Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE BOLSTERS ACADEMIC ADVISING OFFICE WITH THREE HIRES
8.2.06 | General
PHILADELPHIA -- As part of the overall restructuring plan for its student-athlete academic advising office, Temple University announced the hiring of Peter D'Alonzo as Student Services/Learning Specialist; and Nick Plack and Jaison Freeman as academic coordinators.
"We are excited to be able to attract this high quality of academic support personnel," said Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw. "Pete, Nick and Jaison bring a wealth of experience to Temple in terms of academic advising. With the addition of a certifying officer later this month, we will have the strongest academic advising team in the history of Temple athletics and one that ranks at the top of both the Atlantic 10 and Mid-American Conferences."
D'Alonzo comes to Temple after serving nine years as an academic counselor for student-athletes at the University of Notre Dame. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he first worked with the baseball, men's tennis, women's swimming, women's golf, volleyball, and women's lacrosse programs before taking over the academic advising duties for the University's women's basketball and football teams in 2000. Under his guidance the Irish football team posted cumulative 3.0 grade point averages for this past fall and spring semesters, a first in program history. Prior to his arrival at UND, the 1985 James Madison University graduate taught English and social studies in the Spotsylvania (Va.) County public school system. D'Alonzo earned a Master of Education degree in guidance and counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University (1997).
Plack arrives at Temple after serving the previous two years as an academic counselor at Southern Methodist University. At SMU, the 2001 Penn State graduate worked directly with the football, women's basketball, volleyball, track and field, men's golf and rowing programs. Under his guidance the Mustang football team was awarded the prestigious AFCA 2006 Academic Achievement Award, presented annually to the team with the highest graduation rate. SMU earned a 100 percent graduation rate to win the honor for the first time in program history. Prior to his arrival at SMU, Plack served as a graduate assistant for three semesters (8/02 through 12/03) at his alma mater, where he earned his Master of Education degree in higher education with a concentration in sports administration. Plack also served as an intern for the Morgan Academic Center for Student-Athletes at Penn State from August, 2001 until July, 2002.
Freeman arrived in Owl Country after working with the Hillside Township Board of Education, as well as the borough's recreation department, while pursuing his master's degree. Freeman graduated from Dartmouth College in 2002 with a degree in psychological and brain science and a minor in African-American studies. He earned his master's degree in 2005 from Kean University in human behavior and organizational psychology, completing his thesis research in leadership theory in college athletics. As an undergrad, he served as a work study in athletics, was a three-year resident director and served an internship in the psychiatric unit of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
