FRESNO, Calif. – Bulldog Built concluded the 2022-23 academic year with its annual Night of Champions celebration, highlighting student-athletes academic and athletic achievements for the year.
Pang Jittakoat (Women's Tennis) and Jake Haener (Football) earned the department's top honor as the Bob Duncan Bulldogs of the Year.
Coordinated by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the 2023 Night of Champions had two student-athletes, Keahilele Mattson (Softball) and Garrett Ostrinski (Men's Track and Field) serve as masters-of-ceremony. Student-athletes from each team were honored for their accomplishments, including the Impact Maker award recognizing "a student-athlete that has made a positive impact outside the field of play; either within the athletic department, the campus, among their student-athlete peers or the community". The recipients of the 2022-2023 Impact Maker Award were Trinity Williams (Women's Track and Field) and Travis Welker (Baseball). Additional award winners from the 2023 Night of Champions can be found here.
In addition to planning the annual Night of Champions celebration, SAAC hosted a Spring Fest community engagement event during an April softball contest in partnership with Associated Students Incorporated (ASI) and their Senator for Athletics and Recreation, Zachary Ortiz. The free event provided youth community members in attendance at the softball game the opportunity to interact with student-athletes with fun games and recreational activities.
Spring Fest highlights only one of the student-athletes' service engagements throughout the school year. Fresno State student-athletes participated in over 20 ongoing service opportunities with local and national organizations, serving Fresno and Madera Unified School Districts, Valley Children's Hospital, Diamond Learning Center, Team IMPACT, Beautify Fresno, CASA, City of Fresno, Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, Every Neighborhood Partnership, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Horizon Health & Subacute Center, Read Across America, and US Equestrian.
The Bulldog Built program hosted a series of professional development opportunities throughout the academic year. Preparation for cornerstone events such as the Career and Networking Night and Career Fair included resume, cover letter, professional attire, and business dinner etiquette workshops, networking strategies, and mock interviews. Over 100 community members, alumni, and local businesses participated in one or more professional development initiatives to support Fresno State student-athletes prepare for life after intercollegiate athletics. Additionally, in partnership with the Bulldog Foundation and then Senior Associate Athletics Director Tim Collins, five student-athletes interested in a career in intercollegiate athletics participated in the Earl Edwards Minority Student-Athlete Development Program. The group learned the foundations of fundraising, connected with current donors, and supported the Bulldog Foundation's annual thank-a-thon.
"Bulldog Built was a pivotal part in helping me gain valuable, professional connections while balancing the challenges of schooling and collegiate athletics," Travis Welker (Baseball, Class of 2023) said. "The ability to meet with local companies and learn what they value in a worker truly helped me as I entered the workforce. From resume help to networking, Bulldog Built truly connects Fresno State athletes with the businesses of the Valley and beyond. These resources showed me how Fresno State is the Pride of the Valley. Bulldog Built has helped countless student-athletes elevate their professionalism and become graduates that are ready to make a lasting impact in whatever they pursue after graduation.
In continued support of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, Courtney Altemus and Luke Fedlam with ADVANCE, an unbiased leader in NIL education, facilitated a session with student-athletes on contracts, financial literacy, and protecting their personal brands.
Throughout the academic year, student-athletes had the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills through NCAA DiSC Assessment facilitation. Applicable to the community, classroom, and playing field, they learned effective communication, conflict resolution, and self awareness of strengths to enhance their leadership within their teams and among their peers.
"After actively participating in Bulldog Built, I had many academic, career and personal opportunities and my confidence increased," Trinity Williams (Track & Field, Class of 2023) said.
Bulldog Built is designed to further enhance the well-being of student-athletes and provide opportunities for them to grow holistically, both personally and professionally. With programming centered on character formation, professional development, and community engagement, Bulldog Built will prepare Fresno State student-athletes to enter into their postgraduate life with leadership skills, confidence, integrity, and a drive to succeed.