athlete Development
by Mary Catherine Molay, Graduate Assistant/Communications
STARKVILLE- Senior and junior student-athletes joined together for Mississippi State Athletics Networking Night held by The Office of Student-Athlete Welfare & Development on Monday evening.
The event was held in the multipurpose room of the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex where over 25 businesses were represented, with five former MSU student-athletes present to meet and discuss with current Bulldogs about their futures after their playing days.
"There's one word that comes to mind when I come into a building like this under these conditions: opportunity," MSU athletics director John Cohen said. "Everyone here has a great opportunity. I went to school here, and I graduated in 1990. I did not have this opportunity. I want you all to know that this is a tremendous opportunity, [and I hope] that you take advantage of that. You never know what happens when you cross a room and talk to somebody.
Emphasizing "student" in student-athlete, MSU's focus is to develop them to be the best athletically while also to preparing them for a life after sports.
One of the many student-athletes in attendance was junior MaKayla Waldner from the women's soccer team.
"Tonight means a lot to me," Waldner said. "It's really great that athletics can put on some sort of event which brings companies to us. We're able to go out there and how them that we may be a student-athlete, but this is what we do, and this is what I want to do with my life. It's awesome that they get to come here and give us this opportunity. It means a lot for us to come in here and practice our people skills, figure out where we fit in or what type of company we belong with. It helps to open our eyes to new things."
Distance runner Stephen Jones of the cross country team was also in attendance, and was eager to gain as much as he could from the event.
"Networking night gives student-athletes the opportunity to make connections and valuable relationships that they can use in their professional career going forward," Jones said. "I am looking to make my face known to as many people as I can to hopefully establish those connections that can help me down the road."
STARKVILLE- Senior and junior student-athletes joined together for Mississippi State Athletics Networking Night held by The Office of Student-Athlete Welfare & Development on Monday evening.
The event was held in the multipurpose room of the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex where over 25 businesses were represented, with five former MSU student-athletes present to meet and discuss with current Bulldogs about their futures after their playing days.
"There's one word that comes to mind when I come into a building like this under these conditions: opportunity," MSU athletics director John Cohen said. "Everyone here has a great opportunity. I went to school here, and I graduated in 1990. I did not have this opportunity. I want you all to know that this is a tremendous opportunity, [and I hope] that you take advantage of that. You never know what happens when you cross a room and talk to somebody.
Emphasizing "student" in student-athlete, MSU's focus is to develop them to be the best athletically while also to preparing them for a life after sports.
One of the many student-athletes in attendance was junior MaKayla Waldner from the women's soccer team.
"Tonight means a lot to me," Waldner said. "It's really great that athletics can put on some sort of event which brings companies to us. We're able to go out there and how them that we may be a student-athlete, but this is what we do, and this is what I want to do with my life. It's awesome that they get to come here and give us this opportunity. It means a lot for us to come in here and practice our people skills, figure out where we fit in or what type of company we belong with. It helps to open our eyes to new things."
Distance runner Stephen Jones of the cross country team was also in attendance, and was eager to gain as much as he could from the event.
"Networking night gives student-athletes the opportunity to make connections and valuable relationships that they can use in their professional career going forward," Jones said. "I am looking to make my face known to as many people as I can to hopefully establish those connections that can help me down the road."
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