The Impact of an Intensive Learning Program (ILP) on Black Male Football Student-Athlete Academic Achievement

An undergraduate degree is critical to a student-athlete’s transition into life after sports; however, Black male student-athletes are not seizing the opportunities associated with college graduation (Lapchick, 1995). When Black male student-athletes arrive on campus they must manage their status as first-generation college students (McCann & Austin, 1988), any overemphasis on athletic excellence (Benson, 2000), and negative peer and faculty attitudes about student-athletes (Comeaux & Harrison, 2007). Black males are often the focus of discourse on collegiate student-athlete graduation rates because they compose a meaningful percentage of athletes who compete in revenue-generating sports (Edwards, 2000). Revenue-generating sports, in particular football, helped to create a multibillion-dollar industry in and around collegiate sports (Luchs & Dale, 2012). Meanwhile, Black male student-athletes’ graduation rates are consistently and substantially lower than those of their White male student-athlete counterparts (Sellers, 2000). The sizeable inclusion of Black males in revenue-generating sports raises the question, “Are universities providing Black male student-athletes with the support needed to graduate?”

Predominately White institutions (PWIs) accept Black male students to represent their university in athletics, yet some question whether they are as fervent about their responsibility for Black male student-athlete degree attainment (S. R. Harper, 2009). For student-athletes entering college in 1997–1998, 52% of Black football student-athletes did not graduate, whereas 61% of White football student-athletes graduated (Wolverton, 2006). In 2008, 58% of Black football student-athletes graduated in 6 years, compared to 80% of their White counterparts (National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA], 2008). Within athletic departments, academic support and career development units (ASCDUs) are responsible for helping academically underprepared student-athletes or those who experience difficulty managing their academics.

In 1991, the NCAA passed Bylaw 16.1.0 mandating ASCDUs for all Division I athletic departments. Scholarship on the content and effectiveness of student-athlete academic support programs is rare. Kennedy (2007) explored the effectiveness of the Total Person Academic Support Program (TPASP) on student-athletes’ grade point averages (GPAs) at the University of Missouri. TPASP addresses student-athlete academic performance concerns via a holistic approach to student-athlete development (Benson, 2000). Kennedy found that student-athletes enrolled in TPASP experienced an increase in their GPAs during both the fall and winter semesters. Using a sample of 53 first-year at-risk student-athletes, Nordeen (2006) explored differences in GPAs between student-athlete who participated in the Enhancement Program and student-athletes not served by the program. The results of the independent samples t test indicated that Black student-athletes in the Enhancement Program showed no significant differences in GPAs from their control group counterparts.

What we also know is initially ASCDUs primarily focused on ensuring student-athletes met academic eligibility requirements (Broughton & Neyer, 2001). Over time many ASCDUs evolved into student-athlete support services programs (SASSPs) that reflected a more holistic approach to addressing student-athlete vulnerabilities with trained personnel to deal with their special issues and needs (Gunn & Eddy, 1989; Jordan & Denson, 1990). Today, SASSPs provide content tutoring and academic advising (Benson, 2000; Meyer, 2005) combined with intensive counseling and case management services designed to help student-athletes succeed in their academic, athletic, and social roles. ASCDUs expanded their services because some student-athletes do not utilize university counseling services (Etzel, Ferrante, & Pickney, 1996) and do not utilize the full spectrum of available services.

Social workers are increasingly prevalent in university counseling centers and within athletic departments because they are trained to help resolve the developmental challenges that influence students’ academic progression and graduation. Depression (Maniar, Chamberlain, & Moore, 2005), isolation (Sailes & Harrison, 2008), substance abuse (Gill, 2009), injury (Pinkerton, Hinz, & Barrow, 1989), parenthood (Sorensen, Sincoff, & Siebeneck, 2009), mental health disorders (Donohue, Covassin, Lancer, Dickens, & Miller, 2004; Gill, 2008; Johnson, 2010), and learning disabilities (Gill, 2008; Lombardi, 2009) can influence student-athletes’ academic achievement. At the University of Tennessee department of athletics, TEAM EXCEL employs two MSWs and provides an array of integrated behavioral health services to address student-athletes’ physical, emotional, mental, educational, and...