How do you get alumni to reconnect to a college? Start a football program. At least that seems to be the message in a 15 September New York Times article. Lincoln University, an historically black college whose alumni include Thurgood Marshall and Langston Hughes, disbanded their football program in 1960. Now, in an effort to reinvigorate the campus and reconnect the school to its historic roots, the school has decided to bring the program back.
“In the increasingly competitive environment of higher education, sports can forge impressions and draw unparalleled attention,” according to the NYT. We saw this when GMU’s basketball team went to the NCAA final four. The symbolism of sports, especially football, appears to create bonds between a school and its current and former students like no other.
Historic Note: Lincoln University played its first game against a club team from George Mason on August 30th.
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4 comments:
This piece on Lincoln University supports my problem statement. I do believe Lincoln University made an important decision to bring football back to their university. George Mason University however is in a differnt situation never having a Division 1 football program. Great post!
Tim, do you have the title of this article so I can read the entire article?
meghan -
you can click on the words "new York Times" in the first paragraph of my post - it will like you to the story. You can also cut and past the URL below into your browser. Also, if you want to read the write up of the GMU game, click on the link.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/sports/ncaafootball/16lincoln.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1221577312-igl/06gReBEc0tjdEZ248A
Thanks Tim!
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