Kubasik First Impact Program: Shaping the Future of Student Athletes

The Kubasik First Impact Program held an unforgettable presentation night, showcasing the ambitious five-year game plans of its student-athlete participants on the evening of April 3rd. These plans covered various topics, including compare and contrast analyses, forward-looking aspirations and reflective insights.

In its second year, the Kubasik First Impact Program continues to help second-year student-athletes discover their identity, strengths, and passions through experiential education, exposure to careers, and an opportunity to build career-ready skills.

The topics offered a glimpse into the future and how the young individuals envisioned themselves. Throughout the night, the student-athletes discussed their five-year plan project where they mapped out where they see themselves in the future.

The Kubasik First Impact Program, overseen by Sydney Anderson, the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development, facilitated a series of monthly sessions covering various topics such as identity development, branding, financial literacy, post-graduation prospects, and more. Alongside these sessions, students participated in networking opportunities with professionals in their respective industries and were paired with mentors through the Maryland Made mentor program.

“After working with the students throughout the past year, it was great to see how they envision their lives over the next five years and beyond. They were able to take many different factors into consideration when mapping out their future, including their passions, strengths, development areas, finances and more,” Anderson said. “Witnessing their growth and development has been nothing short of amazing and I cannot wait to see all that they accomplish!”

The Kubasik First Impact Program, a pioneering initiative at the heart of student-athlete development, is deeply rooted in the inspiring journey of Jane and her husband Chris Kubasik. Both found their calling in accounting and shared their vows in the UMD Memorial Chapel, a testament to their deep connection to the university as alumni.

Understanding the transformative landscape of education and employment, Jane and Chris recognized new graduates' evolving challenge: the necessity of not just any degree, but the right degree. Reflecting on their own time, when securing a good job post-graduation in the early '80s seemed a simpler endeavor, they saw a pressing need for change.

“A couple of years ago, any college could get you a good job, but now things have changed,” Jane said. “It really has to be the right degree and [you must] know what you want to do with your degree in a way that you didn’t have to when we graduated in 1983 and 1984.”

“The athletes already come with a great set of skills,” she added. “They’re hard workers, they take feedback, they’re very goal-oriented, they work in a team, and it makes a group that's excited and dynamic and willing to work hard. Any employer wants that, so why not give them a little direction.”

The event started with an inspiring introduction by Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics, Damon Evans, who shared his journey from aspiring Wall Street banker to finding his true calling as an athletic director. His story set the tone for an evening of discovery and ambition.

Among the standout presenters was sophomore Maia Lee, a former member of the gymnastics team and current student manager for the team. She’s pursuing a dual major in neuroscience and immersive media design, with tracks in emerging creatives and pre-med. Lee eloquently spoke about the transformative nature of the Kubasik program and emphasized the program's role in honing professional skills essential for any career path.

“The Kubasik program is funded by the Kubasiks,” she explained. “They’re big donors of the school and it's an identity and career development program where they have monthly sessions to help athletes build their brand, network and help build student-athletes as a professional so they’re ready for a career later on. I came to know about it in my freshman year. …Even though I was set on med school, I still needed to build my professional skills. I was really drawn to it for this reason.”

Andrew Harmon is a sophomore studying criminal justice on the track team and a native of Rhode Island. He throws hammer and weight in the indoor season. He expressed his positive experience with the Kubasik First Impact Program and explained he sees himself attending graduate school in the next five years.

“The Kubasik program is my first interaction with Maryland Made,” he said. “It’s good to get your foot in the door with Maryland Made as someone relatively new in the program. There are a lot of opportunities they have to offer. Kubasik is good at getting your foot in the door and getting to know people. Then you have programs like InTerpship and Gossett Fellows to elevate your career.”

For those on the fence about joining, the testimonies of Evans, Lee and Harmon serve as powerful endorsements. The Kubasik program is more than just a career development initiative. The program is a transformative journey that helps students discover their true selves and allows them to carve out a future filled with purpose and success.

Lee shared a message to those considering joining the program.

“Go for it,” she said. “It is very transformative and helps you figure out who you are and what you want to be in the future in terms of professional development and growth.”