The purpose of this fundraiser is to add additional funds to the Counseling and Athletic Mental Performance budget, known as CAMP, to better the mental health of all Blacksburg student-athletes.
“During this time, with the generous support of the Hokie Nation, we have taken significant steps to fund our department over the past two years,” said Senior Associate Athletic Director, Clinical and Sports Psychologist. said Dr. Gary Bennett, director of CAMP. “We want to put ourselves in the best position to help our student-athletes, and this allows us to do that.”
By providing philanthropic support to the Sports Psychology Department, Hokie Nation will help CAMP staff maintain the positive mental health of Virginia Tech student-athletes. Click here to create your gift.
CAMP staff reports that more than 50% of student-athletes on campus had a counseling session scheduled at some point last year. In addition to individual counseling sessions, CAMP has also led annual suicide prevention workshops and other team-based programs.
“Dr. Bennett, Lauren Nardo, Paul Knaxted, and Kara Hoff do a great job for the many student-athletes on campus,” said CAMP as Executive Associate AD/Administration and Support Programs. Director Danny White said. “They play an important role in ensuring that our student-athletes thrive while in Blacksburg. They are qualified, well-trained professionals, approachable and honest. That combination helps reduce the stigma against student-athletes openly seeking mental health services. ”
Additional funding to CAMP will support the purchase of additional tools such as biofeedback machines, increased resources for more student interns to support the department, and staff for continually developing practices surrounding mental health care. The funds will be used to pay for additional training courses to become certified.
“Our student-athletes are at a transition point in their lives,” said Bennett, who has been a sports psychologist at Virginia Tech since 2000. “They're trying to overcome success in their sport and in the classroom. They're trying to move on from their families. It is very important to us to guide those who seek our help so that they can not only improve their athletic performance, but also grow as people while they are thinking about their future after college. ”
You can support sports psychology and CAMP staff by clicking here.
