Belmont offering convocation for athletic events

Students can start getting convocation credits for attending certain Belmont sporting events starting this semester.

“I’ve been working for 17 years trying to get athletic events in some form or fashion approved for convocation credit,” said David Fish, Belmont’s director of athletic marketing.

The athletic department had a trial run last semester, offering convo for the last 10 basketball games of the season, and the “test passed with flying colors,” Fish said.

This semester, students can earn Wellness, Safety and College Life convo credit for attending select athletic events.

Belmont students need 10 convo credits in each of six different categories in order to graduate. Students can earn up to five credits this year by going to Belmont games.

To earn the credit, a student will have to attend an event and check-in on the Belmont Bruin Rewards App. Each check-in will count as a “qualifying convo event.” Students will earn one credit for every three events they attend.

After checking in to their third event, students will then fill out a three question, multiple choice survey to complete the process.

The survey will help Fish to know what the students learned from their experience at the events, he said.

“It is important to us that the students are honest on these questions,” said Fish.

Fish spread out the convo-qualifying events throughout the semester because he said it was important to represent all of Belmont’s 15 sports and give students multiple opportunities to attend.

He hopes it will help get students involved and interacting with peers at Belmont games, he said.

“This is a win for the student body. It’s an opportunity for them to not only come to the games and enjoy themselves, but they can also now earn convocation credit which is required to graduate from Belmont,” said Fish.

Junior Mark Wardlaw said this is a great opportunity to earn convo credit, but that requiring students to go to three events may be a little excessive, he said.

Junior Michael Rooney agreed.

“I feel like that is a lot of work for a convo. I liked what they did last year,” he said. “It was easy for people to watch a game and grab a convo after.”

The first of the seven fall-semester qualifying convo athletic events will be the men’s and women’s cross country meet on Saturday at Percy Warner Park, where the Bruins will race in the Commodore Classic.