Recent numbers collected from South Carolina universities show that South Carolina State University (SCSU) and Jackson State University student-athletes have nearly a 90% graduation rate, in particular among Black university student-athletes, according to a report by sports and culture website The Undefeated.
Following 2021's annual Graduation Gap Bowl compiled and written by The Undefeated journalist Derrick Z. Jackson, SCSU and Jackson State both saw NCAA Graduation Success Rates (GSR) of at least 87% and 85% for Black student-athletes at their respective universities, according to Jackson's report shared by SCSU Athletics.
Similar numbers were recorded in Michigan, Alabama, and Cincinnati, whereas Georgia only saw 55% of Black student-athletes successfully graduating, The Undefeated reported.
"It's the five-minute hallway conversation. It's making it clear to them they can ask questions and ask for help if they need it. It's those conversations that help them see the big picture down the line of why they need to get their education. It's not about how many people you have on your academics staff. It's how you affect the students," Melissa Dawson, SCSU executive associate athletic director of compliance and academic services, told The Undefeated.
The new numbers reported from Jackson State and SCSU are a landmark moment for South Carolina schools, as historically Black college and university (HBCU) athletic departments typically do not have access to the same resources as that of predominantly white institutions (PWIs), The Undefeated reported.
In the Georgia athletic department staff directory, 25 people are listed under student services or academic support, The Undefeated reported.
Alabama saw 16 staffers listed under academics, Cincinnati listed 12 and Michigan listed 11, while Jackson State has five staffers for academics, and SCSU only one, according to The Undefeated.
"You don't want to unnecessarily take away any dreams a student-athlete might have of going pro," Dawson told The Undefeated. "But you want to get them to understand that education is like a cake. When you make a cake and you eat the cake, it tastes pretty good. If you get to be pro, that's the icing. But the cake's still good without the frosting."
Eight years ago, the SCSU football program had a 43% GSR, according to The Undefeated report.
Alerts Sign-up