Life as a Delaware Tech Student-Athlete

Shymier Johnson grew up without his parents, relying on his aunt for guidance and support. As he got older, he discovered a love for basketball, which helped to keep him focused and positive. When Johnson enrolled at Delaware Tech as an entrepreneurship major, he tried out for the men's basketball team. Thanks to a strong work ethic and a passion to remain on the court, Johnson earned his first ever academic 4.0 grade point average (GPA) in the fall 2019 semester.

"Earning a 4.0 by itself is hard, but being a student-athlete at the same time is even harder," Johnson said. "Being a member of the basketball team definitely helped me keep my grades up."

Johnson is one of many student-athlete success stories at Delaware Tech, where athletes can play baseball, men’s and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's lacrosse, softball, and women's volleyball.

"We are committed to recruiting Delaware high school student-athletes," said Michael Ryan, collegewide director of athletics. "We want young men and women who will place academics first and have a strong desire to excel in the classroom, as well as the sport they participate in."

Ben Cooper enrolled at Delaware Tech knowing he wanted to play golf while majoring in business. During his two years as a member of the golf team, Cooper maintained a 4.0 GPA and also became heavily involved in student life – serving as president of both the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Alpha Beta Gamma business honor society, as well as joining the Phi Theta Kappa honor society. He also participated in several other student clubs.

"Getting involved has been key," he said. "It has helped me make sure I study first and then do all of the extracurricular activities."

Jenna Taylor, a mechanical engineering major, became involved in activities when she first enrolled at Delaware Tech, but did not immediately participate as an athlete. In her first year, Taylor served as vice president of SGA and team manager for the cross country program. The following year, she joined the cross country team as a runner, finishing the season with all-region honors, all while serving as the SGA president and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

"It feels good to be able to show others that it is possible to do everything," Taylor said. "The College is very supportive, and seeing staff, faculty, and students at meets really touched my heart."

Support is a key component to the success of all student-athletes. Mandatory study hall time helps students balance their academic workload and improve their time management skills. Meanwhile, student-athlete academic development specialists at each campus location assist students with class scheduling, immediately help with any other issues that arise, and ensure students are communicating with instructors.

"Delaware Tech is unparalleled when it comes to support for our student-athletes," Ryan said. "We are dedicated to providing our athletes with all the support they need to guide them along the path to graduation. Our department remains in constant communication with instructors to ensure the student is meeting all academic expectations."

For Luisa Cadeza-Lujan, academic success was instilled in her at a young age. So when she enrolled in the elementary education program and joined the women’s volleyball team, she knew how to balance her life, which allowed her to graduate with a 3.5 GPA.

"My mom always told me school comes first and then sports," Cadeza-Lujan said. "I had a mindset of always getting good grades and never had anything lower than a B."

She would do homework on the road trips to away games, was in constant communication with her instructors, and relied on her teammates for support and encouragement. That peer system is something that is stressed from the top down at Delaware Tech.

"The entire athletic department believes in the team approach to collegiate athletics and that we are all responsible to one another," Ryan said.

McKenna Browning, a diagnostic medical sonography major, has played softball since she was 8 years old. She said being part of the softball team has not only helped her in the classroom, where she has a 4.0 GPA, but has taught her life skills she will continue to use long after graduation.

"Sports teaches you respect and responsibility," Browning said. "I want to be the type of person my teammates can rely on. We all have an appreciation for the sport and for each other, and we are all learning values that we can use in the workplace and beyond."

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Photo caption: (top left) Ben Cooper, golf; (bottom left) Jenna Taylor, women's cross country; (center) McKenna Browning, softball; (top right) Luisa Cadeza-Lujan, women’s volleyball; (bottom right) Shymier Johnson, men's basketball.