OUR VISION
A transformative and innovative collegiate-athlete development program that creates a diverse and inclusive cutting-edge experience that encourages a forward thinking mindset as they discover themselves beyond their sport through campus, community, and career development programming.
PROGRAM PILLARS
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Exposing student-athletes to the campus resources and the opportunities the Silicon Valley presents, globally recognized as the Capital of Innovation, as they explore and identify their interest and find inspiration for building a championship life; beyond their sport.
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Upholding a culture of volunteerism, student-athletes will engage in enrichment activities that enhance and support the greater Bay Area community, inspiring themselves, their teammates, campus at-large, and the next generation of Spartans through servant leadership.
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Develop career-focused knowledge and best practices surrounding professionalism and employment opportunities that strategically cultivates meaningful relationships; establishing a foundation for professional success.
Campus Engagement & Partnership
Community Outreach & Initiatives
Leadership Development & Opportunity
Career Readiness & Professional Development
Personal Growth & Branding
Female Leadership & Empowerment
Alumni Engagement, Support, & Mentorship
Individualized Coaching & Support
PROGRAM ELEMENTS
SIGNATURE PROGRAMMING
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WE LIFT
Women Empowerment - Leveraging & Influencing Female Talent
Female centered workshop and seminar series focused around the student-athlete experience as a female. With a goal of empowering and inspiring our female community to be more than their sport.
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Youth Mentoring
Student-Athletes are paried up with local youth attending title one elementary schools, in an effort to excite them about college and inspire the next generation of Spartans. Currently working with 2nd-5th grade students at Robert Sanders Elementary.
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Agoge Academy
A career readiness & leadership academy for elite student-athletes. After 8 weeks of specialized workshops focused on building their brand, the Academy presents to a room full of Silicon Valley professionals.
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Spartan Success Series
A series of workshops & seminars focused on developing student athletes as more than sport in an effort to prepare them for life after college. Featuring topics such as; resume writing, LinkedIn development, networking, internship & interview preparation.
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Financial Fridays
Financial Literacy series through Money Vehicle online learning models. Arming student-athletes with vital financial skills and knowledge in an effort to make them more financially independent and prepare them for life after graduation.
The Beyond Sparta Team
These two go way back, and now they make this powerhouse of a program run and continue to take it to new heights, positively impacting the lives and experiences of San Jose State Student-Athletes.
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Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Development/Beyond Football CoordinatorTobruk Blaine joined the San Jose State University football staff in July 2017 as the program's first Beyond Football Coordinator. In June 2021, she was promoted to the new position of Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Development.
As the Beyond Football Coordinator, she is responsible for enhancing the lives of football student-athletes. The program's success led to taking its concepts department-wide to Beyond Sparta serving more than 450 student-athletes who are encouraged to explore opportunities, identify interests, and inspire themselves and others through a culture of volunteerism.
In Tobruk’s Beyonfd Sparta program Student-athletes will develop career-focused proficiencies and cultivate knowledge, relationships and skills necessary to establish a successful personal and professional life beyond the game of football.
Blaine came to San Jose State with a background in coaching, teaching, fund raising and program building. She was a high school and college cheerleading coach at Eagle and Rocky Mountain High Schools in Idaho and at Boise State University. Blaine was named the 2006 state of Idaho Cheerleading Coach of the Year for leading Eagle High to its championship.
While coaching at Eagle and Rocky Mountain High, she was a health sciences teacher. In 2012, she was one of 18 teachers from the state of Idaho honored at Boise State University's annual Barbara Morgan Mentor of the Year Awards program.
The 2002 Oregon State University graduate majored in health promotion and education. She has master's degrees in health education from Oregon State and educational leadership from the University of Idaho.
She and her husband, Ben, have two daughters, Landyn and Colby.
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Beyond Sparta Coordinator
With an extensive background in Football operations and recruiting, working in both the Mountain West and Southeastern conference, Clesi was the perfect fit to help take this program to the next level.
Along with her respected experience in the collegiate sports industry, Clesi was an easy fit for this postion due to her and Tobruks previously exisiting relationship which goes back almost 10 years. Tobruk was Clesi’s head dance coach in college, which has lead these two into the power duo they now are today.
Clesi is from Boise, Idaho and enjoys golfing and enjoying the outdoors in her free time.
OUR IMPACT
$335,000
Economic Impact
OUR STUDENTS
470 Total
Student-Athletes
60%
Underrepresented
Populations
