For Bowling Green State University (BGSU) student-athletes, the journey doesn’t end when the games do. The university has rolled out an ambitious new initiative to ensure its athletes aren’t left scrambling when their playing days wrap up.
Partnering with Shift Group, BGSU is stepping up to provide coaching, mentorship, and real-world career support, tackling a question that haunts many athletes: What comes next?
BGSU Teams Up With Shift Group To Guide Student-Athletes Into Life After the Game
The backbone of this new effort is BGSU’s collaboration with Shift Group, an organization that knows how to bridge the gap between sports and the workforce. Shift Group specializes in career development for athletes, and their partnership with BGSU brings a tailored approach to Falcon student-athletes.
The focus will be to help young men and women take the skills they’ve sharpened on the field, like leadership and perseverance, and apply them to the job market.
Student-athletes get paired with mentors who’ve been there, professionals who get the unique path athletes walk. These advisors help with crafting resumes, preparing for interviews, and building networks.
Workshops are part of the mix too, covering everything from managing money to creating a personal brand. It’s practical stuff, aimed at making sure athletes don’t just land on their feet but hit the ground running.
Eddie George, a former NFL star turned advocate for athlete development, summed it up in a statement shared through BGSU Athletics: “We’re not just preparing them for the next season, we’re preparing them for the next 20 years of their lives.” That long-term vision is what sets the initiative apart.
Connecting Student-Athletes with Opportunities Beyond the Field
Another puzzle piece is the career fair hosted by BGSU’s football program. Recently, over 30 employers showed up, including alumni and program supporters, ready to talk shop with student-athletes. It’s a hands-on chance to swap business cards, practice pitches, and explore career options.
BGSU Athletics Partners with @shiftgroup_hq to Prepare Student-Athletes for Life After Sports 💪
“We’re not just preparing them for the next season, we’re preparing them for the next 20 years of their lives.” – @EddieGeorge2727 https://t.co/r2ce9kpfNZ
— BGSU Athletics (@BGSU_Athletics) May 21, 2025
Head Football Coach Scot Loeffler didn’t mince words about its value. “We have the best former players in the country,” he told BGSU Athletics. Bowling Green Football Hosts Successful Career Fair for Its Student-Athletes – Bowling Green State University Athletics.
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“We wanted to bring back our former players, one, and two our former players wanted to help our current players to be able to start marketing themselves, practicing interviewing for jobs, getting the feel for handing out resumes and business cards. This is super important. Football is going to come and go, and we want to make sure we give our players the best opportunity to get jobs after they leave our program.”
The fair flips the script on the athlete stereotype. Employers here aren’t just filling seats; they’re hunting for the kind of talent that thrives under pressure, something every BGSU athlete knows a thing or two about. It’s a proving ground of a different kind, and it’s paying off by connecting Falcons with real opportunities.
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