Launched in FY21, the $6 million Athletics Catalyst Challenge is a transformative, donor-driven initiative designed to elevate Wheaton Athletics. Enhancements to coaching, facilities and program resources are strengthening the student-athletes’ experience and competitiveness. Through the generosity of alumni, family and friends, the Challenge has reshaped the Athletics Department, creating stronger programs, better training environments and a more integrated campus athletics culture.
We’re excited to share that Phase I of the challenge is complete. This included the development of a larger, more functional strength and conditioning space in the upper level of Haas Athletic Center, the expansion of meeting and film areas, and a more visible and cohesive athletics identity throughout the facility.
“The first phase of the Haas Renovation Project has had a huge impact,” said Interim Director of Athletics Lisa Yenush ’90. “The rebranding of the lobby clearly indicates Wheaton College’s pride. We’ve received many positive comments from recruits, visitors and traveling teams when they see the varsity weight room. It is an impressive space and visually, it is a clear indication of the investment in the program. The addition of the weight room has allowed our teams to increase the amount of time they are doing strength and conditioning activities and has paid large dividends for team performances. The new classroom has given us the capability to have all of our teams take advantage of the space for video review, scouting reports and team building.”
These updates, combined with operational budget increases, the addition of full-time assistant coaching positions and the creation of an athletics fundraising role within Advancement, have strengthened the department’s ability to recruit, train and support student-athletes at a higher level. Coaches and campus leaders have noted the tangible difference in preparation, performance and pride across programs as a result of these investments.
With the finish line in sight, Wheaton is poised to complete this ambitious initiative and continue elevating the student-athlete experience for years to come.
Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/student-life-events/athletics/building-momentum-athletics-catalyst-challenge-update/
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Wheaton College’s Sean Schofield shares advice for high school seniors on making the most of a summer filled with transition, opportunity and self-discovery.
For college-bound seniors, summer can feel like a strange in-between season. One chapter is ending, another is about to begin, and it’s tempting to think of the months ahead as either a victory lap or a countdown clock.
In reality, it’s an opportunity to do both: enjoy the people and routines that shaped you while also beginning to imagine the person you want to become next.
At Wheaton College, we often remind students that the transition to college isn’t just about choosing courses or packing for move-in day. It’s about beginning to build a life. And like most meaningful transitions, success doesn’t come from trying to have everything figured out before you arrive. It comes from taking thoughtful, intentional steps forward.
Start with self-reflection
One of the most important things students can do during the summer is ask themselves a few honest questions: Why did I choose this college? What mattered most to me in making that decision? What does that tell me about my values, priorities and goals right now?
Those questions are more important than students often realize because they help transform college from a destination into a purpose-driven experience.
Students sometimes assume they need to arrive on campus with a complete career plan or a perfectly mapped-out future. In reality, college is where much of that discovery happens. The better approach is to focus on small, manageable actions that build momentum.
Build connections before move-in day
Reach out to a professor whose work sounds interesting. Introduce yourself to a future classmate or roommate. Ask a staff member a question about campus life or opportunities.
Those small conversations often become the foundation for confidence and connection once the semester begins.
Relationships matter more than students realize. For many young people, college becomes their first enduring professional and personal network. Long before students begin building LinkedIn profiles or joining professional associations, they are already learning how to form meaningful connections.
A conversation that begins with “What should we bring for the room?” can eventually become a lifelong friendship, a future collaboration or even a business partnership. It happens. I recently interviewed two Wheaton graduates for a panel discussion who met as roommates in their first year at college and who remain friends—and business partners—more than 20 years later.
Don’t underestimate the value of work — or rest
At the same time, summer should not become an endless exercise in résumé-building.
Many students will spend these months balancing three priorities: earning money, relaxing after years of academic pressure, and preparing mentally for what comes next. All three are valuable.
Summer jobs teach transferable skills, responsibility and adaptability. Volunteering can help students better understand themselves and the kinds of communities and causes they care about. Downtime matters too. Students deserve space to celebrate finishing high school and reflect on how far they’ve come.
Focus on practical preparation
One area students often overlook is practical preparation. Financial literacy, for example, is one of the most important life skills students can develop before arriving on campus.
Understanding budgeting, loans, credit cards and spending habits can make a tremendous difference in reducing stress and increasing independence during college. These decisions may seem small at first, but they have long-term consequences.
Academic preparation can also help smooth the transition. Students don’t necessarily need to spend the summer buried in textbooks, but strengthening foundational skills — especially technology and computing skills — can make the first semester far less overwhelming.
Participating in summer bridge programs, seminars or first-year experiences can also help students begin forming friendships and building confidence before classes even start.
Think of summer as a bridge, not an ending
Most importantly, students should recognize that this summer is not simply an ending. It’s a bridge.
The habits they begin building now — curiosity, initiative, relationship-building and self-awareness — are the same habits that will help them thrive in college and beyond.
Originally published at: https://wheatoncollege.blog/student-life-events/life-and-career-design-institute/the-summer-before-college-how-to-prepare-without-missing-the-moment/
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