NAIA Names Clarke a Champions of Character Five-Star Institution

Clarke Selected a Five-Star Institution

NAIA Distinction Honors Character-Driven Athletic Program

Clarke University announced today that the school has been selected as a Five-Star Institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NAIA Champions of Character program is an educational outreach initiative designed to instill an understanding of character values in sport and provide practical tools for student-athletes, coaches and parents to use in modeling exemplary character traits.

In these most recent rankings, Clarke University tied for the fifteenth highest score nationally, with a total of 77 points. The rankings are based on the NAIA’s Champions of Character scorecard, which assess each institutions commitment to five core values; respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. The two top categories measured by the scorecard are character training and conduct in competition. Schools scoring over 60 points (out of 100) are named Five Star Institutions for the academic year.

One of the ways that Clarke had demonstrated its commitment to student-athlete development is through its chartered student organization CHAMPS (Champions of Character).  CHAMPS works collaboratively with the athletic office and the student-athlete community to address the needs and concerns that impact athletic performances and personal well-being. At the same time, CHAMPS provides information to the wider campus communities, regarding the unique needs and accomplishments of Clarke’s student-athletes.

For more about Clarke University’s athletic programs and student-athletes, go to clarkepride.com.

More About Champions of Character: The NAIA launched the Champions of Character program in 2000, when research began to show that the longer a student spends in sports, their social reasoning – sacrificing for the good of the team – rises, while their moral reasoning skills – doing what is fair, just, honest, and noble – declines. The Champions of Character program helps participants find the balance by keeping the five core values at the heart of the athletics experience.