Westminster renewed a 20-year partnership with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team, becoming an official four-year college provider through 2034.
This partnership provides a 6 year contract with athletes, where every year that they are enrolled at Westminster, they receive a tuition reduction.
“We had a partnership 20 years ago that was established to give athletes tuition benefits,” said Michele Lowry, the athlete professional development manager of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.
“But after a while, it just expired. The entire contract was up, and it wasn’t renewed. When I came on last October, I was like, this needs to change. We need this back. We need this option for our athletes, especially since so many of our athletes live in Salt Lake City and Park City.”
When this partnership was first established in 2005, Olympic athletes were offered free tuition for their enrollment at Westminster.
“[With the previous contract] athletes weren’t graduating, unfortunately,” said Lowry, “They would transfer or they just stopped going to school and there wasn’t really an incentive to keep them in school. That’s why we changed the approach. So every year that they’re enrolled, they get to pay a little bit less and a little bit less all the way up until they graduate.”
Devin Logan, a silver medalist in one of the first freestyle skiing competitions, got a degree through Westminster with this partnership along with 30 other athletes.
“What Westminster offers, the small classes, having that relationship with professors on a different level, really allowed me to want to come back,” Logan said.
Since professional athletes are busy during their competition seasons, this contract doesn’t just provide tuition benefits, but flexibility through a 6 year contract, taking advantage of online or summer classes and having the space to work things out with professors who understand the student-athletes’ circumstances.
“I think the most difficult part was I would sign up for classes in the fall knowing that my ski season overlapped,” Logan said. “So that was always the conversation I would have with the professors starting the class, kind of telling them about my situation. I’m trying to do this and also ski and pursue these dreams. But again, I think the flexibility that Westminster offers allowed me to do that.”
After 10 years of juggling school and competition, Logan graduated in 2023, with a communication degree.
“It took me 10 years to get my degree,” said Logan. “And even Kim [Zarkin, communication professor at Westminster,] was like, a lot of people would have given up and not come back. But I think the feeling of security from Westminster and the professors gave me a little kick in the butt to be like, okay, this is what I want to do.”
Westminster University renewed this partnership to provide an environment where driven athletes can prepare for life after sports, according to President Beth Dobkin.
“There will be a time when our athletes will stop competing,” said Dobkin. “We want to support who you are becoming and who you are beyond your sport and help you chase both dreams — academic and athletic.”
