Mizzou Professional Development Leads to 100% Placement Rate

Throughout the 2023 Fall semester, Mizzou student-athletes had the opportunity to take advantage of career-development opportunities, highlighted by Mizzou Professional Development Week.

An event that connects athletes to employers and increases their post-graduation success, Tigers had the opportunity to participate in programs such as micro-internships, which gave them week-long exposure opportunities in the workforce. 

The Project CEOs Series brought in successful alumni to connect and network with student-athletes. These initiatives were made possible by the MOmentum Institute, a collaboration between the Student-Athlete Career Development and Name, Image and Likeness organizations. 

Other events included a Sports Industry Career Tour to St. Louis, where athletes were able to network with staff of the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and Audacy radio station. 

“I love events when we can network with students, but also allow them the opportunity to learn and grow,” said one employer. 

The Athletics Department also sponsored a Sports Rotational Program, which included a two-week exposure opportunity into Mizzou’s units of Ticket Sales, Facility Management, Tiger Scholarship Fund, Business Office and Creative and Marketing.

“Our Mizzou student-athletes are the top qualified candidates in any industry based on their transferable skills from being a student-athlete,” said Assistant Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Career Development Katie Martinez. “The takeaways from programming are confidence building and career exploration and we do this by bringing businesses and professionals into our student-athlete spaces.”

Mizzou continues to prioritize the success of its student-athletes off the court and post-graduation.

After the Speed Mock-Interview Night, one student-athlete said, “It was super helpful and I got a lot of feedback from everyone which was something I really needed. I also learned about things that I did well at and should continue doing. Lastly, I made some connections with people which was a blast.”

Overall, the programs highlight the department’s success in placing student-athletes into their desired destinations following graduating. For the 2022-23 academic year, 65 percent of the student-athlete graduates continued their education and 29 percent secured employment in their field, while 6 percent continued to play professionally. The MOmentum Institute reported a 100% placement rate for all graduating student-athletes from the undergraduate programs.

Looking ahead, our programming will continue to evolve, with an eye on enhancing employer and alumni opportunities, expanding industry-focused engagements, and fostering successful outcomes in micro-internships.

Throughout the fall season, our career services team was actively engaged in facilitating individual meetings, with a total of 525 engagements, providing personalized support to student-athletes. Notably, the emphasis on experiential learning resulted in 271 engagements, showcasing our commitment to holistic career development.

As we enter the new semester, our commitment remains unwavering—to provide comprehensive support and resources that empower student-athletes to thrive in their chosen paths beyond the field.