Monday, April 25

P.R.O.W.L Center Practicum



My responsibilities in the P.R.O.W.L. center consisted of making sure the student athlete is greeted with a friendly hello and ask if they need assistance, if they do not need help of any kind, I continue with overseeing the center.  The P.R.O.W.L. center is student-service oriented so we must keep the area clean so we can use it for years to come.  I am also responsible for taking a head count of everyone every half hour in the center and recording the number of people in the book.  I also am there to make sure all of the equipment is being used properly, this including the television/VCR, computers/printers/copy machine, refrigerator/microwave, telephone/radio and the sofa/chairs.  I have never opened the center but I have closed the center and those responsibilities include:  making sure the area is cleared with trash and clutter (newspapers and magazines), replace items to designated spots (make sure the water cooler is full, replace it with new container if it is empty), close all computer programs and turn off the computers, turn off the printer and copy machine, turn off coffee pot and microwave and check the refrigerator door is closed, make sure all offices are locked, turn off all lights and lock the door on your way out.

Some of my other jobs in the center were cutting the Cougar sports out of the local newspapers and filing them for the athletes to come in and keep them, if they wanted them, I made some phone calls for Jeremey to let the athletes know about their Team Care meetings twice a month, I learned to navigate my way between Bohler Gym and the Physical Education Building (that is something I did not know how to do before my practicum) and I learned where all of the sport offices are because I delivered the athlete resume books to all of the offices.  I helped out at a dinner that the center held for the University partners.  They took them to a baseball game against the Huskies and their dinner was catered and they received a keepsake for attending.  It is an annual event for the people who make time for education and they are well appreciated for all that they do for Washington State University.  I am very grateful for having attended and it was great to see all of the events that I do not normally hear about.  Finally, I familiarized myself with all of the other practicum students and our supervisors, Pippa and Jeremey, we became good friends.

Over the course of this semester, we encountered a problem.  On January 25, 2005, the 61-inch television and the VCR/DVD player were stolen from the center.  The door was locked and we could not see how the man stole the TV.  We were told that he slipped in through one of the windows, unlocked the door, wheeled out the TV and closed the door behind him.  He was later caught when the police arrested him for an unrelated forgery charge.  The police just happen to notice the TV in the living room, obtained a warrant and linked it with the reported missing TV from the Physical Education Building.  The police released the TV back to the center on March 4, 2005.  

We had a meeting about the theft and made changes to our list of responsibilities.  The windows were securely fastened shut. All of the practicum students had their pictures taken and on their day of work, their pictures would be pinned up outside to show everyone who comes in who is working that day.  The last person who closes the center must initial the head count sheet before they leave.  They must make sure the lights are off and that the door is locked.

The P.R.O.W.L. center is pretty well kept up.  Everything is in order and is very organized.  The only problem I saw with the center was its security, when the television was stolen.  As a suggestion, it would be beneficial to have two people at a time working their shifts.  I haven’t had a shift where it went into evening when not a lot of people come into the center, but it would be nice to have someone there with you, especially at night.  

As far as myself in this job, I really liked that they gave me a chance to work there because they were only looking for twelve or thirteen people and I made it on the waiting list just in case someone dropped.  They told me to come to the meeting anyway and so I did.  Someone did end up dropping and I had the opportunity to work my practicum hours in the center.  They did their best with scheduling people according to their classes and other commitments.  Each practicum student worked three hours each week.  When it was my time to come in each time, I came a half an hour to fifteen minutes early, I was never late.  When I was not going to be there for my scheduled time, I let them know a head of time and I was scheduled for another time during the week.  I did every one of my responsibilities when I was in the center.  When I was asked to do other jobs I went and completed them.  When I had questions, I asked and they answered them as best as they could.  I never complained or put down a job that was given to me.  I did everything they told me to do.  

This practicum experience has been fun since it was the very first one I have ever done here.  I had to change my major last year to something that I would enjoy more.  This practicum experience has gotten me a little bit more involved with college sports and how they operate from season to season and from year to year.  Starting the first part of my practicum in the P.R.O.W.L. center has put my foot in the door for other opportunities within the athletic department here on campus.  I enjoyed working with new people this including Pippa, Jeremey and the other practicum students.  I am thankful that I had the opportunity to work with them in the P.R.O.W.L. center in the Physical Education Building and that I learned a lot about the athletic department.

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