Oct. 27, 2011
By Chardonnai Johnson, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - "SAAB is our voice," said Mike El-Saleh of the men's fencing team and president of Penn State's Student Athlete Advisory Board, SAAB. "The student-athlete voice to the administration, to ourselves, and to the greater Penn State."
His words are what most would expect the president of any student organization to say, but his voice resonating sincerity shows his belief in what SAAB does.
"It deals with student-athlete welfare," El-Saleh said. "Issues of diversity, academic support, and how we disseminate information to our student athletes effectively."
SAAB is a student run advisory board for the athletic community here at Penn State. It consists of representatives from all 31 of the varsity sports and club sports teams including dance and cheerleading.
Every team is guaranteed a representative that serves as the voting member of that particular team and liaison between SAAB and their sports team.
Vice president, Anna Muzio of women's track and field, thinks of SAAB as a tool for betterment in the student athlete community.
"It's like a tool for student athletes to get together and discuss issues in the community," said Muzio. "We want to better the athletic experience for other groups of incoming athletes."
In relation to bettering the student athlete's Penn State experience, Muzio said one of the team's main focuses for the past year has been athlete welfare specifically in the academic area.
"One of the biggest things we've worked on is issues of academic scheduling," she said. "People don't realize that we're [athletes] practicing three hours in the afternoon plus morning conditioning. It's hard to schedule that 8 a.m. class or the 2:30 p.m."
El-Saleh said that the problem started when freshman athletes were trying to schedule classes but couldn't. The only available classes for them would only be during their practice hours which is never a good thing said El-Saleh. Luckily the SAAB team was able to solve the issue.
"We were able to talk to the administration and get a solution approved," he said.
Because of the SAAB team's efforts, student athletes are able to schedule one week before the honors students said Muzio. She counts the priority registration as a blessing.
SAAB is not only about athlete welfare El-Saleh said, student outreach is another big goal for them.
"We reach out to other people in the community," said El-Saleh, "to get student athletes involved in Penn State activities like Thon and Homecoming. It's really a way for us to get involved and show that there are more things that we do other than our sport."
This emphasis on getting involved with things outside of sports is just one of the ways SAAB is working to accomplish the three I's, involvement, inclusion, and investment, that are SAAB's official focus this year.
"Inclusion was my first main thing," said El-Saleh. "I want everyone to understand that they have a voice and the options that are available to them."
Next on the list, investment, is more along the lines of how SAAB can get people involved and to feel like they've accomplished something El-Saleh said.
"We're all athletes and we're all very competitive and goal oriented," said El-Saleh. "Investment is more of a how can we do something and feel like we're making a difference. Priority registration, for example, that's something we did and we can be proud of that."
The last of the three is involvement. El-Saleh said that also factors into inclusion because you're intermingling with different groups.
"This also goes into inclusion," said El-Saleh. "We want people to know what SAAB is and by branching out with all these other organizations it's a lot of intermingling. It's already been a great success the first couple months."
A thriving example of SAAB putting the three I's to the test was the team's partnership with Blue and White Society and PRIDE for the homecoming events earlier this month Muzio said.
"It was our little homecoming triad, as we like to call it" said Muzio with laugh as she put her fingers into a mini triangle. "It was such a great experience because homecoming was such a great way for everyone to intermingle."
With all the monthly meetings, distributing of information, trying to get things approved, and outreach that they do, they somehow find time to put on fun events each year.
"We just had the Mr. and Miss Student Athlete pageant," Muzio said with a smile. "We also have the Trick or Treater at the sports museum and this pen pal program where we write letters to kids in different schools. I'm excited for that. I keep all of mine."
El-Saleh said that another big event for SAAB is Code Blue, a tradition started in 2007 by a student athlete. It was very successful, but when the athlete graduated no one took it over. The SAAB team is trying to start it up again said El-Saleh.
"We decided over the summer to bring Code Blue back to SAAB," said El-Saleh. "It promotes a really great environment and gives fans incentive to see sports that they don't usually see."
Overall El-Saleh and Muzio are very pleased with SAAB and the effort of the student athletic community these past few years. They feel that the efforts of SAAB are proof of their dedication not only to their sport but to Penn State.
"We're not just jocks," said El-Saleh. "We do care and we are most definitely invested in this University."