2020 News Stories

±«Óătv partners with College Football Playoff Foundation to inspire student-athletes to ‘Go Teach’

Go Teach

TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2020) — The ±«Óătv (±«Óătv) College of Education and are proud to announce the launch of a new partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation to motivate college student-athletes to enter teaching careers after graduation.  

The Go Teach project, hosted by the , aims to give athletic and academic departments a platform and the tools needed to assist with the recruitment of qualified student-athletes into the teaching profession. The ±«Óătv College of Education and ±«Óătv Athletics have joined the national initiative to encourage more ±«Óătv student-athletes to consider a rewarding career in teaching. 

“Teaching is more than providing children with subject knowledge. Teaching involves problem solving, teamwork, developing talents, encouraging initiative, and building self-esteem,” said Judith Ponticell, PhD, professor and interim dean of the ±«Óătv College of Education. “Through the Go Teach project, student athletes have opportunity to build on skills gained through athletics and learn about using those skills to make an impact on children’s and society’s future as a teacher.”

±«Óătv Athletics is a long-time supporter of the CFP Foundation and its programs, including Extra Yard for Teachers Week, an annual salute to teachers supported by the Foundation and its partners. Through the Go Teach project, the ±«Óătv College of Education and ±«Óătv Athletics will collaborate to provide student-athletes with information and resources about how to become a certified teacher after graduation, while also providing advising, mentorship and networking opportunities with current educators in the Tampa Bay area.
 
“Teachers play such a valuable and impactful role in our society in shaping and encouraging our future leaders, thinkers and engaged citizens,” said ±«Óătv Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly. “We are excited to partner with the ±«Óătv College of Education to expose our student-athletes to the tremendous impact a career in teaching can have and to encourage our best and brightest to consider using their talents and experience to shape the next generation.” 

With teacher shortages in many different subject areas and communities across the country, students in college athletic programs offer a diverse pool of individuals who reflect the desired characteristics and skills to become great candidates for careers in education.  The long-term goal for the project is to place 10,000 student-athletes into teaching careers over the next 10 years.

"We are delighted to add the ±«Óătv to our list of schools participating in the Go Teach Project," said Britton Banowsky, College Football Playoff Foundation Executive Director. "This commitment from the athletic department and college of education to assist their student athletes in achieving education degrees or teaching certificates, will ensure that we begin to fulfill the need for strong diverse leaders in our classrooms."

For more information about the Go Teach project at ±«Óătv, visit the College of Education's website. 

About the ±«Óătv College of Education:
The ±«Óătv College of Education is a community of faculty, students, and staff focused on transforming lives through the promotion of equity, social justice, and improved outcomes for students and communities, particularly those that have been underserved. With boundless energy and the collective power of our community, the College of Education’s research, degree programs, and local and global partnerships are focused on solving the most complex problems of a diverse society and on preparing practitioners to be agents of change. Learn more at .  

About ±«Óătv Athletics:
±«Óătv Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 54th season in 2019-20. Nearly 450 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 19 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, and own 120 conference titles overall. Eleven ±«Óătv programs reached national postseason competition in the 2018-19 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the fifth straight year in 2019-20 and have posted a program record 11 straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. ±«Óătv has had more than 300 student-athletes earn their degree since 2016-17.

About the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers:
The CFP Foundation is the community engagement arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.