TULANE TALK

November 8, 2013

Good Morning:

As a former college football student-athlete, I know the biggest hits of the game sometimes echo long after the cheers of the crowd have faded away and the stands are empty. For too many NFL players, life after football is not a smooth transition into the jocular world of the announcer’s booth but a slow, painful and lonely journey of ever diminishing ability, relevance and memory.

That is why I am so proud that Tulane has partnered with the NFL Players Association to provide medical evaluations to former players, with no out-of-pocket cost to them. This partnership is part of The Trust, a new initiative to assist former players with brain and body evaluations, career transition, health and nutrition, physical fitness and financial education.

Financial education and success is at the heart of another exciting Tulane venture, PitchNOLA, an annual elevator pitch contest for startup businesses that target the city’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. Sustainable carnival throws, eye screenings for the uninsured and much more are part of the competition that will take place from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Nov. 19, in Freeman Auditorium.

Publicizing great partnerships and events like the ones above is part of the job of Tulane’s communications professionals. This week I addressed a meeting of the newly formed Communications Council, a gathering of communicators from schools and departments throughout the university.

Because they work in the background, promoting the achievements, activities and research of others, our communications specialists – from admissions to athletics to medicine and all points between – are often overlooked. However, like all of our staff, their efforts are so vital to the success of Tulane. I don’t know any dean, department head or university president who has not looked better because of their work.

Have a great weekend,