AMHERST, Mass. – University of Massachusetts women's basketball continues its Q&A series, Team Behind the Team, as the program will feature several key members of the support staff and their roles with the Minutewomen.
Next in the series is Elizabeth Smith Hamlet, who serves as senior assistant director of academic success. Among her many roles outlined below, Smith Hamlet and her staff ensure UMass student-athletes are on track with academic and career goals and provide support in realizing those goals.
Name:Elizabeth Smith Hamlet Position: Senior Assistant Director, Academic Success At UMass Since: November 2017 Hometown: Newark, Delaware
What does a normal day look like for you around UMass and with the women's basketball program?
"I serve as the academic counselor for both men's and women's basketball. My day-to-day is filled with academic meetings with the student-athletes; we check on emails, grades, and other planning to assist them throughout the week. We also work with campus academic advisors to help the student-athletes register for classes and make graduation plans that support their life and career goals. We refer out to campus resources and partners as needed to support student-athlete goals. At times, I'll travel with the team to help with exam proctoring and support academically." Administratively, I implement progress reports on campus for all student-athletes and sit on the Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee which has made a lot of ground work with initiatives such as voter registration, cultural education, and campus connections."
Left to right: Director of Student-Athlete Development Amanda Ekabutr, UMass football student-athlete Solomon Siskind, women's basketball student-athlete Desiree Oliver, and Smith Hamlet at the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Austin, Texas.
What have you enjoyed about being around UMass and the basketball teams?
"Working at UMass has been a special experience. It's a top-tier institution, so the students will always get a quality education. It's challenging, for sure, but they know they're going to get something out of their degree. There's a ton of support here, not just for student-athletes but students in general. Internally within athletics, the Academic Success and Student-Athlete Development units have amazing staffs. Seeing how much the university pours into its students and our staff, it makes it a welcoming environment for the student-athletes and staff. There's a family vibe between all of us."
What do you enjoy about living in the Pioneer Valley?
"Being in Western Massachusetts has been a change for me, coming from Delaware and various other institutions. But it's very family-friendly here. There's a lot of support for people who want to be outdoors. There's so many good food places. I can't complain–it's a much simpler life and I like simple. For the students, there's a lot around to keep occupied and get exposure to different things in the area."
How crucial is it for student-athletes to have the level of support from your staff and the campus as they grow and tackle challenges?
"These four years as a college student are some of the most formative years that you'll have. You're coming off having not much independence, then come into an area of freedom that you're not used to. You have to figure out how to use resources available to you. In both of our basketball programs, the student-athletes are great and have big goals and dreams. We support each other in reaching those goals. Between me and Director of Student-Athlete Development, Amanda Ekabutr, and other resources, setting up the student-athletes for the next step in their lives is important to us. All of our student-athletes complete resume workshops and have a working resume. We're getting them set up with LinkedIn. They'll have access to jobs, interviews, financial literacy, a lot to make them feel safe and secure in that next step."
What do you enjoy in your spare time?
"I definitely enjoy family time. I think this current situation has showed people that family time is the most important time. My husband also works in this field, so finding time for each other has been great. Educating myself on what is going on in the world is something else I do. One thing my mom left me with was lifelong learning–you can always improve and become a better person. Of course, I like music, movies, binge watching like everyone else! I try not to binge watch too much, but there's moments when I just want to relax."
What's something the average person might not know about you?
"Last year for our anniversary, my husband and I jumped out of a plane and went sky-diving. I'd recommend it to people if they're not scared! Also, when I was 12 years old, I spoke with Jackie Joyner-Kersee. That was a great experience because she kept me calm for my first time speaking in front of a bunch of people."
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