The one thing college coaches must do over anything else is lead by example. On and off the field, coaches are under the scrutiny of the public eye, students and faculty of that school, and the athletic department. Just reported by the staff of GoDucks.com, Mark Helfrich and the rest of the coaching staff have pledged personal donations of up to $250,000 in matching funds toward the University of Oregon’s PathwayOregon program.
PathwayOregon aims to provide financial support to some of the top students in Oregon wishing to attend the University of Oregon. Actively campaigning throughout the state allows PathwayOregon to raise enough money to support the large amount of students who wish to attend Oregon, but might not otherwise have the financial ability to do so.
To qualify for assistance through PathwayOregon, one must meet the following criteria: be an Oregon resident having graduated from an Oregon high school in the last two years, admitted to the UO as a first-time freshman, complete UO admissions application by January 15, establish Federal Pell Grant eligibility, and earn a 3.4 or higher high school GPA. For more information on eligibility, click here.
For the Oregon coaching staff to step up and pledge personal donations shows a lot about the Ducks way. As earlier stated, leading by example is something often taken into consideration when determining the success of a coach and staff.
Helfrich knew that this was his chance to make an incredible impact off the football field, and he brought his coaching staff along for the ride. The University of Oregon has had issues in the past, and many people might not agree with the handling of certain high profile cases. While some may never live those down, agreeing to support the academic success of the university, and helping those who can’t afford to attend this great institution is incredible.
It’s always great to be a Duck, and it gets even better with this philanthropic news. Stay tuned to FishDuck.com for the latest in Oregon Ducks news.
[Ed. note — Caption on YouTube video incorrectly added a space between “Pathway” and “Oregon”]Top Photo by Kevin Cline
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Jason is a Junior at the University of Oregon, currently double majoring in Public Relations and Political Science. Jason has been an avid sports fan for his entire life, growing up playing Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Over the last year, Jason has found his love for sports reporting, and enjoys creating pieces that use his love and knowledge for sports to portray his message. In his spare time, Jason enjoys obsessing over Ducks sports, Scuba Diving around the world, and listening to music. Tweet at Jason…. @1seltank. He loves talking sports with other avid sports fans.
