George Koonce, vice president for advancement at Marian University, is a finalist in the 2015 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. He was named as one of 54 entrants that advance to the semifinal round from an original field of 238 entries.
Koonce’s entry, Athlos 360, is a technology-based service that provides college athletes a platform to highlight and enhance their skills during the search for employment after graduation and aid in direct job placement. Koonce said there are thousands of student athletes who lack “soft skills” to prepare for and find employment opportunities. He said they leave college lacking work experience, the ability to create resumes, find positions and execute an interview.
By coordinating efforts between athletic departments and future employers, Athlos 360, can connect potential employees with companies through an online database specifically geared toward student athletes. Athletes will be able to create profiles that are accessible by potential employers while being able to access resources to build the soft skills they have not had an opportunity to build on during college. Athletic departments would pay for packaged services; employers would pay a percentage of the first year’s annual salary of each placed student-athlete and would pay a flat fee for internship placements.
Read this story in the Fond du Lac Reporter here.
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