Cooper Success Center’s impact on student-athletes’ academic success
When Noah Bowman, director of Academic Success, first created Cooper Success in 2009, the goal was simple: give student athletes the academic guidance and support he wished he had. Bowman started with just a tiny classroom and two tutors.
“I didn’t know what success was, and I struggled historically,” he said. “So I created Cooper Success to show students what success looks like.”
The program initially focused on guided study halls. These spaces allowed students to observe mentors and learn techniques for managing college-level academics alongside athletics.
“If you don’t know how to study, you just sit there for three hours wasting time,” Bowman explained. “We created a guided study hall where mentors model what success looks like, both academically and personally.”
After a five-year hiatus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in leadership, the program returned in the fall of 2025 with a renewed focus. Bowman partnered with Dr. Gretchen Cook, Academic Success coach, to expand mentor support and bring back “meta-programming,” which are short panels or workshops that aim to connect students to faculty. These sessions are designed to humanize professors, provide new perspectives, and engage student-athletes beyond mindless study.
An example of this meta-programming comes from Dr. Andrew Irvine, professor of philosophy and religion, who discussed the “philosophy of success” with football players, drawing connections between athletic discipline and academic achievement.
“We want to get people in, so they are more likely to stay once they hear the presentation. It humanizes a lot of the professors to [students] that previously might have been too scared to talk to them,” Cook said.
The program’s structure is built on social learning theory. Students are guided by more knowledgeable peers and mentors who model success. They also exhibit hard skills like language skills and study techniques, as well as soft skills like problem solving, time management and accountability.
“The biggest challenge is getting them to care at first. But when they see mentors and peers taking academics seriously, they start to adopt those habits themselves,” Bowman said.
Mentors, many of whom are current athletes themselves, focus on building relationships first, making it easier to help students adjust their mindset and encourage them to engage in their education.
According to Belle Phipps (‘27), who serves as an academic mentor, the biggest challenge with student-athletes is getting them to put in effort towards academic success.
“A lot of it is mentality. You have to get them to care about what they are doing,” Phipps said. “In high school, it might be okay to not care, but in college, that doesn’t fly.”
Student-athletes tend to struggle when it comes to reaching out for support and self-advocating.
“I think a lot of them get uncomfortable and don’t want to feel stupid. I try to tell them all that as an academic mentor – I [sometimes] have to ask for help too,” Phipps said.
While he hasn’t formed any personal connections with any particular mentor, football player Malachi Allgood (‘29) feels comfortable asking for help and mentioned that the program benefits his teammates as well.
Allgood said that the Cooper Success Center is “a very useful tool, especially if you are struggling. Even if I’m already serious about my academics, it keeps me on track.”
According to Cook, participation remains robust. In fall 2025, 70-100 athletes attended each night, and 180 students have attended this spring. The program remains voluntary, but mandatory study hour requirements from coaches ensure accountability. Mentors push students to work, but don’t force participation, creating a supportive yet structured environment.
The benefits go beyond academics: students like Zai Hart (‘29), who struggled with attendance and effort, have shown growth in maturity and self-discipline because of the structured guidance and mentorship. Mentors and faculty note improvements in retention and engagement.
The program has adapted to the needs of each sport. Football practice often demands later hours, while volleyball and STUNT teams prefer earlier hours. The physical setup is also intentional. Mentor placement and seating arrangements are considered to maximize interaction and minimize distractions. In addition, if students cannot attend Cooper Success sessions, they are able to log hours in the Scots Learning Commons or other study programs.