Logan, Utah — Seven Utah State University student-athlete alumni returned to the Logan campus as guests of honor for “Beyond Sport,” an event designed to inspire student-athletes in life after graduation. It was sponsored by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHaSS), the Black Student-Athlete Association, and USU Athletics.
Students from a variety of USU sports and universities participated in a roundtable discussion and networking night afterwards.
Amari Evans, a gymnast and vice president of the Black Student-Athlete Association, recognized the value of connecting with student-athlete alumni.
“It’s important to me to go beyond the sport, especially in a sport like gymnastics, because sport isn’t forever,” Evans said. “I’m not necessarily going to be a professional, so I want to see what I can do with my life and how I can adapt after it’s over.”
Evans commented on how helpful it was to talk to alumni who had a common experience as student-athletes and see the paths they took in life.
Camille Brocks (Sociology ’07) thanked us for sharing her experience as a CHaSS student who played on USU’s inaugural women’s basketball team in 2003. Brox currently works as a sergeant for the UCLA Police Department, and she was the recipient of the 2024 CHaSS Inspiration Award.
“I want to give students some perspective and insight into what life is like after sports,” Brocks said. “Some of these people continue on professionally, but for those who don’t have that aspiration, I give them tips and tools to think about after they hang up their cleats, shoes, and racquets. I want to give them an opportunity to think about the future.”
Students in attendance heard from a variety of former student-athletes about how they lived their lives outside of sports. One of his such alumni was Kenny x Hamlet (Interdisciplinary Studies ’14). He was a track and field athlete and found his calling as a film director, becoming the founder of Better Days He West.
“I wanted to go to college because I wanted to continue in athletics. I had no idea what I was going to do after college,” Hamlett said. “Then I picked up a camera and realized that I could do what I love every day with the same passion that I do in athletics. Without a place to channel that passion and competitiveness, I feel lost and without direction. It becomes easier to feel that way.”
The participating alumni hope that current student-athletes will recognize the skills they learned through sports and how they can use them to succeed in their post-graduation careers.
“We’ve been playing sports since we were 5, 8, or 3 or even in the 9th grade, so what we have is rigor,” said Xavier Martín, executive director of business management and marketing. ’12) said. “The rigor involved in getting up in the morning, being responsible for someone other than yourself, working in a team, and all the different aspects that you’ve worked on throughout your life. All those different aspects are key to getting to the next level. .”
This event was held to help students and alumni make lasting and valuable connections that will impact their future and success.
“We don’t want tonight to be a one-night deal where we just talk and give guidance,” USU assistant athletic director Justice Smith said. “We want them to follow our alumni and continue to build relationships with them and help them in the future.”
