SALT

The purposes and objectives of SALT are the following:

 To streamline and promote efficient communication between IPFW’s Athletic Department administration and the student-athletes, in order to better serve the needs of both, and to offer suggestions on programs designed to serve those needs.

 To encourage and promote the involvement of the student-athlete population with the general campus community and the IPFW athletic community.

 To design and provide programs which will encourage academic achievement, athletic achievement, career development, personal development, and service to the community.

University Service

SALT members actively promote the participation of their teams in many IPFW University events. IPFW student-athletes have volunteered for the IPFW Childcare Center, Homecoming, the IPFW Heath Fair, Smoke Out Day, Q & A Sessions for freshman student-athletes, and numerous other university events. SALT also helped in the planning, running, and promoting of the 5K "Run It Walk It" for Chris Brown, in an effort to create an IPFW Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund in the name of their fellow IPFW student-athlete.

Community Service

 Specific examples of SALT’s service to the community are too numerous to mention here, but a few important examples of how IPFW student-athletes give back to the community are the following:

• Salvation Army’s Adopt a Family Program, every year since SALT was founded as an IPFW student group (2004) we have adopted a family
• Food drives have been coordinated with and through SALT, including the Summit League’s “Food Fight of 2009”, Community Food Harvest, United Way and the Red Cross
• Pink Out’s with the American Cancer Society, in both Fall and Spring have been staffed with IPFW student volunteers
• Reading Programs in local elementary schools have benefitted from IPFW students visiting there schools, as well as an elementary book drive with over 400 books donated
• Fund raising walks and drives have been held for the American Heart Association, the Down’s syndrome Association, Autism Community Together, Children with Diabetes Foundation, Riley’s Children’s Hospital, Turnstone….. and many more
• Big Brothers and Big Sisters have IPFW student-athletes giving of their time

 IPFW student-athletes put their time and efforts into continually working with the IPFW community and the Fort Wayne Community on service projects. New ideas are discussed at each monthly SALT meeting, and committees are formed to work on these projects. Student-athletes vote on which projects they would like to continue to pursue, which new projects to devote time to, and they are always open to seeing where there is a need to be met in our community.

Athletic Service

 IPFW student-athletes also represent our institution not only on the court and field, but also in our Summit League Conference and in the larger arena of the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Programs. Since the summer of 2007, and at the start of our membership in the Summit League, IPFW student-athletes have been traveling and representing the interests of IPFW student-athletes in our conference. This has included voting on proposed NCAA legislation, reviewing the current issues affecting Summit League schools, and discussing Summit League wide service projects. In addition, Since 2004 IPFW has sent student athletes to the NCAA Student Develop/Student Leadership Conferences. The titles of the conferences may change, but IPFW student-athletes have been in attendance, learning, sharing and bringing back ideas to the IPFW campus for implementation. The spirit of athletic service and support is a constant at IPFW, and any team needing volunteers, hosts, or event support can find it through IPFW’s SALT.