SUNY Oneonta Students Create Summer Sports Camp for Girls

SUNY Oneonta's campus is anything but quiet this summer, with 40 students engaged in research projects covering a wide array of disciplines, from anthropology to sport sciences.

Outside on the Red Dragon soccer field, area girls ages 9 to 11 took part in a four-day summer sports and life skills camp in mid-July called "Getting a Move on Girls Sports" to empower young women and help them "feel confident in their ability to participate in sports teams without the bias of societal views." It was part of a research project called "Implementation of a Life Skill Curriculum in a Youth Sport Setting" that three Sport & Exercise Sciences students are working on alongside Assistant Professor Katherine Griffes.

Students' work included preparation and training for, as well as hosting, the sports camp, overseeing the entire curriculum, and supervising counselors and campers. With the camp successfully finished, their work will now focus on data collection and analysis.

Witnessing students realize the value in their coursework and see the impact they can have on their community, "was so rewarding," Griffes said.

This is the most robust and discipline-diverse Summer Research Fellowship Program the college has ever offered, according to Kathy Meeker, director of the Grants Development Office. Nearly $90,000 in Student Research Grants was given to support students in their research. Through financial support from the College at Oneonta Foundation, 30 student participants received stipends of up to $3,000 each, in addition to project-related funding and campus housing. Students will present their findings during a special showcase Sept. 8-15 in Hunt Union.

"Being able to engage in experiential learning like summer research is a life-changing opportunity for students because it's a chance to use their knowledge in a real-world setting," Meeker said. "Many of these students will have their research published and go on to become experts in their field. It also helps them decide whether they want to pursue higher education after graduation and facilitates indispensable relationships with faculty mentors, as well."