ONYX ANNEAU - FALL 2025

like leadership, that these athletes can learn by doing other things, and they can bring what they learn back to their teams. You might become a team captain based on things you learned by being involved in a club on campus.” There are nearly 400 student athletes at SMWC this fall. With athletes making up more than 60% of the student body, Lanke says, they’re involved in basically every activity campus has to offer. “If students want help getting involved, we encourage them to talk to their RA or their teammates who have been here for a while and can help them find that SMWC experience to make the most of college,” he said. “While their sport is important to the student, we’re trying to build teamwork, leadership and character, and those are all things that are going to take students forward in their careers.” — Kevin Lanke, Associate Vice President for Athletics Sports are often one of the first places students look to elevate their four years on campus. “Sports enhance their experience, and help with their ability to grow and be successful in the classroom. It certainly helps them to be more successful in the classroom and outside the classroom,” Brennan Randolph, president of SMWC. “They learn how to work on a team, sometimes in a stressful environment because of the spirit of competition, and they’ll be able to use those same abilities on a job.”

A student-athlete’s campus involvement, Lanke noted, could have a trickle-down effect. “The more connections student athletes have on campus, the more their fellow students are going to want to come watch a game. So now, you’re building a student section,” he said. “If the student body has Pomeroy Pride, now you’re not just relying on the athletes to support each other. Now, the student body is coming out to support them.” It’s a different kind of support than former Pomeroy softball player and basketball team manager Tonya Gimbert Sawyer, Ph.D. and alumna of the Class of 2007, remembers during her time as a student. She says student-athletes today have even more chances to build a well-rounded college experience outside of their sport. “We supported each other at athletic events, but our programming was more on our floors in the dorm, not campus-wide events that are held today,” said Sawyer, who now serves as chair of the College’s Business and Leadership Department. “Today, our student athletes have a lot more opportunities to grow, to connect and to learn from others through organizations and clubs. It’s all to help them become more diverse, more marketable than someone else in their career.” The challenge, Sawyer says, is getting students to realize the value. “If we help them understand why it’s important to be involved, they’re more likely to want to get involved,” she said. “It teaches them soft skills and communication with others, and they’ll discover things about themselves that will help them down the road. Ultimately, it will help them on their teams, too.” When he’s not on the field with the sprint football team, senior Jake Skinner spends much of his spare time helping younger athletes and staying connected with classmates. “From balancing schoolwork, training and helping others, I’ve really learned how important time management and communication are,” says Skinner, of Sullivan, Ind. “Those lessons carry over into the classroom, where I make sure to stay

organized with my academics. On my team, I try to set an example through preparation and accountability.” Skinner says he’s benefited from the relationships he’s built off the field. “I’ve had a chance to grow as a person, not just as an athlete,” he said. “I’ve met new people and built on my leadership skills that will help me after college sports are over.”

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