Sept. 26, 2006

SOUTHLAKE, Texas - Washington State University and its P.R.O.W.L. (Providing Responsible Options With Life Skills) student-athlete personal development program were recognized Monday (Sept. 25) as a "Program of Excellence" by the Division I-A Athletic Directors' Association.

The Program of Excellence award is designed to recognize Division I-A athletics programs that have established student-athlete welfare as the cornerstone of their operating principles.

"This is an extraordinarily high honor," WSU President V. Lane Rawlins said. "It is a reflection of the deep values that this institution has, of the sense of community that we have with our student-athletes, and of the bonding between the goals of athletics and academics. We are deeply honored."

"Our program's emphasis is placed on the student-athlete's endeavors in academic, athletic, career, personal, and community efforts while at Washington State and later in life," WSU Director of Athletics Jim Sterk said. "We are extremely proud and honored to be recognized as a Program of Excellence, and we will continue to pursue our goal of providing one of the best student-athlete experiences in the country."

In 1991, WSU joined several other Division I-A Universities and the NCAA Foundation to create a pilot program with a comprehensive development and educational focus aimed at helping student-athletes manage the many demanding dimensions of their lives.

This program evolved into the nationally recognized NCAA "CHAMPS" Life Skills program. Building upon the NCAA CHAMPS model, WSU created the P.R.O.W.L. student-athlete personal development program.

While the P.R.O.W.L. program addresses the same general areas as the NCAA CHAMPS program, it is specifically tailored to the unique demands placed upon entering WSU student-athletes with the goal of achieving an optimal student-athlete experience while at WSU and preparing for continued success upon leaving WSU.

Dedicated to the Washington State University mission of offering a "World Class. Face to Face." education and the Athletic Department's mission of attaining the optimal student-athlete experience, the P.R.O.W.L. student-athlete personal development program is committed to promoting the student-athlete's life-long process of learning and development toward excellence through five areas of focus: New Student-Athlete Seminar, Career Development, Healthy Life Choices, Community Outreach and Services, and access to the P.R.O.W.L. Resource and Referral Center.