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With the Paris Summer Olympics approaching, the U.S. team announced this month that it is partnering with Purdue Global to offer current and former athletes the opportunity for a tuition-free education.
Colorado-based education benefits management company Guild has selected Purdue University Online as the preferred online degree provider for its partnership.
The program is open to current Team USA athletes, including Olympians, Paralympians and up-and-coming athletes, as well as athletes who have represented the U.S. at top international competitions over the past decade.
Purdue University President Frank Dooley told Inside INdiana Business that Team USA approached the guild to find an education partner.
“What the U.S. team said was, ‘We have guys that have put in a lot of time and they didn’t get a degree along the way, and we want to give them the benefit of an education,'” Dooley said. “And so that started between the two of them, and then I think the U.S. team looked at Purdue and said, ‘Purdue Global seems like a really good partner for us,’ so we got pulled in relatively early on.”
Dooley said Purdue Global has worked with Guild since 2019 and the new partnership with the US team will span five years.
According to Purdue Global, 43% of players on the U.S. team work full or part time in addition to training, and the flexibility of the online platform further benefits players’ schedules.
“I think about Olympians, and obviously there are some sports where you can make a living, but not others, but they’re very competitive people,” Dooley said, “so I think they quickly understood our type of structure and education and everyone bought into it right away.”
Purdue Global said the partnership aims to improve athletes’ economic prospects, employability, skills and support as they move on to the next stage in their lives.
Dooley said there are about 12,000 current and former players who have been notified of their eligibility. Athletes who choose to take advantage of Team USA’s education benefits can choose from about 70 degree programs.
“Given our mission to serve working adults, Purdue Global is uniquely qualified to serve adults who are working hard at their sports and passions while also helping them achieve their educational goals,” he said. “They can think of Purdue Global and the Guild as coaches on their educational journey, helping them to the finish line.”
Dooley said about 60 percent of Purdue Global students are employer-sponsored, and he believes that number will continue to grow with collaborations like the one with Team USA.
“What companies are realizing is they’re getting a commitment from their employees,” he said. “For employees in this situation, I think if you’re willing to invest in me, I’m going to take you pretty seriously.”
Purdue Global currently enrolls more than 36,000 students and awards an estimated 11,000 degrees and certificates each year.
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