The purpose of this study was to explore athletic identity, identity foreclosure, and career maturity in a sample of undergraduate college students currently enrolled in kinesiology and physical education classes at a university in the southern United States. Students were provided with an internet link that requested them to complete a demographic survey, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), the foreclosure subscale of the Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status, and the Attitude Scale (Form A-2) of the Career Maturity Inventory. Examination of the Pearson moment correlations indicated that the higher the sport participation during high school, the greater the athletic identity and identity foreclosure, and lower the career maturity attitudes. ANOVAs were performed to examine differences between males (n = 123) and females (n = 183), kinesiology (n = 181) and non-kinesiology majors (n = 125), and white (n = 144) and non-white students (n = 162) on athletic identity, identity foreclosure, and career maturity. Results showed that males scored significantly higher on athletic identity and identity foreclosure, and significantly lower on career maturity than females. Kinesiology students had scores significantly higher on athletic identity and identity foreclosure, and lower on career maturity. Finally, individuals that identified their ethnicity as White had higher athletic identity, lower identity foreclosure, and significantly higher career maturity than individuals who identified as an ethnicity other than white. Although the relationships in this study are in line with what has been found in previous research, the relationships among this sample of undergraduate students were weak. Future research should replicate the study using a measurable level of sport skill level. Future research should also consider introducing an intervention with a career development program, and track participants' athletic identity, identity foreclosure, and career mature before, during, and after implementation of the program.

The focus of this case study was a study abroad program for student-athletes at a high academically achieving, small liberal arts college in the mid-west region of the United States. The program is designed to maintain a culture of internationalism and multiculturalism by exposing as many student-athletes as possible to study abroad. I reviewed literature to extract an appropriate theoretical framework along with variables that aligned with the purpose of the study; structural and organizational characteristics of the institution, student's background and pre-college traits, interaction with agents of socialization and institutional environment, and quality of effort. I used the semi-structured interview process to interview 9 senior student-athletes (3 female, 6 male; 7 White, 1 African American/White, 1 Chilean/White) who participated in study abroad during the 2015-2016 academic school year at the researched institution and to interview 5 administrators who facilitate the athletic department at the institution. I found that certain critical elements emerged as necessary to create and maintain a study abroad program geared specifically to the needs of the student-athlete population. I also found strong implications for adaptable elements that could generate opportunities for student-athletes to study abroad at a higher rate. These elements serve as a recommended framework and set of initial guidelines for student-athletes and athletic departments nationwide.

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to examine student-athlete perceptions of the role of summer pre-enrollment in their adjustment and transition to college. The study focused on student-athletes who received athletically-related financial aid at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-AAA institution. The Academic Progress Rate (APR), which measures academic eligibility and retention while incorporating a penalty structure for underperforming teams and athletic departments, has emerged as the fundamental measure of academic success for intercollegiate athletics programs. Educators have responded with a broad spectrum of support programs for student-athletes in order to meet APR benchmarks and avoid costly penalties. The NCAA first permitted the awarding of athletic aid to incoming student-athletes for summer pre-enrollment during the early part of the last decade. However, relatively little research has examined the concept of summer pre-enrollment and the role it may play in a student-athlete's adjustment and transition to college. The researcher conducted retrospective in-depth interviews with seven men's and women's basketball student-athletes who had completed one year of full-time enrollment at the selected institution and who received athletic aid for their summer pre-enrollment. Data was analyzed in a manner consistent with Boeije's Constant Comparative Analysis. This study drew upon Schlossberg's Transition Theory, and the participants described their experience in relation to their situation, self, support, and strategies. Collectively, the findings suggested that the participants perceived at least some benefit to their academic adjustment and social integration to college from the summer pre-enrollment. Though the summer pre-enrollment may not have provided identical academic, athletic, and social demands as the academic year, most of the participants indicated they were able to gain a better understanding of what college classes and college life were like as a result of their summer pre-enrollment participation. The findings further suggested that the participants were well prepared and well equipped for the demands of college prior to their summer pre-enrollment experience. Future research is needed to examine the role of summer pre-enrollment in the college adjustment and transition of student-athletes who are less prepared for the demands of college.

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This study is a combination of three research studies that evaluated multiple aspects of the expectations, efficacy, and level of preparation of new Athletic Trainers (AT) in disordered eating and eating disorders prevention, recognition, and intervention. The first study analyzed the expectations and efficacy of new ATs in the management of disordered eating and eating disorders. This was evaluated from the perspective of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Athletics Administrators, Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) Directors, and new ATs. The results indicate high expectations for ATs but low levels of efficacy in these specific areas. The second study investigated the relationship between a variety of teaching methods and the efficacy of new ATs in the management of disordered eating and eating disorders. The findings demonstrated an increase in levels of preparation and efficacy when alternative teaching methods were used. These methods included teaching in a clinical setting, using role-play scenarios, and implementing real-life scenarios. A combination of these methods and lecture also increased the levels of preparation and efficacy. These results were in-line with Vygotsky's sociocultural learning theory and confirmed the benefits of learning in a social context. The third study examined the need to determine what types of support existed in NCAA athletics departments to assist ATs in fulfilling these responsibilities. Article three evaluated the existence of eating disorder policies, specific guidelines for prevention, recognition, and intervention, and the presence of disordered eating management in the AT job description. The NCAA athletics departments with the above three items were better prepared to handle disordered eating and eating disorder situations and offered more continuing education opportunities to ATs. However, these departments demonstrated increased levels of perceived prevalence of disordered eating among their student-athletes. Overall, these three articles provide a greater understanding of the expectations and efficacy of new ATs. The articles demonstrated low levels of efficacy in the management of disordered eating and eating disorders, discontinuing with the appropriate teaching methods, and an overall lack of support for ATs in disordered eating and eating disorder management.

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