At a moment of increased fluidity in the world of college sports, a new gift is maximizing opportunities for success for talented student-athletes coming to UC Berkeley from other institutions. Since 2019, when the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) launched a portal that facilitates transfers for student-athletes, Cal Athletics has seen an increase in new team members who began their college careers elsewhere. A new $1 million gift from Deborah Loker Hicks ’72 and her husband, Robin Hicks ’69, is paving the way for a smoother transition.
Robin Hicks and Deborah Loker Hicks
“Student-athletes now have the option of going into the transfer portal, going to a new university, and competing immediately,” said Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Oliver O’Reilly. “One of the challenges we have at Berkeley is making sure that student-athletes who are transferring here from other schools are supported academically through the Athletic Study Center. The Hicks gift is unique in that it’s targeted to help these students. For transfer students, this new support is transformative.”
A long-distance swimmer who grew up in an athletic family, Deborah Loker Hicks has followed the success of Cal Swimming with great interest and pride. While she considered making a gift to support the swim team, she wanted to help as many students as possible, regardless of which of the 30 varsity programs they participate in at Berkeley. While meeting with campus leaders, Loker Hicks learned that student-athletes who transfer from other institutions often face challenges adapting to Berkeley’s academic rigor. She and her husband decided to create the Loker Hicks Athletic Study Center Student Fund to help smooth the transition.
“For me it’s really about the student, no matter what sport they play, being successful academically and athletically,” said Loker Hicks, noting that she was moved by the mission of the Athletic Study Center (ASC) and impressed by its leaders. “The ASC is especially useful for students who find themselves at Cal but may not be academically prepared for what’s here. This helps them get with the program.”
For student-athletes, the ASC provides opportunities to give, as well as receive support. “Working with the ASC, both as a student-athlete myself and as an undergraduate tutor, has allowed me to grow as a student and as a leader on campus,” said Elana Eisenberg ’25, a field hockey player. “From guiding students through course selection to helping them develop crucial study skills, the ASC provides a network of support that allows student-athletes to thrive on campus.”
The Loker Hicks Fund provides a flexible source of support that Athletic Study Center Director Tarik Glenn and other ASC leaders can deploy as they see fit. For Glenn, enhancing existing advising programs to accommodate the growing numbers of transfer student-athletes was the clear choice.
“When you’re transitioning into Berkeley, you are on this learning curve just to understand the type of courses Cal has to offer,” said Glenn. “We have full-time academic advisers who can help close the gap for student-athletes and help them see how this new place can meet their academic expectations and help them achieve their goals.”
“It’s more important — more necessary — now than ever before to render aid to students, to help them be more effective here.” — Deborah Loker Hicks
Loker Hicks is deeply involved at Berkeley, serving on the boards of the UC Berkeley Foundation and the Rausser College of Natural Resources. Having served on the boards of smaller institutions, she has some perspective on what it means to run a place as big and complex as UC Berkeley. For students transferring in, particularly those who have the added commitments of serious athletic competition, Cal can be an overwhelming place.
“It’s more important — more necessary — now than ever before to render aid to students, to help them be more effective here,” said Loker Hicks. “I was always inspired by the way in which athletes, college athletes in particular, learn to organize their time better than many other students. Because of the time commitment to their sport, they have to be efficient.”
With this gift to connect transfer student athletes to the support they need, Deborah Loker Hicks and Robin Hicks have paved the way for talented young people to develop their skills on Cal’s courts and fields, and to find their way to a satisfying, well-rounded Berkeley experience. Ultimately, the Loker Hicks Fund has an impact beyond enhancing the experience of student-athletes: It contributes to the success of Cal Athletics, which in turn builds community, helps the Bears roll on, and fosters Berkeley’s brilliance at home and abroad.
