Targeting a more certain future for its student-athlete population, San José State University Athletics and NextPlay are partnering on a multi-year plan to enhance job and career opportunities when the playing days are over.
Founded in 2018, NextPlay, based in Durham, N.C., was conceived to fill a void in student-athletes lives when they transition into the working world.
At San José State, current and former student-athletes will be introduced to NextPlay's services through the Beyond Sparta mobile app. The app will provide content parallel to what is available on LinkedIn, but on a more targeted scale. NextPlay's proprietary software aims to establish meaningful connections between Spartan student-athletes and friends of Spartan Athletics seeking to grow a business or company.
"Our NextPlay partnership will focus initially on professional and career development. Once our student-athletes become familiar and comfortable using NextPlay's app regularly, we believe our student-athletes will get a head start on a career in the business world before earning a San José State degree. Here in the Silicon Valley, there are many job opportunities that evolve into meaningful careers and we want our student-athletes thinking that way from the first time they step foot on this campus," said Tobruk Blaine, who oversees Beyond Sparta, an outgrowth of the acclaimed Beyond Football program successfully serving past and present members of the football team.
Besides the mobile app, the San José State and NextPlay partnership will provide workshops, in-person and virtual panel discussions with industry leaders, and off-campus visits to area businesses. Assisting and managing career transitions and providing mentor support for the long-term sets NextPlay apart from others in the career development field. In an ideal world, a San José State student-athlete will take full advantage of NextPlay's services as an undergraduate and continue using the company's services as a future employer of forward-thinking Spartans.
"We are excited to help San José State Athletics enhance the Beyond Sparta program for current and former athletes. Tobruk Blaine and her team are truly innovative in their support of the growth and professional development of student-athletes at San José State. With this partnership, they are raising the bar for all athletics departments. Our platform will allow them to amplify their athlete-focused impact by engaging alumni as mentors, tapping into a national network of employers, and providing a space for San José State student-athletes from every generation to stay connected to their program," said NextPlay Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kyle Mumma.
San José State is NextPlay's first NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) west coast partner joining a growing client base that includes National Football League teams, Duke University, University of Iowa, and Furman University.
ABOUT SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
San José State University sponsors 22 NCAA Division I sports programs with more than 475 student-athlete participants. The Spartans compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football and compete for conference championships primarily in the Mountain West and also in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and the Golden Coast Conference. Through the years, San José State has won 10 NCAA team championships and its student-athletes have 52 NCAA individual first-place finishes.
ABOUT NEXTPLAY
NextPlay aims to deliver career success support that equips all athletes with the knowledge, skills, confidence and network to build a fulfilling life after sports. NextPlay also seeks to provide employees with a professional opportunity where they are valued, empowered and excited to contribute to a growing business organization. More information is available at www.nextplay.me
