Miami Ohio University Athletics
Lauren Cavallaro Hired as Miami CHAMPS/Life Skills Director
8/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 11, 2008
OXFORD, Ohio--Lauren Cavallaro has been hired as Miami University's CHAMPS/Life Skills Director, Miami University Director of Athletics Brad Bates announced today (Aug. 11).
Cavallero comes to Miami from the University of Pittsburgh where was a coordinator in the office of cross cultural and leadership development from 2006 until her hiring at Miami. At Pittsburgh, Cavallero developed educational, leadership development and diversity programs for professional staff, faculty and students. She oversaw a $500,000 campaign pledge for the University of Pittsburgh Fraternity and Sorority Life to raise money and awareness for the school's Cancer Institute, in addition to coordinating large scale community service events.
In her previous post, she developed an international outside of the classroom curriculum and also developed materials for that curriculum. Cavallero advised and counseled students in the areas of leadership development, conflict management, fundraising, philanthropy, programming and daily chapter management operations.
While at Pittsburgh, she served as the office's liaison to multiple constituencies, including athletics, housing, health and safety, Pitt police and residence life.
Prior to her time at Pittsburgh, Cavallaro was a part of the Teach for America program from May 2006 through January 2007, serving as a high school social studies teacher. She also was a BIG 33 Associate, coordinating the BIG 33 Buddy Team Program, which pairs students with special needs with a BIG 33 football player. Cavallaro also coordinated marketing, public relations, ticket sales promotions and other events surrounding the BIG 33 football game.
Cavallero owns a bachelor's degree in communications/political science and a master's degree in higher education management from Pittsburgh. She replaced Lil Fesperman, who retired in July.
Miami's commitment to its student-athletes' welfare has been strengthened with the the CHAMPS/Life Skills Program. The purpose of the CHAMPS (CHallenging Athletes' Minds for Personal Success) program is to increase student-athletes' opportunities for success in life beyond sport. The mission of the program is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the campus educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. This program stresses five commitment areas to help each athlete develop personally and socially and to enhance their lives as students and as athletes. These five areas of emphasis include: commitment to academic excellence, commitment to athletic excellence, commitment to personal development, commitment to career development, commitment to community service.
Numerous courses, programs, and workshops have been developed to support student athletes in their efforts to achieve excellence. Examples include the course "College Success Strategies for Student Athletes" (EDT 110), career exploration workshops and a resume book/cd sent to more than 330 potential employers, community service in the local area and workshops on stress management, test taking and sexual responsibility. Miami's CHAMPS/Life Skills Program was honored as Program of Excellence in October 2006 and was one of only three universities nationally to earn the prestigious award.
