ROXBURY, MA – Jen White, a two-time All-American Field Hockey student-athlete from Northeastern University, took her skills off of the field and into the inner-city schools of Boston.

White, in conjunction with the Center for the Study of Sport in Society's Urban Youth Sports Program, coordinated a series of field hockey demonstrations and clinics for young middle school girls in Boston's inner-city neighborhoods.

The response from the participants was overwhelmingly positive.

"There is a critical need for activities for Boston's urban girls," said White. "It is so rewarding to see the looks on kids faces when we show up each week. The (NCAS') Degree Completion Program has helped me achieve my goal of completing my degree at Northeastern University while making a difference in some girls lives."

White assembled a squad of her former NU Women's Field Hockey teammates to assist her with the trainings. White also chaperoned middle school girls to the NCAA Field Hockey Championship at NU's Parsons Field on November 21, 2000.

White is a participant in the Degree Completion Program. The Degree Completion Program, run under the auspices of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS), assist former student-athletes through an exchange of community outreach for free tuition. This allows them to return to their respective school to complete their degrees.

From 1984-1998, 14,995 student-athletes have returned to schools to complete their degrees. Northeastern University is one of the six regional office sites of the NCAS. White contacted the NCAS Northeast Regional Office Director, Kevin Matthews, and expressed interest in sharing her skills.

The clinics she operated allowed her to remain at Northeastern University to complete her Nursing Degree - tuition free. She graduatde in the Winter Quarter of 2000 with a 3.3 GPA.

In addition, White is also involved with the writing of equipment grant proposals to the United States Field Hockey Association. The grants are aimed to secure the equipment and uniforms for the participating middle schools.

NOTE: Thanks to White's work, the USFHA approved equipment grants to the four area schools.

The Urban Youth Sports Program seeks to improve opportunities for and quality of services to inner city youths, particularly girls, in regards to sports.

Northeastern University's
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF SPORT IN SOCIETY
360 Huntington Avenue, Suite 161 CP
Boston, MA 02115-5000
Phone: (617) 373-4025
Fax: (617) 373-4566

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