By:Morgan Weaver
The Athletic Department at the University of South Carolina started a program for athletes returning to college to finish their degree two years ago. They have managed to keep this program small with only 25 people currently enrolled in it.
The program offers returning athletes the same academic benefits as current athletes.They get tutoring,academic advisors, life skills seminars, and full access to the Dodie Athletic Facility.
"I want to keep it limited honestly," said Athletic Academics Director Raymond Harrison. "I want to have the program in place so that we can help those who have extenuating circumstances why they didn't finish the first time, um, but it's not a program I want to be proud of. Promoting is you know we have 25 student athletes coming back to finish. I'd rather have 25 student athletes finishing the first time."
Jeff Jeffords from Lamar, South Carolina is one of the former USC athletes who was given the chance to come back and finish his degree. Jeffords' fast ball put him on the fast track to living his dreams, starting with wearing a garnet and black jersey.
"I've always been a Carolina fan," said Jeffords. "There wasn't many other college teams I would have played for."
He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds after playing three years of baseball at USC. He retired four years later because he decided he wasn't getting any better and decided he needed to finish his degree.
"Actually when I got home I applied to a few jobs and every email I got back was 'we're looking for someone with a degree' and I knew I only had four classes left so," said Jeffords.
Athletes at USC are only required to have 60 percent of their degree finished by the beginning of their fourth year to continue playing their sport and that may be why many don't finish.
Harrison, however, said athletes have so many resources to help them finish their degree the first time, his department holds returning athletes to a higher standard.
"Because I'm really fortunate enough to put in programs and things that can help them get it right the first time," said Harrison. "Because who knows what's going to happen if they leave here without a degree. What situations will they be in? And that, just part of what we do is help them be better in life so we want to fulfil our purpose."
The university offers these programs to help athletes succeed in life outside of their sport. Even at the age of 27, Jeffords still has trouble seeing life without baseball.
"I don't know what I want to do. All I've ever done is play baseball so just trying to figure out that," said Jeffords.
Jeffords said a game of catch is the only baseball he's been playing in hopes of finishing his last four classes and graduating in August with a new game plan.
Raymond Harrison has helped establish a program for former athletes returning to college
