Saint Leo University hosts Tampa Bay Buccaneers Youth Leadership Program

Students from Young Middle Magnet School in East Tampa received a rousing welcome and a taste of college life on March 23 as they visited University Campus as part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Youth Leadership program. This program, implemented in collaboration with the Hillsborough Education Foundation, is a part of the Buccaneers’ social justice initiative that provides support and player-mentors for students in order to break down barriers to racial and social equality.

As the exclusive educational partner of the Buccaneers, Saint Leo hosted the students on Wednesday, and the day kicked off with a welcome to campus by the university’s GoldRush Dance Team and Bucs offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs.

In addition to Wirfs, representatives of the Buccaneers organization and members of the Saint Leo community addressed the middle school students in TECO Hall in the Tapia College of Business building.

“We are very passionate about enabling students and providing the opportunity to see a college campus and we’re over the moon that we are here today with the exclusive educational partner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Saint Leo University,” said Tara Battiato, vice president of Community Impact for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Wirfs shared his college journey with the students, and said he always dreamed of becoming an elementary school physical education teacher, which prompted him to initially major in elementary education.

Saint Leo President Jeffrey Senese, Vice President of Community Engagement and Innovation Mark Gesner, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Heather Parker, and Assistant Director of Residence Life and GoldRush coach Team Kimesha Norris gave welcoming comments.

Senese presented a simple message imploring the students to, “get as much education as you can in your life because it will have a big impact on your future, and you deserve a great future.”

Before the Young Middle Magnet School students set out for a campus tour, Parker encouraged them to find their favorite spots on Saint Leo’s campus and come back and visit them often. Following the tour, the students engaged in experiential lessons about injections with College of Health Professions Dean Kathleen Van Eerden and Department Chair of Nursing Debra Peterson, and about robotics with mathematics Professor Monika Kiss.

At the end of the robotics lesson, the students were surprised by a visit from Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean, who stayed with the group for the remainder of day, including lunch in Saint Leo’s Dining Hall and a visit to the new Wellness Center.

Toward the end of the day, the students reflected about their favorite spots on the Saint Leo campus. They shared how they enjoyed checking out a residence hall room, eating food in the Dining Hall, walking through the “very big” library. And just as Parker had hoped, the students said they wanted to come back to Saint Leo again and again.

See photos from the event below