Athletics department helps athletes score summer jobs

In December, the athletics department initiated a program to help varsity athletes find summer internships and employment after graduation.

"It's really in its preliminary stages," said assistant director of athletics Kedi Finkbeiner, who created the project.

The main component of the program constitutes generating a book University athletes' resumes. Finkbeiner said 109 athletes have submitted their resumes to her.

The book is currently at the printer and upon its completion, will be distributed to corporate sponsors of the athletics department as well as members of the organization, Friends of Princeton Athletics, which, according to Finkbeiner, are in a position to assist athletes in the job placement process.

Finkbeiner said she started the program because of her own experiences in a similar program when she was a student athlete. She said another factor was the large number of requests she has received to assist athletes from former alumni who were involved in athletics at the University.

"We just happen to have some external interest, and I had the desire and knowledge, from my own experience as a collegiate athlete, to bring some ideas to the table," Finkbeiner wrote in an e-mail.

In early December, Finkbeiner sent an e-mail to varsity athletes informing them of the program. Those who responded by the Dec. 15 deadline could submit their resumes to be included in the resume book. According to Finkbeiner, the book includes varsity athletes from all classes.

Varsity softball player Devon Keefe '01 was one of the athletes who participated in the program. "I think that the student-athlete resume book is a great idea and opportunity," she wrote in an e-mail.

"It gives student-athletes the chance to be recognized by alumni who have played sports and I think will open up opportunities that I would not have had otherwise," she added.

Keefe said she thinks the program will be another good resource through which she can send her resume to prospective employers.

"I hope to learn about job opportunities and meet alumni who have similar interests as me," she said.

Finkbeiner said the costs associated with the program are minimal, and therefore there was no need to seek out funding in order to begin helping the athletes find jobs.

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Because the program is in its first year, it consists only of the resume book, but Finkbeiner said there is a chance it may be expanded to include other types of assistance for athletes in the future.