WHOLE Student-Athlete™ program elevates Buffs on and off the field
When Johnny Homsy was injured in the spring of 2025, he faced an uncertainty familiar to many student-athletes navigating recovery. A third-year member of the University of Colorado Boulder’s track and field team, he suddenly found his season paused.
Thanks to his hard work and the support of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program, Homsy not only recovered but returned stronger.
Donor support helps make stories like Homsy’s possible. The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program elevates the CU Boulder student-athlete experience by offering vital services that enrich their lives as competitors, scholars and emerging leaders.
Holistic model redefining college athletics
Launched in 2021 through the generosity of the Crawford Family Foundation, the WHOLE Student-Athlete Program — an acronym for Wellness Health Optimal Life Experience — brings a comprehensive, evidence-based model of support that spans physical, psychological, academic, leadership and career well-being.
This integrated approach is one-of-a-kind in college athletics. Instead of compartmentalizing services, CU Boulder student-athletes benefit from a multidisciplinary team that collaborates to cohesively support long-term wellness and success. The result is a campus environment where athletes are empowered not only to perform, but to thrive.
Empowering student-athletes to succeed
The Crawford Family’s transformational gift made this innovative program possible. Their vision was clear: Give student-athletes the tools, knowledge and resources they need to find success in college and the confidence and skills to shape their lives after graduation.
Homsy is just one of many Buffs who have felt the impact firsthand.
“The structures and resources that CU provides to support the WHOLE Student-Athlete™ has created an environment of success for me both in the classroom and on the track,” he shared. “After suffering a season-ending injury last spring, I was provided healthcare assistance, on-site therapy sessions and one-on-one work with trainers for the months following surgery. Now I am back on the track.”
His recovery wasn’t the only area where he felt supported.
“Outside of athletics, our Leadership and Career Development team has provided events to push me professionally, helping build connections for my internship while also helping me expand my leadership experience,” he said.
Whether facing an unexpected injury, balancing the busy schedule of athletics and academics, or navigating the transition into life after graduation, the program surrounds student-athletes with care, guidance and community.
Transforming Buff athletics through philanthropy
This holistic, coordinated model is trailblazing.
"CU leads the way — across the conference, across the country — in its WHOLE-istic, embedded, cohesive approach to care, services and programming through this program,” said Theresa D. Hernández, director of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program. “We support optimal physical, psychological, academic, leadership and career health among all of our student-athletes, providing them with life experience and sustainable skills that can be relied upon even beyond their time at CU.”
Ongoing philanthropic support ensures CU Boulder can continue to provide this nationally leading model of student-athlete health and well-being. It fuels innovative programming, strengthens mental and physical health resources, and supports career and leadership development that prepares athletes for life after sports.
A competitive advantage for CU Athletics
A strong student-athlete experience strengthens the entire athletic department and positions CU Boulder as a destination for top recruits nationwide.
The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program has become a differentiator for families, coaches and prospective students. CU Boulder’s comprehensive approach to well-being is a reason many student-athletes choose to become a Buff.
Join us in supporting the WHOLE student-athlete
The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program serves every CU Boulder student-athlete. The program includes access to the Herbst Academic Center and the Scripps Leadership and Career Development Program to support students’ academic and career success.
- More than 350 student-athletes directly benefit each year from the program.
- CU Boulder’s student-athlete cumulative GPA is 3.296 as of the fall of 2025.
- In the spring of 2025, CU Boulder student-athletes had an 88% graduation rate.
- 94% of student-athletes who graduated in May 2025 are employed or in graduate school.
University of Colorado Boulder track and field team member, Johnny Homsy