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Field trips that includes visits to a variety of companies located in the Bay Area, Silicon Valley and Sacramento region, experiential learning opportunities, networking events, workshops, a guest lecture series designed to help students learn and navigate the World of Work, job and internship fairs, and a mentorship program involving student-athlete alums are just a few items that comprise a list of unmatched resources available through the Aggie EVO program, designed by Director of Athletics Kevin Blue, to ensure post-graduation success for UC Davis student-athletes.
 
Created to provide highly relevant and applicable knowledge in a small group setting, EVO's core clinics are another tool provided to help student-athletes enjoy a successful post-UC Davis launch — defined as meaningful employment or graduate school — once they receive a degree from the fifth-ranked public school in the nation.
 
"Each team is required to participate in at least three clinics each year. Coaches have the ability to choose from the list below or request new topics," said senior associate athletics director Michael Lorenzen.  
 
Lorenzen and his Student-Athlete Outcomes staff continually identify additional areas of interest, create new content or adjust existing clinics with head coaches to meet the needs of their respective teams and student-athletes.  
 
In a response to COVID-19, Student-Athlete Outcomes staff developed the ability to conduct all clinics in a virtual environment through Zoom. These classes are designed for a 30-minute block of time; upon request, these clinics can last longer, provide additional content and information at a deeper level.
 
A suggested core clinic schedule is provided to all teams to help coaches set a plan for the academic year that best fits their team's commitments, workout and competition schedule.
 
Personal Storytelling (fall): Through writing activities and taped interviews, student-athletes learn how to explain their strengths, personality, personal story and how skills created and strengthened throughout their time at UC Davis transfer successfully to graduate school or full-time employment.
 
Building Bridges (winter): Since 75 percent of returning student-athletes have a LinkedIn profile, this clinic addresses upgrades, updates and improvements. Returners will team with freshmen/newcomers to create their profile. The additive approach to building relationships is a focal point of this clinic, which helps student-athletes gain 50 connections per year (with an ultimate goal of 150 or more by graduation).
 
World of Work (spring): Student-athletes will take the World of Work Knowledge Test (required for freshman, helpful for everyone else), debrief, discuss answers and develop strategies to research World of Work options that fit their interests, passions, values and academic career.

 
If the suggested list of clinics does not fit a team's quarterly schedule, coaches are allowed to mix and match the courses described above with additional on-demand clinics to create a curriculum that best matches student-athletes' needs, interests and timing.  
 
Other clinics that are available for teams to create an "a la carte" plan include:
 
Student-Athlete Identity: In the world of college athletics, there is a lot of discussion around the loss of the athlete identity and the accompanying stress, depression, and recalibration of that must occur. This struggle is inevitable for all student-athletes who end their participation due to illness, injury, exhaustion of eligibility or other reasons.

Experts in the field are making the suggestion that administrators can assist with this transition by helping student-athletes become aware of the diverse identities they hold, and to help them strengthen existing identities moving forward when they are no longer competing.

A core goal of the EVO program is to prepare student-athletes to launch into their careers or graduate school after graduation. This core clinic addresses a key component of that mission by strengthening student-athlete identities that relate to the World of Work, and vision for their place within it.

Emotional Intelligence (EQ): This is an introduction to Emotional Intelligence and why it matters to the World of Work and sports performance. There is a review of the EQ-i test that second year student-athletes take and a discussion of how student-athletes can improve their EQ.

Financial Literacy – Provided by SAFE Credit Union: SAFE Credit Union, the 17th-largest credit union in California and 84th largest in the country, is partnering with Aggie EVO to deliver financial literacy programming and help student-athletes develop a stronger understanding of basic personal finance to improve their chances of financial security after graduation. Preparing for emergencies, building credit, managing taxes, student and other loans are topics covered by SAFE personnel.

Informational Interviewing: Informational interviewing etiquette, best practices for appropriate questions, body language when conversing in person, adjusting conversations accordingly during phone interviews and effective follow-up strategies following those chats are the main topics of this clinic. Additional topics cover the importance of informational interviews, how these opportunities create potential allies and strengthen one's network.

Mindfulness and Presence in Each Identity – Athlete and a Pro: This clinic is an introduction to mindfulness and focus training to ensure student-athletes are as fully present as possible. They will learn how to maximize time in practice, competition, and the ability to "flip the switch" and quickly shift that level of focus to achieve the same level of excellence in class or on the job.

Prepare for the Fair: Reasons to attend, how to prepare, appropriate dress, what to bring, how to navigate booths, taking advantage of networking opportunities and connecting with potential employers are topics that are covered in this clinic, ideally scheduled shortly before a career fair.

Selling the Student-Athlete Identity as an Asset: How does one describe everything learned as a student-athlete and share that experience in a vivid and memorable manner? Three to five significant skills and abilities are identified and examples for each are organized for use while networking, participating in job or media interviews.

Student-Athlete Resumes: The basics of creating, formatting and organizing a resume are covered to help student-athletes differentiate themselves from other professionals. Capturing and highlighting the student-athlete experience, and learning how to leverage it appropriately are key elements of this clinic.


What makes Aggie EVO a success is the multi-faceted nature of the system, which provides maximum flexibility to coaches, teams and student-athletes to obtain the skills, knowledge, and take full advantage of available resources to enjoy as comprehensive an undergraduate experience as possible.

By creating and adjusting EVO's menu of core classes, student-athletes will continue to receive an unrivaled opportunity provided by UC Davis: the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics, personal growth and a successful launch to graduate school or meaningful employment.


 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
 
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
With the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, more than 700 student-athletes represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation on one of 25 intercollegiate athletics teams.
 
UC Davis, a national leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, is centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley; and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
 
Ranked annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.