On the west corner of BYU's Student Athlete Building sits a safe haven for student-athletes.
That space is the Built4Life Center, a resource that assists student-athletes with the essentials of balancing life at BYU while competing in their sports and preparing for graduation.
The Built4Life Center focuses on five key areas: academic support, belonging, career development, mental performance and sports performance. Together, these elements provide a holistic support system to help athletes not only succeed on the field or court but also thrive in their personal, academic and future professional lives.
“Our mission is to empower all student-athletes academically, spiritually and professionally through instructional services, academic advising and leadership and life skills initiatives to inspire independent and lifelong learning,” the center’s mission statement reads.
Trevor Wilson, director of the Built4Life Center, explained how academic advisors play a critical role in keeping athletes on track with NCAA eligibility and graduation requirements. Staff members monitor each athlete’s progress weekly, using detailed spreadsheets to identify who might need tutoring, mental health support or additional help to get them back on track.
“It’s super important that they learn to have a great relationship in the classroom and be respectful of their professors and really engage in the learning process,” Wilson said. “It’s also really important that they go to all their games and perform at the highest level possible. We want to be great. In fact, we wouldn’t exist unless our athletes were great.”
Football player Bodie Schoonover said that consistent academic oversight has made a big difference for him.
“They've been super helpful, all the counselors and administrators. Anytime I get behind, they're on top of it. They’re very good at watching over us and making sure we're going to class and doing all those things,” Schoonover said. “Especially because when I first got here, it was super hard to keep everything balanced with school and football but they have a good system going to help us guys.”
Part of what makes BYU unique compared to other universities is its mission.
While athletes everywhere work to balance sports and school, BYU also emphasizes spiritual growth, character development and service. The Belonging Office, in the center, helps student-athletes from all backgrounds adjust to BYU’s culture. For athletes who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Belonging Office creates activities that can engage all different faiths and walks of life to enjoy and feel unified.
“What's unique to BYU falls under our mission,” Wilson said. “We’re not just here to help them succeed academically. We really are trying to help them become disciples of Jesus Christ, so it adds a whole other level of opportunity for us to support our student-athletes in ways other schools don’t think about.”
Freshman volleyball player Suli Davis shared that the sense of belonging meant a lot to her during her first year at BYU.
“They really took me in and told me they were here for me,” Davis said. “It builds connections between us athletes beyond our teammates and gives us more of a social life,” she added, referring to the belonging events hosted by the Built4Life Center.
Another aspect of Built4Life is preparing athletes for life beyond their sport. Jasen Ah You, who oversees the program, teaches the Student Development 109 class for all incoming football players. His goal is to help them understand their identities outside of athletics and prepare for a future where going pro might not be an option.
“When an athlete is so focused on their sport, it’s hard for them to think outside the possibility of going professional, which isn’t the case for most,” Ah You said. “We have those conversations right at the start, even though they don’t always want to hear it.”
Davis also said that the center “has helped me build so many connections going to the career fairs and keeping the connections within the Built4Life program.” She added, “I didn’t know what way I wanted to go. Simply just as people they are super helpful to talk to. They helped show me which route I wanted to go and helped manage and plan everything.”
Built4Life also helps athletes navigate the evolving landscape of college athletics, particularly with name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Now that college sports are being run almost like businesses, financial education is so important for these athletes who have never dealt with having to take care of their money. The center hosts financial workshops, bringing in guest speakers to teach athletes how to invest, pay taxes and manage money responsibly.
“Like, just going over a resume, I’ve never done a resume in my life," Schoonover said. "So just even going over how to write a simple resume, making sure it’s all the right things in there and making sure your strengths are included, that was huge.”
The center itself is designed to be a community space. It’s like an oasis for student-athletes who often have to manage demanding schedules like full-time jobs.
The Center provides study rooms for the athletes to work with peer tutors or their peers. Ah You recalled a moment when a football player fell asleep and was loudly snoring in one of the recliner chairs during a study session.
“I was about to ask someone to wake him up, but one of the players said, ‘This could be the best sleep of his life,’” Ah You said. “So the rest of them put on their headphones and kept studying.”
Moments like that highlight what Built4Life has become for BYU’s athletes: it's not just a resource center, but a place where they can reenergize, connect and prepare for life both inside and outside of sports.