Black Culture Center welcomes athletes
The Black Culture Center acts as an advising family for athletes.
April 10, 2007
Nathan Stephens, director of the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, said he has always been a sports fan. So when he was appointed to his position in May 2006, he wanted to make sure that MU athletes knew they also were welcome at the Black Culture Center.
"What we're doing is reminding the athletic department that the service we provide to all students is available to athletes as well," Stephens said.
Stephens said the athletic department provides advisers for its athletes, but sometimes athletes find a person with whom they can more readily identify in Stephens or someone in his office.
Stephens said some athletes at MU have children, and they identify with him because he had his first child when he was 17. He said this and other similar relationships are why athletes identify with other members of his office.
He said the Black Culture Center provides a sense of family.
"They're not the star athlete in a sport, they're just another member of our extended family," he said.
But Stephens said that the athletes are not getting any special treatment: "We support them the same way as we do any other African-American student."
Black Culture Center Administrative Assistant Deniece Christian said though she hasn't worked with athletes lately, she has worked with them in a variety of capacities. Sometimes she takes them to local schools to give a "pep talk" to children. Other times, she gives the athletes another place to go to feel comfortable.
"We kind of try to make it like a home-away-from-home thing," she said.
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