Murmurings about a “demographic cliff” have filled higher education board rooms for years, with many leaders bracing for the potential impact of a shrinking young adult population. Against this backdrop, Lander University, a liberal arts school in Greenwood, South Carolina, is an outlier—and a source of optimism.
“When I first started here eight years ago, we were at 210 student-athletes, now we’re over 760,” explains Brian Reese, Lander’s Executive Athletic Director. “That growth is not just in athletics. When I started, we had 2,100 students and now we’re just shy of 4,500 (the institution’s highest-ever headcount).”
One of Reese’s core responsibilities is making sure all Lander Bearcats have a great experience. Even with 21 NCAA Division II teams and a collection of club and developmental teams under his purview, he wants every student-athlete to feel like they have a direct connection to athletics leadership. To maintain this culture amid even as team rosters expand, Lander turned to RealResponse.
Preserving a one-of-a-kind athletics community
As a Division II institution, Lander is committed to helping its student-athletes maintain “life in the balance.” Making good on this promise starts with having accessible leadership, and open lines of communication throughout the athletics community.
“One of the big reasons why we have the success that we do is because our student-athletes know they have access to the leadership of not just the athletic department, but the university as well,” says Reese. “I don’t have six or seven people in front of me, where student-athletes have to jump through hoops to get what they need.”
Reese takes the “open door policy” to a whole new level, making himself available to student-athletes via phone, email, text and office visits. But as enrollments increased, it became harder to maintain the tight knit relationships that are so critical to Lander’s culture.
“Suddenly I felt like I was losing my connection to the student-athletes. As we get bigger, there’s more responsibility put on our plates. I felt a little uneasy because I didn’t feel like I was around as much for them.”
In 2021, Reese brought on RealResponse as a means to stay close to the Bearcat community when they need support most. Reese himself met with every team individually to explain the purpose of the platform—a step that has fueled adoption. “I told them, ‘This tool isn’t here for you to share that you don’t like the t-shirts we’re wearing or you want more gear,’” explains Reese. “This is for [reporting] when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Or if you are worried about another student-athlete on your team.”
Delivering personalized resources to all student-athletes
Since implementing RealResponse, Lander’s athletics department has fielded a breadth of reports: from concerns about peers who had been victims of assault, to student-athletes flagging their own struggles navigating identity issues.
Monthly automated program reminders keep the platform front-and-center, ensuring student-athletes always know they have an outlet if they or someone they know are struggling. Reese himself is one of four leaders who have visibility into all incoming reports (along with the head athletic trainer, director of compliance and an associate athletic director).
For Reese and his colleagues, RealResponse is the solution to maintaining 1:1 connections at scale. “Having response templates is fine, but we like the personal touch,” says Reese. “And I love that we can continue having a conversation, continue following up to confirm if [the reporter] reached out to our counseling center or took other next steps.”
The platform has been just as valuable to Lander’s coaching staff. With more visibility into student-athlete concerns, athletics leadership can help coaches identify problematic patterns or team morale issues before they escalate. RealResponse’s documentation features have also streamlined internal communications, ensuring “More than 80% of our coaches use it whenever they meet with a student-athlete,” explains Reese. “It’s been great for end-of-year meetings, and for maintaining a clear record of scholarship discussions.”
Setting a new standard for responsiveness
All student-athletes, regardless of which NCAA Division they compete in, are under tremendous pressure. In the Division II world, however, leaders like Reese make a serious commitment to helping nurture their teams as people—not just players.
“RealResponse has been a huge asset to us,” Reese shares. “Our kids appreciate it because they’re getting their questions answered. And our parents really appreciate it–-I always tell freshman parents about those six, seven ways that they can get in touch with me. And one of those ways is RealResponse.”
Learn more about how RealResponse can amplify the voices and insights you need to strengthen your institution’s culture.
Photo courtesy of Lander University
