BALTIMORE – Coppin State’s Interim Assistant Director of Athletics for Academic Services Thomas Strause was selected to participate in the 10th annual Professional Development Institute (PDI) as part of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) Conference that will be held from June 3-5 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Strause was one of 25 participants chosen nationwide through a competitive application process. Strause earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Health Promotion with an Emphasis in Sports Leadership from the University of Kentucky.
The Institute will precede the 2014 N4A National Convention. Strause will participate in the New Practitioner track, which is comprised of a series of interconnected intensive and interactive sessions facilitated by seasoned practitioners who are dedicated to the professional growth and career advancement of individuals serving student-athletes on university and college campuses.
The Institute will address such topics as follows Safeguarding Your Integrity & Navigating, Institutional Culture & Climate, Developmental Advising, Monitoring Eligibility, Working Effectively with Coaches, Coordinating Support Services and Climbing the Career Ladder: Planning Your Next Move.
“I am honored to be selected to represent Coppin State University at the 2014 N4A Professional Development Institute,” Strause said. “Having this opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a new practitioner in the field means a lot to me. I am looking forward to meeting other professionals while gaining new knowledge and skills that will ultimately improve my work with student-athletes at Coppin State University. In addition, I would like to thank Mr. Ramsey for his continued support and dedication to my professional development.”
Through this track the Institute seeks to ascertain and enhance knowledge about the foundational knowledge, skills and attributes owned by those embarking the profession. This track was created and intentionally designed to train and meet the professional development needs of individuals who have been working in the field less than three years yet want to explore, experience, and excel with a band of their professional peers.
The Institute begins in the spring before the N4A National Convention with mentoring, readings, assessments, and monthly assignments. The in-person institute utilizes a two day pre-Convention format at the Convention hotel. Participants must be able to commit to both the spring activities and the June in-person institute to participate in the New Practitioner track of PDI.
Among some of Strause’s day-to-day duties at Coppin State are monitoring the academic progress of every Coppin State University student-athletes, providing course advisement, academic support, and career and personal guidance to men’s & women’s basketball as well as baseball teams, educating student-athletes on rules of eligibility and promoting personal responsibility. Strause also recommends improvement of programs and services to the Director of Athletics.
Before arriving to Coppin State in September 2013, Strause was an academic graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky for several Olympic sports as well as the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
The National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) has been in existence since 1975. At Michigan State University that summer, Dr. Frank Downing (University of Kentucky) and Dr. Clarence Underwood (Michigan State University) met to outline the development of the National Athletic Counselors Association (NACA). The current name, the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A), was adopted in 1977 at the second national convention in Miami.