#MSBLFriday411 - Dawgs for Pups

Throughout this pandemic, there has been a lot of discussion around the "value" and role the college athletics (especially at the NCAA Power Five level) plays in communities and campuses around the country. I've seen plenty of comments on my twitter feed that this pandemic would and should bring massive change to this system. If it does or doesn't, no one knows, but that is a different story altogether.

What is known is the seen massive furloughs, layoffs, and ballooning budget deficits associated with the LACK of football and the overall impact of COVID-19 on campus (both in athletics and academic) around the country. Early on in my career, it was explained that while the balance between student and athlete is sometimes tricky, the athletic department is the front door the university and the way that A LOT of fans will have a first interaction with the institution (no matter what level.) While its (athletics) role is highly debated, there have been plenty of excellent examples of these departments and teams making concerted efforts to give back to the fans that fill the stands every game day; now even more so without sports.

The most recent example of this was taken on by the University of Georgia Football team when they unveiled their "Dawgs for Pups" campaign to bring WiFi hotspots to Athens, Georgia school kids. The program will help to fund over 1,200 WiFi hotspots needed by families for distance learning after the local Athens school district had already distributed 500.

“Those are people that watch us on TV…Those kids, some of those kids, look up to us for what we do at our university so we feel if they’re in need then why not give, give back to something they are in need of, and everybody needs an education. They’re not as fortunate as other people are to afford WiFi so they can do this virtual learning with this pandemic going on.”

- Junior Corner Back Tyson Campbell

The 1,200 hotspots cost is approximately $288,000, and the Athens Area Community Foundation is administering the fund. More than $40,000 had already been raised within the first four days of the campaign with former Georgia and current NFL player Ben Watson pledging $5,000 and Head Coach Kirby Smart's Foundation contributing another $10,000.

Athletes have always given back to their institutions at higher rates than the general alumni, but now the giving back is happening even while their student-athletes in more and different ways than they had prior. Hopefully, as the debate rages on about the importance of athletics, the student-athlete engagement in the community is brought into that equation.