The Student Athlete Success Program (SAS) contains three areas dedicated to the success of all WCU student-athletes,academically, personally and professionally.  Much is expected of our WCU student-athletes and SAS will assist them in their growth as students and as contributors to society.  Throughout their time at West Chester, the SAS programming will be available to get them to graduation and success off the field.  

GOLDEN PATHWAYS
In the summer prior to the Fall of 2026, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference passed the new PSAC Pathways program for all PSAC student-athletes.  The objective for this program is to make the following objectives available to all student-athletes: academic achievement, personal growth and mental wellness, time management and organizational skills, career preparation, and leadership and life skills.  At WCU, we call this "Golden Pathways."

The Golden Pathways program exists to prepare WCU student-athletes for life off of the field and beyond through workshops and programs designed with their academic and personal growth in mind.  Each year, all WCU student-athletes will be required to attend minimum sessions with the option of taking the “gold standard” route and receive recognition upon completion in their senior year.

ACADEMIC MENTORING PROGRAM
 The Academic Mentoring Program, or AMP, exists to provide a service to student-athletes who may be at-risk academically, or may need some assistance to help navigate academics at the college level. Graduate student mentors will meet with student-athletes to assist them in both utilizing existing university resources and also to monitor their academic progression throughout the semester. Ideally, all issues and concerns that may hinder academic progress will be addressed during the semester so that these student-athletes are in the best position to succeed.

Academic mentors are graduate-level student staff of the Athletics Department, who meet with student-athletes in the program once per week following an academic mentoring protocol. The mentors do not serve as academic advisors, but rather focus on ways to improve academics, time management, navigating college, and how to advocate for oneself. The mentors maintain contact with coaches and review each student's academic progress in order to gain an understanding of each student-athlete's academic situation.

 All student-athletes agree to have their academics reviewed by the mentors and coaches. These students must obtain a tutor from the LARC or utilize the writing center on an on-going basis. They must attend all weekly sessions and are required to do a specified number of hours of monitored study hall per week. Student-athletes are expected to be honest and responsible as a participant in the program.

Any questions regarding the Academic Mentoring Program can be directed to Director of Academic Mentoring Program Kelli Milliner at kmilliner@wcupa.edu.

MICHAEL HORROCKS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
WCU student-athletes are able to develop and enhance their leadership skills by learning about the Social Change Model of Leadership.  The SAS staff will do this by facilitating workshops and conferences for student-athletes which explore different aspects of leadership and identity, and through these events catalyze an environment which emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer learning and self-reflection. Our goal is to educate student-athletes in the practice of good leadership, while equipping them with a deeper understanding of their own leadership skills and abilities, so they can return to their teams and continue to proliferate the knowledge they gained from attending our programs.


Background:   Success on the field and court for West Chester University athletes is not uncommon.  Over the decades, our institution can boast numerous championships, finalists, and NCAA #1 teams. There is little argument about that. West Chester University has embraced those successes both before Michael Horrocks became a student athlete on campus and after he left us. Michael was a football player at WCU, joined the United States Marine Corp, and eventually became a pilot for United Airlines.  Michael Horrocks was the co-pilot of the 2nd plane that crashed into the world trade center on September 11, 2001.  The quarterback, and a leader on his team, Michael epitomizes the notion of leadership that we promote in the Institute.  The Michael Horrocks Leadership Institute is a multi-level development program consisting of three specific parts, The Emerging Leaders Conference, The Captains Leadership Advancement Series or CLAS and the Academy.  Learn more about the MHLI here.