KANSAS - The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is proud to bring you the "KCAC Alumni Spotlight" series. Every two weeks, the conference will aim to highlight an alumnus of one of our KCAC full member institutions. We hope in this series to highlight successes that KCAC alumni had not only on the field, court, etc., but also in the classroom and now in their chosen professional field.
KCAC ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT — OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
Alumnus: Gene Hartman
Degree Earned at Oklahoma Wesleyan: Bachelor of Science, Communications (2009)
Career Alumnus Currently Holds: Assistant Coach, Oklahoma Wesleyan Men's Basketball
How did your time at Oklahoma Wesleyan help to prepare you for life after college/entering the workforce?
HARTMAN: "My time at OKWU allowed me to understand the value of people and pushed me to think more about the person I wanted to keep developing to be. It also taught me the value of development and the need to continue to learn and grow as a person."
Were there any pre-professional experiences (internships/job shadows/etc.) during your college years that prepared you for entering your chosen field?
HARTMAN: "I was fortunate enough to have an internship at a local news station in Tulsa (KTUL), as well as the NAIA Red Cross Youth Leadership Program. Both gave me access to learning experiences I never could have imagined. Both pushed me to expand my perspective and understanding of life outside of anything I experienced beforehand."
What lessons did you learn competing in collegiate athletics that helped prepare you for life after your playing days were over?
HARTMAN: "One of the biggest lessons I learned as a student-athlete here at OKWU was the importance and value of a team. In every aspect of life, I've been a part of a team. The lessons I learned continue to carry over in my life on and off the court. It continues to put a value and importance of people and has helped me in my position as a coach, but more importantly as a husband and father."
ABOUT THE KANSAS COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and sponsors 29 varsity sports. Founded in 1890, the KCAC is the second oldest intercollegiate athletic conference in the country. As the conference home to 14 member institutions, the KCAC emphasizes commitment, cooperation, high achievement, and working towards a common goal in the act of competition. To keep up with the latest conference news, follow the KCAC on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram using the handle @kcacsports.
—KCAC—