FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/22/12
NFL PLAYERS TO TAKE PART IN NFL CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAM OCTOBER 26-29 AT STANFORD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dr. Condoleezza Rice Featured as Opening Night Keynote Speaker
Four-Day Course Offered At No Cost to Players
The Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) will host the sixth NFL Career Transition Program to help 40 former players transition from the gridiron to the business world, the NFL announced today.
The NFL Player Engagement-run program, which is free for players, will take place from Oct. 26-29 and will address the critical issues that are important in the transition to life after football while also educating players about resources available in their communities.
Over the course of the four-day program, players will learn more about personal finance, launching a new career with realistic expectations, developing a personal brand, communication skills, and the importance of health and well being. Content will also include a mix of academic topics, success stories from guest speakers, and practical applications.
The keynote speech to open the program will be delivered by Stanford GSB Professor of Political Economy DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE, the former United States Secretary of State. Dr. Rice is also the Thomas and Barbara Stephenson Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution; and a professor of Political Science at Stanford University.
“The NFL's Career Transition Program provides athletes with the tools to transition from the playing field to the boardroom and beyond,” said Dr. Rice. “As an educator, I look forward to working with the NFL to help these players find their footing in their new careers so they can have a lasting impact in their communities.”
More than 220 former NFL players – including NFL Manager of Player Engagement JAMES THRASH -- have attended NFL Player Engagement’s five prior Career Transition Program seminars since the program launched in June 2010(four of the programs were at Georgia Tech and one was at Rice University).
"We continue to work with players to prepare them for a successful transition to life after football,” said Thrash, who played 12 NFL seasons at wide receiver(Washington 1997-2000 and 2004-08; Philadelphia 2001-03) and attended the 2010 program at Georgia Tech. “For me, the Career Transition Program provided the necessary tools to successfully move into the next chapter of my life.”
Employees from LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional networking site, will take part in the “Experiential Career Fair” on the final day of the program, assisting the former players in developing LinkedIn Profiles and building their professional networks.
NFL Player Engagement has also partnered with Stanford Graduate School of Business since 2006 on the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which has provided executive education to more than 700 NFL players.
NFL Player Engagement assists players in reaching their highest potential on and off-the-field with guidance, support, and resources provided before, during, and after their NFL experiences. NFL Player Engagement works with three core audiences: Prep, Life, and Next.
Contacts:
Dan Masonson Helen Chang
NFL Stanford Graduate School of Business
212/450-2081 650/723-3358
Dan.Masonson@nfl.com Chang_Helen@gsb.stanford.edu