By: Victoria Marotta, vim5121@psu.edu

Bobbi Caprice, a recent 2013 graduate of Penn State Brandywine, gives back in thanks for her experience here by now becoming the recruiting coordinator in the Penn State Brandywine Athletic Department.

Caprice’s main role in the department is to recruit student-athletes to come to Brandywine. However, she has a few other responsibilities such as operating intramural and clubs sports as well as running the fitness center. In addition, she also serves as an assistant softball and women’s basketball coach.

From 2009-2013, Caprice was a four-year starter for the Lions’ basketball team and scored more than 1,000 points during her career. As a student-athlete at Brandywine, Caprice didn’t stop there; she was a member of student government, a Lion Ambassador and vice president of the Blue and White Society. She did all of this while also competing for the cross country and volleyball teams.

She is truly an extraordinary Brandywine alum. During her athletic career, she was named to the PSUAC All-Academic Team four-straight years and was a USCAA National All-Academic Team honoree in 2012 and 2013.

It is very important to be involved in activities here on campus, which led her to where she is today.

“When I was student I was very involved on campus with athletics and extracurricular activities.” Caprice states.

Club sports at Brandywine vary each year depending on interest level. Penn State Brandywine currently has cheerleading, track and field, trapshooting and ice hockey. Brandywine’s ice hockey however is a little different than the others.

“We treat our ice hockey team like a varsity program,” Caprice said. “They are a very well-established team and recruit players to come to Brandywine to compete. Unlike other club teams who normally recruit participates at club fairs and around campus. We have had other club sports in the past, like ultimate frisbee and paintball. We are happy to support any students who wants to start any club sports.”

Caprice thinks that it is essential for sports to be incorporated with education for students to fully excel and make the most of college.

From a recent article by the New York Times, Jay P. Greene, a professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, and Daniel H. Bowen, a post-doctoral fellow at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, found that, “Schools that offer more sports and field more successful teams produce higher test scores and graduation rates, research shows. There is a relatively consistent body of research showing that students who participate in athletics tend to fare significantly better both in school and in later life. Participating in sports, like playing are cognitively and organizationally demanding activities that help convey self-discipline and leadership skills. In addition, our own research has found that schools that offer more sports and field more successful teams produce higher test scores and graduation rates.”

This shows the significance of how balancing the two, education and sports, can be very essential for current and prospective students here at Brandywine.

“I believe that getting involved is so important to the overall college experience, not just through athletics, but any type of organization,” Caprice said. “Being part of a club or team makes students feel connected to the school. It gives them lifelong memories and teaches them valuable lessons. Being a part of an organization teaches students how to work well with others, how to be disciplined and time management skills (just to name a few).”

These are all important tools college students need to develop prior to graduation and going into the real world. It is true that employers seek out to hire student-athletes because they know that they have the skills needed to be successful. Caprice truly believes in the student-athlete and wants everyone to know at Brandywine, there are opportunities.

“Get involved – it is very easy to make this commuter campus a drive-by experience by simply leaving right after class,” Caprice said. “Students who do that can’t wait to ‘go up to the Park’ to get that ‘real college experience.’ I genuinely get upset to hear students have this type of attitude towards our campus. Students who get involved through athletics or clubs absolutely love their experience and often end up staying their last two years to complete their degree at Brandywine. Don’t sit around and wait for your time to have fun. Do it now!”