UMass Student-Athlete Development Completes Second Annual Summer Bridge Program

2024 Summer Bridge: In The Books

The University of Massachusetts student-athlete development department held its second annual summer bridge program

The University of Massachusetts student-athlete development department held its second annual summer bridge program. With its completion, the program wrapped up a week of educational instruction for all football, ice hockey, men’s and women’s basketball student athletes.

Great having our @UMassFootball, @UMassHockey, @UMassMBB & @UMassWBB Student-Athletes back for Summer Bridge!#Flagship ?? pic.twitter.com/jKf9KRilNW
— UMass Athletics (@UMassAthletics) July 8, 2024

Over 130 student-athletes attended, participating in multiple sessions each day from July 8-12, with a specific focus on becoming prepared for the upcoming semester. Sessions included information on nutrition, mental health, financial literacy, gambling prevention and career readiness. The full list of sessions provided can be found below.

Monday:

Welcome from Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford
Gambling Prevention (by Mike Huber from Epic Global Solutions)
Academics Presentation

Tuesday:

Consent and Bystander Intervention (by UMass Title IX office)

Wednesday:

Nutrition
Mental Health
Compliance

Thursday:

Financial Literacy (by Cait Murray - UMass Five)
Career Readiness and Building Resumes (ALKU)
Financial Aid (by Christina Williams)

Friday:

Decision Making 101
- Jillian Grimaldi from UMass CWC
- Mark Jenkins, Kalik Barnes, and Ellis Merriweather

I thought ALKU [the Career Development Session] was engaging. They had a workshop where you could work with them one on one on resume building and my group definitely took advantage of that.

Megan Olbrys, Women's Basketball

The final session on Friday, July 12th was a decision making 101 panel with female student-athletes meeting with Jillian Grimaldi from UMass CWC and the men hearing from Mark Jenkins, Kalik Barnes, and UMass football alumni Ellis Merriweather.

One of my favorite sessions was panel on Friday because they found their own lane and they didn’t let anything stop them from going after what they wanted in life. It gave me a different perspective on how to go after my career.

Jaylen Curry, Men's Basketball

Student-athletes celebrated the completion of a successful week of summer bridge instruction with a barbecue courtesy of former UMass football player Darryl Thomas and Thomas’s Smokey Pit Stop.

My favorite session was the one on Nutrition because it applies to everyone and can better athletes' overall health.

Dominick Mazotti, Football

University of Massachusets Athletics