Constructions of the Campus Environment: Issues of Space and Place for Division I Student-Athletes

• In Event: Roundtable Session 49
  In Roundtable Session: The Sport Experiences of Students and Teachers in Schools and Campus Environments

Abstract

While athletes and non-athletes inhabit the same campus, their isolation from one another results in disconnect. Using Strange’s (2003) four components of campus environment, this study investigates the mechanisms leading to a rift between student-athletes and the general student body. Relying on qualitative data from 41 Division I football student-athletes, the findings indicate that these student-athletes are both physically and socially distanced from the student body, despite NCAA bylaws enacted to increase interaction between these populations. Suggestions for campus-specific change to enhance the college experience for this unique student population, and to integrate them within the campus community, are discussed.

Authors

• Lydia F. Bell, National Collegiate Athletic Association

• Justin R. Strohmeyer, The University of Arizona