October 17, 2005 – While schools are reopening across the nation and tens of millions of students are heading back to class, Olympic skier Torin Koos (Leavenworth, WA) is taking a break from his graduate work at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Koos, the defending U.S. cross country sprint champion, is enrolled in an innovative program that offers U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association athletes a chance to further their education while still pursuing their athletic careers.

A 2003 graduate of the University of Utah with a degree in communications, Koos is the first member of USSA’s 14 teams to receive this scholarship from Westminster. Westminster College has partnered with USSA to provide tuition grants for national team athletes and is USSA’s Official Provider of Educational Services. Koos is studying for a masters in professional communications and figures, because he’ll be a part-time student while he’s training and competing, it could be a five-year program at the liberal arts college which was founded in 1875.

But that’s fine with Koos. The key thing for him is Westminster’s unique partnership with USSA, which gives him the freedom to advance his studies while continuing as a world-class elite athlete in cross country skiing.

“This fits perfectly for me. They have the program I want,” Koos said.

Athlete savors professors’ ‘personal touch’
“It’s a five-year plan,” Koos said. “I’m training but I’m also taking two classes a week. It’s really focused, and Westminster’s got a very personal approach. The professors get to know everyone.

“Westminster has the program I want and it’s seen as one of the best in the country, especially for marketing and communications. I wouldn’t invest the time if I didn’t think it was something I’m really interested in.”

He took one class in public relations and marketing and a second class in studying rhetoric.

After graduating in 2003 from the University of Utah, with its larger enrollment and larger class sizes, he particularly enjoys the smaller classes and better professor-student ratio at Westminster. “They’re really small classes – I think they’re capped at 14 or 16 students, totally unlike going to a bigger school. I’ve got one class with seven or eight people in it.

“Things are really focused, really personal. You’ve got to do your reading every week,” he said with a smile. “But it’s great to get so much time to meet with your professors, and you learn from looking at the projects your classmates are doing. I enjoyed my undergraduate work at The U, but it’s hard to turn down this partnership with Westminster. I’m glad to try out a private college and to get the perspective of a smaller college.

Win-win in gold-medal program
“Right now, it’s working out really great,” Koos said. “I’m not sure which way I’ll go with my masters, but I don’t have to decide for a year or two, so that’s another plus for the program.”

Janine Alfano, senior director of development for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation, the fundraising arm for USSA, said, “Torin’s the perfect example of why we’ve partnered with Westminster. We want to help athletes further their education and also to help advance the awareness that the college is willing to work with skiers or snowboarders who may have non-traditional schedules but who also want to get a quality college education.

“He’s the first national team athlete to receive this opportunity, and already others are looking into plans to enroll after this Olympic season,” she said. “We’re also processing some other applications. Westminster is going out of its way to help tailor a college education around athletes’ training and competition schedules.

“This is an Olympic season and what Westminster College is doing for our athletes, and wants to do for others, is a win-win situation for everyone. Really, it’s a gold-medal partnership.”

For more on educational opportunities provided by USSA, visit http://www.usskiteam.com/PublishingFolder/2972.htm