Academic Success Center

Athletes as Scholars Program

Los Angeles Southwest College through its Learning Assistance Success Center and the Athletics Department promote the importance of a college education to our student athletes. The success of athletes in each class is a priority. The Learning Assistance Success Center provides the instructional support needed for the athletes to have a balanced perspective of both academic success and athletic success. All athletes may receive subject area tutoring, one-on-one tutoring and group tutoring. After a diagnostic assessment, athletes who need skills upgrade may be required to take Academic Study Skills or enroll in one or more of the Learning Skills classes. Student athletes who carry a GPA below 2.50 in subsequent semesters will have individual educational plans developed to assist them in upgrading skills so that they may find full student success. These sessions may include individualized instruction, group study with a tutor and/or computer assisted instruction.

It is important that student athletes understand that the athletic staff want to ensure that they are successfully working toward a career goal of completing requirements for a degree or a vocational program. This strategy focuses on the student athlete as a total person engaged in educational activities that help each athlete reach his/her potential and find success in college and beyond.

Athletes Program Goals:

To develop and improve academic study skills necessary to experience college level success in all course attempted.
To assist students in developing self-confidence through self-discovery and self-realization as they work regularly with their counselors.
To improve course success, retention, graduation and transfer statistics. The counselor will monitor units attempted, units completed, and progress toward a degree, vocational, or transfer program.
To develop a positive, cooperative partnership among faculty toward the student athlete. The athletic counselor will visit classrooms and meet with faculty to assure interaction and understanding between faculty and students.
Establish on-going interaction between athletic coaches and faculty for improved understanding and attitudes regarding the student athlete.
Offer athletes’ seminars that may include guest speakers to discuss specialized topics such as drug and alcohol abuse, collegial diction, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases, fashion coordination and trends, and personal hygiene.
Introduce student athletes to establishing goals and objectives, learn time management, and avoidance of the penal system.
Assure that each student athlete completes a personal development class.
Introduce athletes to cultural activities that will enhance the education of the total self.
Encourage student-athletes to engage in volunteer and/or paid internships with campus entities and community agencies in order to increase their community awareness and broaden their horizons.
Participate in career services explorations, inventories, workshops, etc.

Services and Procedures

Student athletes will meet before the beginning of each semester with his/her counselor to follow the prescribed educational plan in order to achieve their academic transfer, and/or vocational goals.
Follow-Up Meetings with the Counselor---During follow up sessions, the counselor shall compare the athlete’s progress to their academic, transfer, and vocational goals. Adjustments to educational plans will be initiated if necessary. The counselor may refer the student athletes to academic support service.
Student athletes will meet the first week of each semester with the Learning Assistance Success Center director or designee and arrange for the continuing schedule of instructional support services.

For further information please contact us at:

Cox Building – Library (2nd Floor)

Kimberly McBride, Director

(323) 241-5455