[ti:College Degree Remains Big Prize for Many Student-athletes]
[al:Education Report]
[ar:VOA]
[dt:2024-11-20]
[by:www.voase.cn]
[00:00.00]Name, image, and likeness, or NIL, deals have enabled student-athletes to make money while going to college in the United States. 
[00:13.39]But outside of some big-name athletes, many say that a degree remains the biggest, most important prize for going to school.
[00:25.27]For years, college athletes could only receive free education and living costs while competing for school teams.
[00:35.82]But that changed in 2021 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that athletes could earn money by selling their name, image and likeness.
[00:49.01]Well-known athletes like Jayden Daniels, now with the Washington Commanders, and Caitlin Clark, who currently plays for the Indiana Fever, made large amounts of money while in college.
[01:04.66]But several athletes told The Associated Press that the money available to them through NIL remains a small consideration compared with earning a degree and competing in the sports they love.
[01:21.21]NIL deals were not on Jonny Bottorff's mind when he transferred to Northern Arizona University on a football scholarship from a small college in Missouri.
[01:35.12]Bottorff said, "I think the reality for most college athletes is things haven't really changed that much. We just got an extra little bit of cash in our pockets..."
[01:49.40]For some athletes, NIL money is a reason to stay longer in college. 
[01:56.12]But Anthony Leal said he is staying at Indiana University for a different reason.
[02:04.36]Leal plays for Indiana's basketball team. Under college athletic rules, he can play four seasons for the team within five years.
[02:16.52]Leal already received his undergraduate degree last year.
[02:21.69]But he is coming back as a fifth-year student to get a master's in business administration.
[02:30.16]"I'm about 70 percent through the program in the Kelley School of Business," he said. "I wanted to get that degree."
[02:39.99]Another change in college rules also makes it easy for athletes to transfer and play the next season. Under previous rules, athletes had to sit out a year before competing.
[02:57.57]Now, the top athletes can enter what is called a transfer portal to get more NIL money at another school and compete right away. 
[03:09.96]University of Nevada, Las Vegas football player Matthew Sluka, for one, recently left the team in a dispute over an NIL payment.
[03:22.44]His representative said he was promised payment but never received it.
[03:29.11]But Ray Harrison said NIL money was not the reason why he left Presbyterian College and joined the basketball team at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona.
[03:44.45]Harrison said, "I just came out here because this is where God led my heart. Of course, we win two (conference) championships and that changes things."
[03:57.05]A college education remains a dream for many younger athletes.
[04:02.29]Tavarius Covington from Chicago wants to continue to play football in college. 
[04:09.20]He hopes that football will help him become the first in his family to go to college and earn a business degree.
[04:18.99]He also wants to be an example for his younger brother.
[04:24.00]"I want him to know there is more to look forward to coming out of high school," Covington said.
[04:31.96]I'm John Russell.