Oklahoma Nonprofit Helping OU Student Athletes Use Name, Image And Likeness For Charity

A new program designed to help student athletes serve their communities is empowering students at the University of Oklahoma.

The program, Sooner Nation Collective, is helping student athletes by using their their name, image, and likeness to help local charities.

The Sooner Nation Collective said only 145 of the over 600 athletes here at OU are on a full-ride scholarship.

That means hundreds of student athletes are juggling busy athletic schedules, class loads and the cost of college without time to work a traditional job.

However, program executive director Megan Ellis said this new program is helping fill in those gaps.

"Our student athletes are amazing," Ellis said. "They have such huge hearts, they are thrilled for the opportunity to earn a paycheck but also do something they are passionate about."

Ellis says the nonprofit works with all Sooner teams and showcases how OU’s historic athletic program leads to amazing opportunities.

A few examples Ellis shared, the Sooners baseball team spent time with the Oklahoma Humane Society to help these adorable puppies find their forever homes, and the women’s basketball team created meaningful relationships at the Wings Special Needs Community Fall Festival.

"There is so much news that is negative about NIL... and we didn’t want that to become a part of our student athlete's story," Ellis said. "We want them to see you don’t have to choose between making money and serving the community."

Sooner Nation Collective said they have generous donors, which allows the athletes to be paid for their work.

The nonprofit said there is no geographic boundary for any organizations wanting to get involved.