Former Hog Modica Assists Student-Athletes
By Harold McIlvain II
Lemke Ledger Staff
It was a dream for former basketball player Jonathon Modica to play at University of Arkansas.
But after finishing his four-year career in 2006 with more than 1,000 points, he now wants to make an impact in the academic arena.
After receiving a bachelor's and a Masters of Arts from the Arkansas journalism department, the Smackover native is now working on a doctoral degree in higher education at the UA with a focus on helping student-athletes.
Modica admitted that education wasn’t his highest priority when he was an undergraduate, but he said getting a degree was always the goal.
Former Arkansas basketball standout Jonathon
Modica
says he is grateful not only for his athletic
opportunities at the UA, but also for the education he
received. — Photo provided
“I might not have showed the most promise when I was an undergraduate,” Modica said. “But you could tell education was important to me.”
But Modica’s mind-set was different when he entered graduate school at Arkansas.
“It was about learning the material so I could apply it to the real world,” Modica said. “I can honestly say that participating in the graduate work in the journalism department was very eye-opening.”
While working on his second degree at the university, Modica realized he could have done better when he was a student-athlete. And he wanted current student-athletes, primarily in football and basketball, to get more involved in their education.
“If you feel like things are not where they should be, the best thing is jump into the field yourself and try to create change,” Modica said. “I want to be involved with college students in general, but I want to find a way to help student-athletes and the challenges they face.”
Modica said it is important for student-athletes to know that playing competitive sports could end at the college level, as it did with him.
“Just like the commercial says, athletes are going to go pro in something else,” Modica said. “Only a small percentage of guys play professional sports in any sport. That’s the mind-set I try to get guys to understand.”
But Modica said it is a hard balance to strike.
“You want them to keep the same fire and enthusiasm and play at a high level,” Modica said. “But you also want them to know this could be just a four-year period.”
Modica earned All-Southeastern Conference honors twice while leading the team in scoring his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Even though Modica had opportunities to play professionally overseas, he felt it wasn’t right for him.
“Basketball was a particular means to this end,” Modica said. “You go through different phases in life and that is what basketball was for me. I got exposure to different things, which helped me determine what I want to do now.”
Since the four-year letterman faced similar challenges as current student-athletes do, Modica said he can bring a different perspective.
“They really don’t have the arguments that they would have with a non-athlete that hasn’t participated in college sports,” Modica said. “I know I made it through the obstacles. If I can do it, I know other people can do it.”
Modica said he had the opportunity to talk to the Arkansas basketball team. But when he talks to athletes, he said success on the playing field isn’t the main topic of conversation.
“It hasn’t been about the performance,” Modica said. “The performance doesn’t matter to me. I really care about the developmental and intellectual component. I think that is what creates lifelong success.”
When he graduates, Modica said he could work at different levels to help students, whether it is at a faculty level, student affairs or on the research side.
But despite no longer playing competitive basketball, he said the sport is still a part of his life as fans still request his autograph.
“Playing here was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” Modica said. “[The fans] even congratulate me with what I’m doing now. And it wasn’t just because of the student-athlete experience, but even the opportunities that are available to me now.”
With his accomplishments on and off the court all coming at the flagship university, the Arkansas native said it means the world to him.
“I can’t express the humbleness and gratefulness I feel to be an Arkansan,” Modica said. “My family feels that this institution is the best in the world. And to say I have at one day three degrees from this university and I really challenged myself, that is something I’m very proud of.”